Tous les châteaux forts & châteaux

The building techniques and the disposition of stones in layers let suppose that this little fortress was built around 1180. It is highly likely that the lords of the castle were the Counts of Tyrol. The last written documentation about Helfenberg goes back to 1353.

The ruins of the two castles Rotund and Reichenberg are clearly visible from the village of Taufers in the Münstertal. Rotund Castle is located at an altitude of 1500 metres, making it one of the highest castles in Tyrol. It was built around 900 by order of the bishops of Chur. The castle changed hands several times over the centuries before it was abandoned at the end of the 17th century and left to decay. Below Rotund is Reichenberg Castle. Originally, Reichenberg Castle was owned by the bishops of Chur, but in the middle of the 12th century it fell into the hands of the robber baron, Lord of Reichenberg, who spread fear and terror. At the end of the 17th century, this castle was also abandoned. Today, the ruins of both estates can be visited.

- in St. Martin/S. Martino: Haupold, Saltaus, Granstein, Kalm, Baumkirch, Gereuth, Steinhaus

- in St. Leonhard/S. Leonardo: Ebion, Buchenegg, Happerg, Gomion

In Vorderpasseiertal Valley there are some unique buildings: farmhouses built mostly of wood, or a castle-like building overgrown with ivy and decorated with ancient sundials or frescoes. The history of the Schildhof farmers dates back to the 13th century, when they served Count Albert of Tyrol (1190-1253) as shield-bearers. As a result, the large farms were granted many privileges. What remains now are only fishing rights in the Passer river.

Tip: Passeirer Schildhöfeweg trail

Lordly towers, historical pinnacles and arcade windows.
Schloss Plars evokes tradition and combines the charming ambiance of old times with the stylish appeal of modernity, while love for details and a perceptible sense of well-being give an extra touch to the special atmosphere of the place. 

From april to October there is a wine educational trail - a guided tour with a visit to the wine cellar and a wine tasting session.

You can book the tour at the winery "Schloss Plars" until the day prior to your visit. Phone: 0039 0473 448 472 or E-Mail: info@schlossplars.com.

Price: EURO 15 per Person (free for children/youths under the age of 16)

Above the village is the Malerhaus. Besides the three fresco paintings that adorn the main facade of the building, nothing reminds us that more than 100 years (1719-1845) have passed since a painting school was located here.

Tip: still-existing works can be found in the Pfarkirche St. Martin parish church and the Turmhaus building in the village square.

Tschenglsburg Castle, also known as Fuchsburg, remains a unitary building complex despite its different construction periods. At its entrance, there is the great entrance portal dating from the year 1000, with a keystone in the white marble arch engraved with the family coat of arms. The castle was privatized in 1860 and is today a popular cultural tavern.

Greifenstein castle is enthroned high above the village of Siebeneich/Settequerce. It was first mentioned in 1159.  During the war between the Counts of Tyrol and the Bishop of Trient, in 1275/1276, the castle was destroyed.  Only in 1334, the small aristocrats, the Lords of Greifenstein decided to re-built it again.  On a few years later, in 1348, it was burnt down.  In latter years (once more re-built in 1363), Greifenstein went into the hands of the Lords of Starkenberg.  In 1420, when a part of the Tyrolean aristocracy went into war against the sovereign Duke Frederick of Austria, the sovereign had the castle besieged and starved out.  Amongst the duke's enemies was also the minnesinger Oswald von Wolkenstein.  He wrote a poetic song about the duke's besieger and made fun of them.  The duke's army could not take Castle Greifenstein, but the fight of the aristocracy and the castle's owner, Wilhelm von Starkenberg, became meaningless and, therefore, the Lord of Starkenberg escaped probably through a crevice at the south-western part of the castle.  His 18 servants gave up their resistance once they were promised free withdrawal.  Today, Castle Greifenstein is merely a ruin. 
In common language, it is also called the Sauschloss.  This name derived from a legend, which speaks about the time of the siege.  During this time, the people inside the castle had to face fact that they were left with no food.  There was only one well fattened pig in the castle's cellar.  Suddenly, one of the servants had an idea: instead of slaughtering the animal, they threw it with much laughter over the castle walls and down the rock just in front of the besiegers.  When those realised what just had happened, they lost all courage as they believed that the castle's inhabitants still had lots of food available.  Therefore, they withdrew ..... and Greifenstein was saved.

 

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.     

