Kastelen en paleizen in de Dolomieten

You will soon find more information about the St. Catherine’s Chapel and the manor house Gurten here.

Ladin Museum - Tor Castle In the very heart of the Dolomites live more than 30,000 Dolomite Ladins whose identity is characterised mainly by two important features: the uniqueness of their language, which derives from popular Latin, and the extraordinary mountain landscape at the heart of the southern Alps. It is only thanks to the physical characteristics of this landscape that the Ladin language has survived today. It is the eldest of all languages spoken in this region and is restricted by the Italian and the German cultural and linguistic areas that surround it. The way through the museum focuses on some significant aspects of the present and past lives of the Dolomite Ladins, highlighting the important influences of cross-regional events on the lives of the population and pinpointing the existing interrelations between landscape forms and lifestyles. The museum is housed in the Ciastel de Tor, a castle dating back to 1230, created as a fiefdom of the Bishops of Brixen.

The castle is available as a wedding venue for couples interested in crowning an unforgettable day and experiencing a fairytale moment in a medieval castle.

The medieval Schoneck Castle is located 958 meters above sea level and is said to be the birthplace of the famous poet and playwright Oswald von Wolkenstein (1377-1445), although this has not been historically proven . It is believed that the ruins of Pacherhof, birthplace of famous artist and sculptor Michael Pacher, are also nearby. Schöneck Castle was built in the mid-13th century by the Dukes of Rödeneck; The first mention of this complex dates back to 1155 and 1164.

Over time, it became the property of the Tyrolean counts, and Engelmar von Willanders later became the owner of the Schoneck estate. Today, not only the cathedral is preserved, but also fragments of the palace, ruins of the chapel and fragments of the historic wall. In the ruins of the castle chapel there is also a fresco by master Michael Pacher. The castle is private property and inaccessible. Today, there is also a restaurant of the same name nearby.

The castle is private property and may not be entered.

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.

THALERBÜHEL

There was a sample excavation at the Thalerbühel hill to search for a past hillfort. They found some ceramics, bronze artefacts and burned bones, which indicates that the hill has been a sacrificing place in the first millenium B.C.

A steep path starts near the "Carabinieri" training centre in Vallunga and heads up to the castle ruins. Built at the beginning of the 13th century, it collapsed in 1525 and has never been rebuilt. It has been owned by the Wolkenstein family since the 14th century. Oswald von Wolkenstein, a famous minstrel and poet born in South Tyrol between 1376 and 1387, died in Merano 1445, probably spent his summers in the castle.

You will soon find more information about the Frankenberg Manor House here.

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.

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.

The Castle Ehrenburg was the residence of the Sirs von Ehrenburg, who were later called von Künigl. It was built in the 12th century. During the 15th century, the castle was extended, and in the year 1512, it was extended again with the arcade yard. In the year 1732, it was converted into a baroque castle. The big hall, the bay windows, the wooden paneling, and the paintings on the ceiling, as well as the castle chapel are very remarkable. The castle is not open to visitors.

Only visible from the outside.

The legend of the King Laurin

A long time ago at the Catinaccio was the King Laurin.

The hard-working dwarfs lived there. One day the King esposed his daughter Similde with another King of the Adige. All the noble people were invited but he does not. So he decided to go on this competition with a magic hood as a invisible guest to see his beautiful Similde. He saw her and fell in love with Similde.

The King took her on his horse and rode away. Similde's husband and his cavaliers was searching her. King Laurin knew that they are coming so he took the miracle belt to got more power. They fight each other and the King saw that he has no chance. So he decide to take his magic hood again and to jump throw the Catinaccio. The cavaliers saw the movement of the roses and captured him.

He was so angry that the Catinaccio betrayed him, so he cursed them: Neither day nor night should anyone ever see him. Laurin forgot the dusk and so it comes that today we can see it with his blooming roses for a short time...

The cave dwelling "Mortner Gufl" is located on the old Steinegger carriage road, which at that time connected Steinegg|Collepietra with Kardaun|Cardano and Bozen|Bolzano.  About 500 m from the farm Mortner in the direction of Kardaun, there is an extensive, flat square with a thick stone slab hanging over it, as if it wanted to provide a protective roof for the little place. It is said that a hermit, the Mortner Hias, lived here during the First World War. He even set up a farm oven in this natural dwelling and walled the place up. The hermit wove baskets here. During the Second World War, this place was used as an air-raid shelter for the inhabitants of the nearby farm Mortner. Some remains of the wall can still be discovered and admired today.
In 1951, there is also said to have been an apparition of the Virgin Mary at this special place.
A descriptive board on site tells of these extraordinary occurrences at the "Mortner Gufl".
Route description:
Starting point is the Steinegg village square. From the car park at the Cafè Christl, walk past the Lex Market grocery shop along hiking trail [2] / Rittersteig. Continue along the Rittersteig past the Ebenhof farm until you reach the turnoff to the Mortner farm. Here you walk a short distance in the direction of Mortner farm and then immediately turn left to the "Mortner Gufl".
The way back is via the same path.
Length of the route from the Steinegg village square to the "Mortner Gufl": 3km (approx. 50 minutes walking time)

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.

