Forts & Castles in Bolzano/Bozen and environs

First documented in 1159, the ruins were destroyed many times due to fires and battles, and have always been rebuilt. The castle ruin today bears the name “Sauschloss”, which literally translated means “pork/pig castle”, as according to a legend a pork was thrown out of the castle.

The ruins are only 15 minutes walk from the restaurant Noafer in Cologna/San Genesio.

On the northern side of Bolzano face to Runkelstein Castle lies the antique ruin of Rafenstein castle. 

Haselburg Castle is accessible to the general public as a restaurant and as a party and reception venue (opening times of the restaurant). To get there you have to pass through the neighbourhood of Haslach: a steep path will take you to the rocky lookout on which the castle is perched (with parking space). Nice view on the Etsch valley and on Bolzano/Bozen itself looking North (Salten plateau, Sarntal Valley, Ritten). It contains frescoes from 1500.

The ruins of Stein Castle at Renon are located below Siffiano between Collalbo and Auna di Sotto. The few imposing remains of the castle ruins rise on an isolated rock above a gorge that drops from Renon into Valle Isarco. Only the south and west walls of the palace remained, the ring walls of the lower situated outer castle have largely fallen into the depths. In the first half of the 13th century, the complex was built by the Lords "de Lapide" (to the stone), destroyed in 1349, then rebuilt and abandoned in the 17th century.

For a long time, the castle, situated on important secondary connections, served as the court seat of Renon. In the 15th century, the Tyrolean sovereigns commissioned a court judge, such as the Bolzano noblewoman Ingenuin ofWeineck as "phleger auf dem Stain" in 1417.

Laimburg Castle was built in the 13th century by the Lords of Laimburg as a residence and was intended to secure the transition over the “Kreithersattel”, the connection between the Val d'Adige valley and the Oltradige/Überetsch valley. Originally, the castle was built in Romanesque style and later, in 1342, extended in Gothic style. Towards the end of the 15th century the castle was abandoned and fell into disrepair. In 2002 the castle was completely restored and secured and is freely accessible ever since.

Located at the southern-western outskirts of Bolzano/Bozen, this castle is considered one of the emblems of South Tyrol. The original name "Formigar" stems from the Latin word "formicaria". From the 10th century a.d. the castle belonged to the Prince-Bishop of Trento, while during the second half of the 15th century Duke Sigismond , Count of Tirol, bought it and transformed it into the biggest and most prestigious of his castles naming it Sigmundskron (Sigismonds' crown). At the present date it has become the Mountain Museum of Reinhold Messner MMM Firmian.

The viewing platform "Klapf", just a few minutes walk from the village center, is quite a highlight: lose yourself in the breathtaking view over the main chain of the Alps. 

The ruin of St. Valentine was the precurser of today's church in Salonetto/Schlaneid. The wooden church was build in the 8th century, but was replaced by a stone church just one century later. In the following 1000 years the church was architecturally changed multiple times, and completely renewed in 1770, when the church was replaced by a new one in the village center.

The lime pit was built of bricks and reminds of the shape of a well. There was produced lime for the construction of houses.
Wolves were also caught on the basis of stories.

Attractive building from 1634 incorporating an original part of the old City walls, maintained its official function until 1780. Right up in front of it a plaque which commemorates Saint Andrew's Church (demolished in 1785) and in front of it you can admire the picturesque Piazza del Grano Kornplatz (Wheat Square), embellished by nice shops and restaurants, one the main wheat market and of other land produce. In this respect we are talking about the firs main urban centre of Bolzano/Bozen together with the castle of the Prince-Bishops of Trento, founders of the City: the Castle was probably destroyed by Mainhard II during one of his incursions to obtain control over the important commercial town (1277).

Former rectory with Gothic bell tower.

The merlons, slits and the sculptured faces in the stone decorate the Gothic bell tower of Jenesien town hall buildung, once the village school and rectory.

The History of Commandery Longomoso - a rural branch of the Teutonic Order - is closely related to the hospice, which was built in the year 1200, when the road to cross the Alps led across the Renon. The hospice was used as accommodation for travelers, for changing horses, to care for the sick. The present form of the building as a mighty wall cube with a pyramid roof was built c.1650. The magnificent "Reiteröfen" (fireplaces) in the state rooms are witnesses of domestic potter art. Worth seeing are the stucco ceiling and wallpaper with biblical scenes and episodes from the history of the Teutonic Order. Today the Commandery is the beaming cultural center for the whole Renon. The Board of Trustees of the Commandery Longomoso operates a varied program of events.

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.

Palais Campofranco was built in the second half of the 18th century. During the following century, it was the residence of the Archduke Ranieri Joseph of Austria and his wife, Princess Elisabeth of Savoy. The emblem of the Palace is its monumental ginko biloba tree, a gift for Empress Elisabeth of Austria, more commonly known as Princess Sissi, from her uncle Heinrich.

A change that preserves both the environment and the past of the building. This is the vision that nurtured the Palais Campofranco’s rebirth, built up from its historical foundations into a tribute to the territory through the creative use of smart technologies and natural energy sources.

The inner court of the Palais, with its impressive ginkgo tree as a centrepiece, is open all year round to give the palace a central role in Bolzano’s city life.

The XIII century castle, situated right behind the hystoric city centre, is surrounded by fields of the fine Lagrein grapevines and has stunning views of the Rosengarten. It was renovated in the 1980s and transformed into a conference and exhibition centre. It is certainly the most interesting and exclusive complex, ideal for housing conferences, seminars, banquets, concerts, cultural events and exhibitions. The beautiful interiors, with stunning frescoes, have all the modern features and conference facilities. The view of the castle from the river walk nearby is particularly impressive. Adjacent parking.

The castle is a congress centre and open for visitors only during events and exhibitions.

At the beginning of the Sarntal Valley you'll find Runkelstein Castle, on the northern outskirts of town. You can easily get there on foot walking the lush green Talfer promenade or using a bike by taking the bike path. You can also hop on number 12 bus (Sunday Nr. 14), as well as the free shuttle departing from Walther Square (for further information contact Bolzano's Tourism Office). At the foot of the castle you'll find parking space for cars and bikes. Built in 1237 on a jutting edge of rock, the castle has been worked on and enlarged many times over and it boasts a collection of beautiful frescoes, depicting life scenes from court, hunting parties, knightly tournaments and scenes from everyday life. Literary depictions are not missing, as they also illustrate the adventures of Tristan and Isolda and those of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. It is the biggest collection of profane frescoes and the best preserved one of the Middle Age. There are always some interesting cultural events going on at the castle, wich from time to time liven up the halls and court of Roncolo. A restaurant offers the chance to taste local dishes in a medieval setting.

In the tower next to the Steifler court were payed the taxes in form of natural materials. During the 17th century some of these taxes was changed in money. Today it's possible to visit this old tower from the outside. 

"BZ '18–'45: one monument, one city, two dictatorships", is an exhibition opened to the public in July 2014. It illustrates the history of the Monument to Victory, designed by Marcello Piacentini and erected by the Fascist regime between 1926 and 1928. The monument reflects and provides a link to local historical events during the twenty years of Fascism and the Nazi occupation, within the context of national and international events in the years between the two World Wars (1918–1945). The exhibition also covers the radical urban transformations for the construction of a new “Italian” city of Bolzano, from the end of the 1920s. Finally, the exhibition confronts the difficult relationship between the different language groups, caused by the overbearing legacy of Fascism, within the evolving social and political framework of the second half of the twentieth century to the present day.

In the via Cassa di Risparmio/Sparkassenstrasse are collocated the Civic Museum and the Archeological Museum with the iceman.