According to crochronologic analysis the Paratoni farm was first built in 1232. Despite the various expansions and maintenance works over the centuries the original foundations have remained intact. You can reach the farm with the Ladin farm crawl, where you pass by many mountain farms in S. Cristina, offering you a glimpse of a farmer's life in Val Gadena. This listed farmhouse has been refurbished to a high standard and made accessible to the public as an inn both historical dining rooms invite guests to enjoy typical Ladin specialities. Prior reservation required.

The castle was built between 1622 and 1641 by Engelhard Dietrich von Wolkenstein-Trostburg. It is located between Selva and S.Cristina and was used as a summer and hunting lodge. In 1863, Count Leopold von Wolkenstein-Trostburg granted the castle to S.Cristina municipality to transform it into a almshouse. The castle has been owned by the Franchetti Barons since 1926, and it is currently closed to the public.

High above Nals, on a rocky mountain ledge at the edge of the Sirmian river canyon, you find the ruins of Castle Payersberg. The castle was built during the first 30 years of the 13th Century by the Payr family, ministerial officers of the Counts of Eppan. The rectangular, four-storey high building had its entrance at the second floor. A staircase led to the third floor, which was used as living quarters. It had a four metre wide window and a fireplace with a drop-like mantle-piece that kept the room warm. From here, it was possible to enter the wooden military area, which protected the castle, through a wooden door. Towards the East, you will find the remains of a Late-Gothic castle chapel. The fortress was renovated in the 16th Century by the knight Jakob of Boymundt-Payersberg and also received new protective walls at that time. An entry towards the North was also added, together with a round tower. Above the entrance, they put the coat of arms of the Payersberg family with the year 1560. Back around 1600, when Marx Sittich of Wolkenstein described the area, he mentioned that the Payersberg was already in ruins and could no longer be inhabited. Most likely, it was the neglect of this building, which brought about the building of Castle Schwanburg in Nals, which was far more suitable for the owners to live in. Until the decline of the Courts of Payersberg in 1791, the castle stayed in their ownership. Today, the Malpaga family uses the building as their main residence, as well as a workplace for the adjacent farmhouse. In Obersirmian, just beside the Rainerhof farmhouse, which is the highest situated farmhouse found in the village of Nals, you will come across a tower-like building, which differs substantially from the surrounding farmhouses and presents itself more like a knight's fortress. This is the so-called Jagdturm (lit: hunting tower), which was used by the Counts of Payersberg during the hunting season and hot summers. The unique tower of Castle Payrsberg, which can be seen from afar and which is used as a landmark in the village, is part of the Nals village logo.

Privately owned - not allowed to visit!

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.

During the renovations in 1992 at the church of "Our Lady Al Colle", carried out by the regional authority for the protection of monuments, the Laces Menhir (dating between 3300-2200 BC) was discovered. The Laces Menhir is made from pure marble and, apart from symbolizing the Adige mountain group, it is also linked to the Lombard Valcamonica mountain group. The Menhir is daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. accessible for visitors.

Around 1200 the ruins of Rasen ( Neurasen und Altrasen ) were habitation and court of the sires of Rasen. 
The Rasun Nuova Castle in Oberrasen is privately owned and belongs to the Burgfrieder farm.

To the right-hand side of Tyrol in Lagundo is a small fortress - the Forst Castle. It was built in the 13th century and first documented in 1302. The building was later extended in the 16th century. In 1880 it was restored for the second time by the Lords of Vorst, noble officials from Tyrol. The current owners of the castle are from the Forst brewery, located just a few metres away. Sadly, the castle is not open to the public but it can still be admired from the outside.

Castle Sprechenstein / Pietra is a castle located in the municipality of Campo di Trens in Sout Tyrol. The castle is located in a higher position than Reifenstein Castle to the southeast of Sterzing; it belonged to the Trautson family and is made up of a lower fortress and an upper keep and palace. It has been restored a number of times. A document dating 1241 speaks of the re-built castle. In 1775 the castle was inherited by the Auersperg family. During the Second World War it was seriously damaged by bombing, but thanks to the owners and the superintendence for the historical and artistic heritage of Trento, it was later restored meticulously.

The castle can be visited only from outside.

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.

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 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. 

Schlandersburg Castle was built around 1600 as the residence of the Hendl aristocrats. The castle was later enlarged thus becoming one of the most important Renaissance edifices in the entire Venosta Valley. In 1988, the castle was placed under the administration of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano and today it houses a public library in addition to the Employment offices and those of the Forestry Department - and the Menhir exhibition.

