In the past, forts and castles were the stately homes of ladies and gentlemen, often also designed for defensive purposes – whereas today, thanks to a successful renovation, they have been turned into charming hotels, unique restaurants and event venues. Although some of them are standing in ruins, you can wander through centuries of history within their walls.
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 the Helfenburg goes back to 1353.
The most interesting part of the façade of the “von Lutterotti” estate, a 17th century Baroque building, is probably the portal. It is framed by two half-columns with capitals and scroll and smooth and broken headstones. This is the magnificent archway of the court and prison building of the former Salorno/Salurn jurisdiction. The seat is adorned by three wrought-iron balconies. The hall on the first floor is decorated with stucco work. After the building was no longer used as a seat of jurisdiction, it passed to the namesake Lutterotti family from Salurn.
Patronal feast: June 29th.
The church ruins date back to the 5th century AD. The building reminds of church buildings in Aquileia and Milan. During excavations, the old position of the altar as well as the relic chamber could be determined. The S. Peter ruin in Altenburg is probably the oldest Tyrolean church ruin. Its decay began with the closure of the church in 1782.
Source: Parish office Kaltern
Castle Gandegg in Appiano area Piganò is a massive phenomenon. The most striking feature are likely to be the 4 round towers, each stands at a corner of the rectangular main building. A 1443 first mentioned in late medieval tower house was structurally integrated on the south side of Castle Gandegg. Schlos Gandegg is a unitary construction from the mid-16th century, commissioned by the lords Khuen-Belasi who had taken possession by the original builders of the residential tower, the Annabergern. The basic concept of the building corresponds to the northern Italian style of fortifications of that time.
The rooms are grand, spacious rooms with coffered ceilings and tiled stoves from the 16th and 17th centuries. The main building is surrounded by a large Park, protected by a high wall, on the southwest flank the property is bordered by farm buildings with late Gothic elements.
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.
In Eppan | Piganò, above Castel Gandegg, you find near Castel Englar the residence Moos Schulthaus. A little bit hidden, how it is usual for an insider tip, you can find a nice little museum for Middle Aged living.
Around the middle of the 13th century the dynasty of the Rottenburger built a Romanesque residential tower above the location Pigenò. Around the 14th century it was transformed and extended into a gothic residence for hunting. After the extinction of the Rottenburg in 1410, the complex ended up in the hands of the princes and later on to the Lords of Firmian and around 1500 to the Earl Spaur who expanded it even more. Until the middle of the 19th century it remained in the hands of the aristocrats of Schulthaus. With this intense change of property and the related architectural procedures caused a special fusion of connected elements, interlaced and on different levels situated premises and last but not least style characteristics of different époques. In 1958 Walther Amonn, merchant of Bozen and patron, bought the complex and had it costly restored and opened it for the public in 1985.
Well worth seeing are especially the frescos of the premises, which are a unique example of gothic mural art and give an insight in the life and philosophy of that time.
For the exploration of this historical valuable area around Castel Moss-Schulthaus, with the castles Englar and Gandegg together with the residences of Pigenò, we suggest the marked hiking and biking trails.
Ansitz Freienfeld was built in 1521 by the Earl of Indermauer. (Courtyard surrounded by embattled walls.) In the large windows of the Trinkstube beautiful frescoes can be seen.
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).
Mysterious eras of the past Food, drinks and an attraction A brief journey back in time to the High Middle Ages. Only the freshly prepared dishes create a rather delicious bridge to the future. Boymont Castle was built as the seat of a noble family in the year 1230. After a fire in 1742, the ruins came into the possession of several owners, until it was finally bought by Fritz Dellago in 1977. The two knights' halls, as well as the stone-framed arched windows, pillars and capitals are worth a visit in their own right. Special dishes: Daily ribs and roast in medieval style made in the smoker. Opening hours Ruin Boymont is open daily from 11.00 till 17.00. Day off on Mondays, except from Mid-September till October.
The stately castle of Enn is located above Montan/Montagna. It was built around the year 1300 at the request of the noble Lords of Enn, who at that time also owned the fortress of Castelfeder. In the course of a dispute, the von Enn family was expelled. The castle was subsequently inhabited by several noble families and repeatedly rebuilt. Since the 17th century, Enn Castle has been privately owned by the Albrizzi family and is not open to visitors. An exception is the traditional "Schlosskonzert," which takes place annually in mid-August. This is a good opportunity to see the castle courtyard and experience a traditional concert by the Montan Music Band.
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.
You can't visit the castle as it is a centre for further education. You could walk to the castle and have a look from the outside.
The location of Castel Freudenstein makes you enjoy a great view on Bolzano and the mountain ranges of the surroundings. Catinaccio, Sciliar and large parts of the Val d’Adige, this is what you can admire from Castel Freudenstein. This mighty mansion was constructed in the High Middle Ages, in the 13th century.
From a medieval core, remodelled in the 17th century during the Renaissance, a pointed-arch courtyard gate with stone surround and family crest leads onto the street. The stone archway features the letter "A" with an arrow as a bar. Above the front door is a coat of arms in stone consisting of three wavelike curving lines and the initials "L.H.". The ribbed vault and shouldered-arch doors date from 1500; the stone-framed rectangular and double-arched windows, as well as a bay on the façade, are from the 17th century.
