Všechny pevnosti a hrady

The scheme to promote mountaineering villages in the Alpine regions supports environmentally-friendly, natural tourism. The network unites villages with a thriving natural and cultural landscape, which have been spared major technical innovations and where mountains and mountaineering are an integral part of the identity.
From leisurely “Waalweg” irrigation-channel trails through to the three-thousand metre climbs – enjoy all the authenticity of the Matsch Valley. The living traditions and customs offer you an insight into the active village community, and a stop-off to wander round the castle ruins at the entrance to the village brings the dreaded Matsch robber-barons back to fearsome life.

Deeply under meters of concrete the modern history of the region is being presented in an adventurous way for every age in this bunker active to the very last days of the Cold War. The bunker reflects the conflicts of the region and offers a genuine insight into history. Interesting information about the course of the war is imposed at various stations, surprising every visitor.     

The Fort Nauders was built as a roadblock to protect the lnntal from troop invasions from Lombardy and the Engadin. The five-storey fortress was built from 1834 to 1840. The wedge-shaped porch was equipped with cannons. The crew casemate reaches 20 meters deep into the rocks. The fortress was never attacked and has remained unchanged. Currently the fortress is being restored.

 

Since 2011 the Schluderns Gate Tower in Glurns hosts a permanent exhibition concerning the history of this little medieval town, such as trade, customs, daily life and curiosities.

The romantic Castle ruin Rafenstein rises high above the city of Bolzano at the entrace of Sarentino Valley. 

TSCHETTERLOCH

At the path between the so-called Bärenfalle and the Sciliar mountain you can see a small hole, which scales up to a hidden hall. In there you can find a large rock which looks like a table and chairs. According to the legends a forest ghost, wild men and other mystic figures lived in this cave.
The ascent to the cave is only possible with an appropriate equipment.

Centuries ago Dobbiaco’s waters were used by craftsmen and in mills. The historic melting furnace at the Klauskofel in the Val di Landro shows how people in those days used the power of the water to melt ores.
Modern usage of hydro power is demonstrated using the example of a power station.

Further information on Dobbiaco’s Water treasures

The Engelrast viewing platform on Puflatsch offers a breathtaking 360° panoramic view of the Alpe di Siusi, the Val Gardena and the Dolomites. The platform is surrounded by a metal plate that gives a detailed description of the fantastic mountain panorama of the entire Alpe di Siusi with Sciliar, Sassolungo and Sassolungo, as well as the surrounding mountain ranges. You can find out which mountains you can see in which direction of the sky and how high the peaks are. A nice detail of this platform is the little angel enthroned above this vantage point. A visit to this magnificent viewpoint with some wooden benches is worthwhile. The Engelrast is located near the mountain station of the Telemix Puflatsch. You can reach the viewing platform on foot from Compatsch on the Alpe di Siusi following hiking trail no. 14 or by taking the Puflatsch cable car.

The Masters of Braunsberg were first mentioned in the records in 1213; from 1492 in the possession of the Counts Trapp, latterly inherited by the Counts Strachwitz, who restored the castle; simple layout with a curtain wall, residential building, tower-like and chapel (St. Blasius).

The castle towering high above the Gaulschlucht gorge is a landmark of Lana. It was the seat of the Lords of Braunsberg mentioned in 1213, belonged to the Trapp Counts Matsch from 1492 to 1969 until Braunsberg Castle passed into the inheritance of the Counts Strachwitz in 1969.  

The small and simple complex, part of which fell into the Gaulschlucht gorge in 1510, consists of a curtain wall, residential building, tower-like outbuilding and the St. Blasius Chapel. It was first mentioned in a document in 1323, but is certainly older because of its Romanesque architectural style and was originally located outside the castle walls.

Various stylistic periods can be found: The portal dates from the late Gothic period, the open pulpit from 1538, the crucifixion group and the figures of Saints Vigilius and Blasius from 1592 with frames from 1669 and the Baroque altar from 1690.

The castle is privately owned and cannot be visited.

The ruins of Salegg are not far from the Hauenstein ruins, at the foot of the might rock face of the Santner, hidden deep in the forest. The castle dates back to the 12th century and were passed in the hands of the Wolkenstein dynasty. 
Today all hat remains of its former glory are the castle walls, and yet the site continues to emanate a very special, mysterious energy.
According to an old legend, a secret passageway runs between the two castles Hauenstein and Salegg.