Chapel of St. Sebastian

The chapel in honor of St. Sebastian was erected in remembrance of the Plague in Tires al Catinaccio. It stands isolated in an idyllic glade, the so-called "holy ground".

The Witches’ Benches The resting place of the Sciliar/Schlern witches on the Bullaccia/Puflatsch mountain is a truly mythical location. Starting point: Alpe di Siusi/Seiser Alm

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)

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.

You will soon find more information about Josele mill in Gfrill/Caprile here

You will soon find more information about the Perlmühle mill here. 

Be inspired culinary delights! A visit to the Castle Sichelburg with Mirko Mair is the combination of indulgence and history. Experience the magnificent paneled rooms and the impressive vaults of Sichelburg contemporary cuisine in a historic setting.

The St. Catherine church in Aica di Fiè was originally dedicated to St. Michael.
The frescoes on the exterior wall were made in 1420 and are worth a second glance. They show us the legend of the Christian princess Catherine of Alexandria.

About an hour from Seis am Schlern you will find the ruins of Hauenstein on an enormous mountain slope. These ruins were once home to poet and singer Oswald von Wolkenstein, and every so often in the quiet of the night, one can hear the sounds of violins and the mournful song of a maiden who is said to have been bewitched there. Late one evening, shepherds were guarding their flocks around the castle. They sat to rest at the entrance to the castle and recounted one tale after another. All of a sudden, they sensed that somebody in the castle had opened a window. They looked up and saw, through the shimmering light of the open window, a woman combing her long hair. Her head, however, was but a skull, and the shepherds blood curdled at the sight of such beautiful hair growing from a head so fearsome. The woman threw stones and sand at the flock of sheep, who ran in terror. It's believed that the skeleton is the wife of a banished knight, destined to roam the castle until the return of her lost spouse.

Witches'spring: adventure path with the witch Curadina to the sulfur springs

The majestic Castle of Karneid is located high above the valley basin of Bozen at the entrance to the Eggental valley. The castle, which was built in the 12th century, was once the proud home of the noble Greifenstein family. In the 14th century, the castle came into the possession of the Lords of Völs, then to the later bailiff Heinrich Gessler and finally to the Counts of Lichtenstain. Today the castle is privately owned and is one of the most beautiful examples of medieval architecture in South Tyrol.

Apart from a few minor details, the original form from the 16th century has remained unchanged to this day, and this is one of its special features. The interior of the castle offers a wealth of beautiful architectural and art-historical details of great interest.

A guided tour of the castle will immerse you in history: magnificent knights' halls, an old chapel with valuable frescoes and mysterious corners that will bring you closer to life in the Middle Ages. 

The castle can only be visited as part of a guided tour.
Guided tours are offered in April, May, June, September and October. These always take place on Fridays at 3 pm.
Registration is required: +39 0471 361313
Minimum number of participants: 10 people

Admission price:   
Normal price: 7,00 Euro
Reduced price: 5,00 Euro (pupils/students up to 25 years, senior citizens from 65 years)

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.

Old watermill

At the entrance to the village there is an old water mill. The mill and its giant millstone is restored and fully functional - even the interior can be visited. The aim of the old water mill is to remind people of the ancient, significant profession of the miller and of the many mills, sawmills and forges that made usage of the streams until the last century

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.

You will come across the ruins of the castle ruins Steinegg at a picturesque vantage point. As you explore, you will experience a journey back in time.
The lords of Völs|Fiè created a unique double castle complex here around 1200, of which there are only a few left in South Tyrol. The residential castle with a view to the south has almost completely disappeared today, but the remains of the fortified castle still sit proudly on an imposing rock above the Valley Eisack|Isarco.

The well-preserved castle gate and parts of the south side of the defence walls tell of the castle's former strength. Here you can feel the history in every crack of stone - even if the battlements and tower have long since fallen victim to time.

Just a 20-minute walk from the village centre of Steinegg, this special place awaits you with a wonderful view and the castle ruins of Steinegg. Another special feature is the opportunity to immerse yourself in the legend of ‘Die Sängerin vom Schloß Karneid’. The unique book in german languague was illustrated by the artist Lena Pichler from Steinegg and gives the ruins a special magic. 
A place where the past, legends and nature merge together.

Info:
 The Steinegg castle ruins are not accessible without barriers.

Enjoy good home-made food in our traditional country inn. We serve varied menus with biological products from our farm.

BOOKING REQUIRED!!

Ortisei is the capital of Val Gardena, famous for its picturesque pedestrian area with great shops and cafés and its ornate woodcarvings.

This idyllic part of Val Gardena offers the possibility to enjoy the magic pedestrian area during your holiday with the breath-taking view to Sassolungo.

Shopping in Val Gardena is a fun experience. From ski suits to haute couture: you have a great choice. After strolling round the shops there are plenty of restaurants and cafés where you can indulge your palate.