Medieval castles in South Tyrol
Hofburg
Prince Bishops of Brixen commissioned the construction of their fortified castle (called Hofburg) in Brixen in the 13th century. The following centuries brought about numerous revisions to the structure. Around 1600 the splendid renaissance-style interior courtyard was created and decorated with bronze-overlaid terracotta statues by Hans Reichle, the celebrated sculptor from Augsburg. During that same period, the meeting ...
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Brixen, Italy
Prince’s Castle
Sigismund, Archduke of Austria, had this modest castle (Landesfürstliche Burg) built in central location of Meran in the second half of the 15th century. He probably used this fortress behind the town hall as his private city residence. However, this ensemble of buildings rather resembles an artistically designed, solid building with low enclosure than a fully-developed castle. For this reason it is simply often referred ...
Founded: 15th century |
Location:
Meran, Italy
Scena Castle
Scena castle, also called Castel Schenna, has first been documented in 1346, but this refers to a forerunner of the building. Only Petermann from Scena, burgrave from Tyrol and minion of Margaret, Countess of Tyrol, had the castle complex built in 1350, the way it appears today. In the years to follow the castle repeatedly changed hands. Among the famous owners there were the Lords of Starkenberg, the Counts of Lichtenst ...
Founded: c. 1350 |
Location:
Schenna, Italy
Branzoll Castle
Branzoll Castle was built around the year 1250 by the Lords of Sabiona. Between 1465 and 1671, it was the site of the Prince-Bishop"s court judge. In 1671, it was destroyed in a fire. In 1895, reconstruction began. While the castle-keep still contains parts of the former fortress, the residential tract is completely new. The view from the church square of the buildings on both sides and the castle looming over it all ...
Founded: 1250 |
Location:
Chiusa, Italy
Bruneck Castle
Bruneck (Brunico) Castle lies on the top of the hill that dominates Brunico, the city on the Rienza river. In the middle of the 13th century , the bishop of Bressanone, Bruno von Kirchberg, commissioned the building of the castle in order to protect his lands in the Val Pusteria, laying the foundations for the city of Brunico. The interiors of the castle host numerous emblems of the bishops who lived here: Albert von Enn ...
Founded: c. 1250 |
Location:
Brunico, Italy
Sigmundskron Castle
Sigmundskron Castle (Castel Firmiano) is an extensive castle and set of fortifications near Bolzano in South Tyrol. The first historical mention of the castle dates back to AD 945. In 1027 Emperor Conrad II transferred it to the Bishop of Trent. In the 12th century it was given to ministeriales, who from then on were named the Firmian family. Around 1473 the Prince of Tyrol, Duke Sigismund the Rich, bought the castle, r ...
Founded: 945 AD |
Location:
Bolzano, Italy
Tyrol Castle
Tyrol Castle was the ancestral seat of the Counts of Tyrol and gave the whole Tyrol region its name. The castle hill has been inhabited since ancient times. Several artefacts and one field of graves from the early Middle Ages have been identified. Archeologists have excavated a church with three apses dating from the early Christian period. The first castle was built before 1100. The second construction phase including ...
Founded: c. 1100 |
Location:
Tirolo, Italy
Maretsch Castle
Maretsch Castle (Castel Mareccio) is a picturesque 13th century castle surrounded by vineyards. The oldest tower of the castle has been built in 1194 by Berthold von Maretsch - according to documents he was a commissary of the Lords of Tyrol and lawyer in Bolzano. In the beginning there was only the massive donjon, which can still be seen today. In the 13th and 14th century different owners kept amplifying the castle com ...
Founded: 1194 |
Location:
Bolzano, Italy
Runkelstein Castle
Runkelstein Castle (Castel Roncolo) is a medieval fortification on a rocky spur near Bolzano. In 1237 Alderich Prince-Bishop of Trent gave the brothers Friedrich and Beral Lords of Wangen permission to construct a castle on the rock then called Runchenstayn. In 1274 it was damaged during a siege by Meinhard II of Tirol, who after winning the war against Heinrich Prince-Bishop of Trent, entrusted the castle to Gottschalk ...
Founded: 1237 |
Location:
Bolzano, Italy
Taufers Castle
Taufers Castle (Castel Tures) perfectly fits the scenery in which it is located, as the high mountains of the valley serve as background. In succession of “Castel Tobel” in 1100 AD, Taufers has been mentioned for the first time in 1225. In the first half of the 14th century the Lords of Taufers were in possession of the castle, but when the last member of the family died in 1349 the castle continually deteriorated. Th ...
