Brunnenburg Castle, Tirolo, Italy

Brunnenburg (Castel Fontana) is situated above the city of Merano, on the outskirts of the municipality of Tirol (Tirolo). Originally built circa 1250, the castle was completely restored and updated in the mid-20th century by Boris and Mary de Rachewiltz, who have made it their home.

Today Brunnenburg hosts an Agriculture Museum, dedicated to ethnology, ethnography and folk arts. Moreover it makes visitors familiar with the processing of crops and bread making, the preparation of butter and cheese and much more and illustrates the hard everyday life of South Tyrolean farmers in former periods.

Also almost forgotten professions such as shoemaking and weaving are presented, preventing these activities from falling into oblivion. Finally, the castle is also home to farm animals, above all an attraction for kids.

User Reviews

Samy Smart (3 years ago)
Nice burg

Arjen Meurs (4 years ago)
Interesting vollection. Fine castle

Selva Calixto (4 years ago)
We had the chance to meet Mrs. Mary. She is very kind. The museum and castle itself are full of historical information from the farm life in Tyrol as well as Mrs. Mary’s father, the poet Ezra Pound.

Kelsey Jones (4 years ago)
Such a magical place!! A wonderful family owned and operated museum dedicated to farming on the slopes. And while you can't go up the towers of the castle because it is where the family lives, the parts you can visit are breathtaking!!

Jessica Frey (5 years ago)
Lived here for three months. One of the best experiences of my life. Amazing Family.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright larrywkoester

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Monte d'Accoddi

Monte d"Accoddi is a Neolithic archaeological site in northern Sardinia, located in the territory of Sassari. The site consists of a massive raised stone platform thought to have been an altar. It was constructed by the Ozieri culture or earlier, with the oldest parts dated to around 4,000–3,650 BC.

The site was discovered in 1954 in a field owned by the Segni family. No chambers or entrances to the mound have been found, leading to the presumption it was an altar, a temple or a step pyramid. It may have also served an observational function, as its square plan is coordinated with the cardinal points of the compass.

The initial Ozieri structure was abandoned or destroyed around 3000 BC, with traces of fire found in the archeological evidence. Around 2800 BC the remains of the original structure were completely covered with a layered mixture of earth and stone, and large blocks of limestone were then applied to establish a second platform, truncated by a step pyramid (36 m × 29 m, about 10 m in height), accessible by means of a second ramp, 42 m long, built over the older one. This second temple resembles contemporary Mesopotamian ziggurats, and is attributed to the Abealzu-Filigosa culture.

Archeological excavations from the chalcolithic Abealzu-Filigosa layers indicate the Monte d"Accoddi was used for animal sacrifice, with the remains of sheep, cattle, and swine recovered in near equal proportions. It is among the earliest known sacrificial sites in Western Europe.

The site appears to have been abandoned again around 1800 BC, at the onset of the Nuragic age.

The monument was partially reconstructed during the 1980s. It is open to the public and accessible by the old route of SS131 highway, near the hamlet of Ottava. It is 14,9 km from Sassari and 45 km from Alghero. There is no public transportation to the site. The opening times vary throughout the year.

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