At the foot of the might rock face of the Santner, hidden deep in forest, lies the legendary castle ruin of Hauenstein. The castel dates back to the 12th century and was built by the Lords of Hauenstein and enlarged in the 15th and 16th century. One of the owners was the famous minnesinger Oswald von Wolkenstein.
Today all that remains of the former glory are the castle walls, and yet the site continues to emanate a very special, mysterious energy.
According to an old legend, a secret passageway runs between the two castles of Hauenstein and Salegg. And every so often, or so they say in the area around the Schlern, you can hear the spine-chilling wails of a banished damsel.

An unique group of holy buildings is standing on Mount Calvary, also called Kofel/Colle at Kastelruth/Castelrotto. From the village a path leads among porphyry rocks and beautiful nature. Several chapels line the pilgrimage, which ends at the Roman tower. The seven chapels show pictures of Jesus and his mother, the Mount of Olives, the scourging, crowning with thorns and the handwashing and the Entombment. (Nice walk - 20 minutes)

First documented in 1180, from year 1600 it has been used as a holiday station by the Agostinian monks from the convent of Muri Gries. All around the little church of S. Magdalene you can find the old master's house, the prelate's house, the 'Stegerhof' with its rural buildings that is nowadays' summer residence of the Benedictine monk of Muri Gries.

It is the ruin of a castle once belonging to the lords of Aichach in the 12th century, whose decline is linked to bitter disputes with the lords of Kastelruth. The lords of Kastelruth got hold of the castle and kept it until 1741. Hiking route no. 7a from Seis.

The castle ruins of "Castelforte/Festenstein" can be described as Andriano's symbol. It reigns over Andriano from the lofty, rocky outcrop of the Gola del Rio Gaido, and can only be reached via a steep mountain climb. Its location was certainly a pondered choice by the stonemason to ensure the weapons of the enemies would never reach the castle. At the same time, the spectacular location of the castle offers a 360° view across the lower Valle dell'Adige. "Festenstein" was first mentioned in written documents in the mid-13th century. We assume that the castle was built at the time or greatly expanded. Regardless, it had already been built by the time the Counts of Appiano oversaw the valley, they probably assigned one of their vassals to administer the castle.
Managing such a castle would have been tedious work  and included collecting taxes from farms, the constant worry about providing the castle with water, food, and firewood, improvement works and endless suveillance shifts. All these tasks, considering the virtually inaccessible location of the castle, would have been pure torture. Sometime between the 13th and 14th century the castle was damaged, probably during the ongoing skirmishes of the time, because in 1383 it became property of the Lords of Villandro, who were tasked with restoring the decrepit ruins to their former glory. This shows how the castle still had a role to play at the end of the 14th century.

In the following period, the castle changed hands various times. In the 15th century it belonged to the Sparrenberger, members of the gentry, followed by the Lords Lanser of Appiano between 1654 and 1818.

In 2008,  Count Meinhard Khuen von Belasi purchased the castle ruins and commissioned, together with the South Tyrolean Office for Cultural Heritage, various restoration measures to secure the state of the walls and protect the castle from further deterioration.

After years of restoration work, Castelforte is now open to visitors. On various dates, the Andriano Tourist Association enables a special opening of the castle.
Special Opening of the Ruins Festenstein 2023:

Sunday, 02.04.2023
Friday,07.04.2023
Sunday, 16.04.2023
Friday,21.04.2023 cancelled
Sunday, 30.04.2023
Friday,05.05.2023
Friday,12.05.2023 cancelled
Friday,19.05.2023
Monday, 29.05.2023
Friday, 02.06.2023
Saturday, 10.06.2023
Sunday, 11.06.2023
Friday,16.06.2023
Friday,23.06.2023
Friday,07.07.2023
Friday,21.07.2023
Friday,11.08.2023
Friday,25.08.2023
Sunday, 03.09.2023
Friday,08.09.2023
Friday,15.09.2023
Friday,22.09.2023
Sunday, 01.10.2023
Friday,06.10.2023
Sunday, 15.10.2023

Opening times:  10:00 – 15:00

Cancelled in bad weather!