Founded: 1225 |
Location:
Campo Tures, Italy
Juval Castle
Juval Castle (Italian Castel Juval) is located at the entrance of the Schnalstal valley. It derives its name from the Latin name of the mountain, Mons Jovis (mountain of Jupiter). The oldest account of the castle dates to 1278, when it was owned by Hugo of Montalban. It was probably constructed about thirty years before the first account referencing it. In 1368, it was acquired by the lords of Starkenberg, and in 1540, ...
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Castelbello-Ciardes, Italy
Hocheppan Castle
The Hocheppan Castle with its impressive donjon is located high above Missian, a district of Eppan on the wine route (officially Eppan an der Weinstraße). Until today, it ranks among the most important fortresses in Southern South Tyrol and has some surprises in store for art lovers, panorama fans and gourmets preferring proper meals. The castle in the environs of Eppan was built in 1130 and was, already at that time, o ...
Founded: 1130 |
Location:
Eppan, Italy
Velthurns Castle
Velthurns (Velturno) Castle was built by Cardinal Christof Madrutz and Bishop Johannes Spaur in Renaissance style between 1577 and 1587. It was used as summer residence of the archbishops of Bressanone (Brixen) until 1803. Once the castle was known for its deer garden, the fish pond and the huge aviary for birds, today the complex itself is a sight on its own. Worth mentioning is above all the St Catherine’s Chapel o ...
Founded: 1577-1587 |
Location:
Feldthurns, Italy
Boymont Castle
Boymont Castle ruins are famous for the panoramic view. It was built between 1220-1240 by the relative of the Count of Eppan. Especially in the 14th century the family Boymont played an important role. After them the Castel was in the hands of the Austrian Ulrich Kässler for a short period after he married the rich daughter Barbara of Boymont in 1413. In 1425 Castel Boymont was victim of arson and has not been rebuilt ...
Founded: 1220 |
Location:
Eppan, Italy
Prösels Castle
Prösels Castle (Castello di Presule) was first named in a document from 1279 and it is believed that the lords of Völs, feudatories of the Bishopric of Brixen, had built the castle here by 1200. Today the central palace with a Romanesque archway are surviving parts of this first fortress. In Italian it is sometimes called Castel Colonna, reflecting the fact that around the time of Leonhard II the Völs (Fiè) family st ...
Founded: c. 1200 |
Location:
Presule, Italy
Churburg Castle
Churburg Castle (Castel Coira in Italian) is one of the best preserved castles of South Tyrol. In 1259 this building was mentioned for the first time under the name “Curberch” in a document of the archbishop Heinrich von Monfort, which had the castle built around 1250. However, already in 1297 the castle passed to the Lords of Mazia, which were in constant feud with the prince-bishopric of Chur. At the beginning of th ...
Founded: 1250 |
Location:
Sluderno, Italy
Schloss Thurn
Schloss Thurn (Ćiastel de Tor in Italian) is a three-storey residential tower which was built by the attendants of the bishops of Bressanone in 1230. It has first been documented in 1290. In this context the Lords of Rodank-Schöneck were feuds of the building until 1331. In the years to follow the residential tower was amplified by a crenelated circular wall and a great hall. Also the tower was modified and two store ...
Founded: 1230 |
Location:
San Martino In Badia, Italy
Kastelbell Castle
Kastelbell castle was built by the lords of Montalban in the 12th century. The oldest document of castle dates back to 1238. The castle was extended from 1531 by the counts of Hendl. After fires in the 19th century it was left to decay, but restored in 1987-1995.
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Castelbello, Italy
Welsberg Castle
Welsberg Castle (Castel Monguelfo in Italian) lies in a strategic position above Casies Valley. The castle was built in 1140 by the two brother Schwinkher and Otto von Welsberg. This latest wanted the overhanging upon his lands. For more than 800 years the castle had been property of the von Welsbergs, one of the mightiest families in Tyrol, who obtained the title of Prince of the Holy Roman Empire in 1693 by the emperor ...
Founded: 1140 |
Location:
Welsberg-Taisten, Italy
Summersberg Castle
The oldest parts of the Summersberg castle is the round 'Witch Tower' dating from the 14th century. Extensions and additions were made between 15th and 18th centuries. From 1619 to 1828 Summersberg was owned by Counts of Wolkenstein. In 1880 Ignaz Vinzenz Zingerle bought the castle. The descendants of Zingerle still own the castle.
Founded: 14th century |
Location:
Gudon, Italy