In 2013, two menhirs dating to the Copper Age were recovered from pieces of marble during the conversion work for a gardening shop in Vezzano/Vetzan, near Silandro/Schlanders. Since March 2017, the menhirs have been showcased at Schlandersburg Castle as part of a comprehensive thematic exhibition. In addition to these two original pieces, eighteen abstract pictorial figures made of metal are also displayed, which represent the eighteen menhirs found in South Tyrol and Trentino in recent decades.

The two unique sculptures, with male and female attributes respectively, give us an intriguing insight into the history of the area. The male sculpture is over 3 m in height, and wears a belt from which the handle of a dagger sticks out. The female menhir wears a robe and a necklace. The original set-up of these two sculptures can no longer be recovered; most likely they formed part of a larger group of figures.

 

In 2013, two menhirs dating to the Copper Age were recovered from pieces of marble during the conversion work for a gardening shop in Vetzan near Schlanders. Since March 2017, the menhirs have been showcased at Schlandersburg Castle as part of a comprehensive thematic exhibition. In addition to these two original pieces, eighteen abstract pictorial figures made of metal are also displayed, which represent the eighteen menhirs found in South Tyrol and Trentino in recent decades.

The two unique sculptures, with male and female attributes respectively, give us an intriguing insight into the history of the area. The male sculpture is over 3 m in height, and wears a belt from which the handle of a dagger sticks out. The female menhir wears a robe and a necklace. The original set-up of these two sculptures can no longer be recovered; most likely they formed part of a larger group of figures.

Maultasch Castle Ruin (Neuhaus) was probably built in the early 13th century as a double castle, but shows only ruined walls today. These have been carefully restored so that visitors can imagine the castle life at earlier time.

Ganglegg is the best-researched fortified Bronze-Age/Iron-Age Alpine settlement in the entire Alpine region.

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!

The residence is a playful Early Renaissance building from the second half of the 16th Century. For several generations, the beautiful, romantic building has been private property and was changed into a bar and Törggele cellar. The residence consists of some oriel towers, a free-standing staircase with loggia, simple wooden ceilings and decorative frescoes. The entire residence reflects pride and beauty. Many years ago, it was protected from the road by a battlement wall.

PLEASE NOTE that due to the measures introduced by provincial governor Arno Kompatscher on October 30, 2020, all cultural facilities and museums will remain closed to the public until further notice.

The Academy of German-Italian Studies, founded in 1959 as German-Italian Cultural Institute, is a non-profit association, whose aim is to foster the cultural and scientific exchange between the German speaking and the Italian speaking world.

The Academy organises international conferences, symposia, research and doctoral colloquia, as well as lectures, readings, exhibitions and concerts. It carries out in-house research through its research centres and through collaborative projects with other institutions. Cooperation agreements have been signed with several universities and research centers in Italy, Germany, and Austria.

Traditionally, the Academy’s focus lies in the field of humanities; however, topics pertaining to the social sciences, law and natural sciences are also dealt with. The proceedings of conferences and symposia are published by the Academy itself or by other international scientific publishers.

The Academy does not support any political, religious or ideological direction. It is housed in magnificent Villa San Marco, a stately building erected in 1895.

In 1557, this house on the square, always described as small, was still an accessory to today's Amplatz, formerly the inn "zum Zotten" and connected by three doors. After it was later mentioned as an accessory to the Hilber, it was occupied around 1700 by the priest Johann Teiss the Elder. His heirs sold it in 1722 to Balthasar Öfner, Ladler or Krämer auf Montan. In 1783 the cobbler Johann Babtista Monsorno bought the upper part of the house - the seller received a pair of new shoes on top of the purchase price - and in 1788 Monsorno also bought the lower part. In 1813 the house was divided again: Peter Kaufmann received one floor and Josef Gaßmann one. In 1834 Gaßmann ceded his part to Peter Kaufmann. In 1838, he bequeathed the house to the community as the holder of the patronage rights of the Teissische Benefizium, with the condition that it be made available to the respective beneficiary free of charge. In 1905, the Benefiziumhäusl was sold to Jordan Amplatz. In 2017, Karl Amplatz sold it to the Zuchristian-Amplatz family, who lovingly renovated the house and expanded their directly bordering accommodation business (Amplatz). This closes the circle, and the Benefiziumhäusl is once again an accessory to the adjacent Amplatz, as it was in 1557.

 

Since 1507, a sundial has adorned this house, which in addition to the sundial on the church tower shows the time to visitors to the village square. As a special feature, this chronometer even distinguishes between "old" (winter time) and "new" time (summer time).

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.

Opinions differ as to its founding date and one legend has it that it was built by a knight. In 1376, the chruch and annex were taken over by the Monte Maria Abbey, but today only the ruins of the walls remain.