 The village is mentioned for the first time in 1284 as "Gasnitz".In 1288 the valley had nine "Schwaighöfe" (alpine farms) seven of them in Gschnitz, which formed the centre of the village, and two at Laponesalm.The right of succession in Tirol originated from these nine Schwaighöfe and was adopted in all the other valleys in the region.