It was most probably built at the same time (the end of the 12th century or the beginning of the 13th century) and probably used for fires that were used as signals. Kreideturm: the tower is situated just 50 m below Burg Hocheppan. Architectural style: a wall, which has now fallen down, surrounded the tower. There are still a few metres visible on the south side. On the other side there is a lower lying entrance that was probably used to light the fires. The inside of the tower is a narrow dark shaft. Walking: all walks to Hocheppan go past this tower.
The train station of the old Val di Fiemme railway was the starting point of the line extending from Auer/Ora to Predazzo, passing through Montan/Montagna, Truden/Trodena, and Kaltenbrunn/Fontanefredde. In 1894, the construction of a railroad had already been considered. Prompted by WWI, the Austrian army command ordered construction of the railway in 1916; it was an important means of supplying the Dolomite Front. From 1918 onward, the railway also carried passengers. In 1930, the train - which was pulled by a steam engine - was electrified, thus reducing the travel time from 4 to 2 hours. Due to increasing mobilization and the establishment of a bus connection to Val di Fiemme, the train lost its importance. On January 10, 1963, the train ran one last time from, Auer to Predazzo, before being decommissioned. Today, the railway track is a popular path for cycling tours or hiking excursions. The old train station Auer Val di Fiemme is the location of several cultural events and concerts.
The perfect combination of history, culture and modern comfort. Talking about Paschbach Castle, one might at first remember the name of one of the greatest pianists of the last century: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, who was the co-founder of the Busoni piano contest. Michelangeli lived for many years in the castle and played the piano, which can still be seen here today. A mansion for its noble owners, Paschbach Castle is today a friendly, family-owned b&b. With its beautiful castle grounds, surrounded by the fruit orchards and vineyards of Appiano sulla Strada del Vino, the b&b offers the modern lord and lady of the castle stunning views and a sense of grandeur. The heart of the imposing structure is the "Tower of Paschway" dating back to the first half of the 13th century in which is situated a magnificent gothic stube. The complete complex of buildings is surrounded by ring walls with battlements. The castle is an ideal starting point for numerous excursions and leisure time activities. Only a few steps away you will find the Golfclub Freudenstein with training ground and golf academy. Even the well known Caldaro Lake and the Lake of Monticolo, which you can reach in only a few minutes.
The Gelmini estate was built in the first half of the 17th century. It belonged to the An der Lan and Fedrigotti families and to the Gelmini family. The three-storey building has a beautiful garden and several courtyards leading to the service buildings. Another interesting feature is the oriel with turrets and ox-eyes in the upper part of the façade, located on Schillerstrasse. The building is decorated with a mosaic created in 1911 depicting a Virgin and Child inspired by Raphael's Renaissance Madonna. Particularly worth seeing are the coffered ceiling in the wood-panelled oriel room, which dates from 1661, and the carved wooden walls, which run in two vertical strips and are separated by refined half-columns. Dr. Max von Gelmini was one of the largest silkworm breeders in South Tyrol. He built the so-called "silk spinning mill", one of the most important examples of industrial architecture in the entire country.
The Hausmann-Locherer estate dates from the Renaissance period, was built in the second half of the 16th century and is characterised by architectural elements of Nordic and Italian origin that are typical of the Überetsch/Oltradige architectural style. Architrave-shaped windows and an entrance portal with a round arch decorate the façade of the building. Above this round arch is the coat of arms of Andrä Locherer from 1593, consisting of a unicorn standing on its hind legs. The interior rooms with their central hall are arranged symmetrically. Some rooms have stuccoed ceilings, others are covered with 17th century woodcarving decorations. The entire building encloses an inner courtyard.
In the fullness of the Überetscher countryside, high among the vineyards and orchards, lies the magnificent mansion of the 15th Century overlooking the idyllic Adige valley. For over 50 years in private property. Since 2022, it has been run, like Castle Freudenstein , by Mrs Karoline Fink and her son Peter Gostner.The place is made for celebrations, which is why the Ansitz Zinnenberg is mainly used for weddings, company parties, Törggelen and other festivities. We will make your celebration an unforgettable event, with all the trimmings: decoration, cuisine and organisation.
Ansitz Zinnenberg is also a hotel with five suites; a special, private retreat. Please feel free to contact us for further information.
The castle chapel of Hocheppan with its roman frescos is one of the most important roman art monuments in South Tyrol. The centuries old frescos had been painted over and were only entirely laid open in 1926. Besides religious themes, the hunting scene on the exterior wall can be seen as one of the rarest profane depictions in Tyrol dating from this time period. The wall paintings originate from the first decade of the 13th century and show famous illustrations like the foolish virgins, the dumpling eater - the first proof for Tyrolean dumplings - and the picture of 'Maria Heimsuchung' which is well known far beyond the border of South Tyrol.
The castle's castle consists of an older Gothic castle dating from around 1450 and a western annex from the Renaissance around 1530, in which today's hotel is housed.In the core of the house are remains of a late medieval fortification tower.
The romantic courtyard with fountains and old cedars is framed by 17th and 18th century buildings.
Englar is considered the best preserved gothic castle in South Tyrol The castle was not designed as a defensive castle, but as a noble nobility, it was intended to underline the social position of the then-builders of the Counts of Firmian.
The square building is completed by an imposingly steep Gothic roof and was at that time a revolutionary technical achievement.
Today, our house opens its hospitable gates for travelers and recreation seekers who are sensitive to the generous and stylish ambience of a historic building and appreciate a special and comfortable atmosphere.
The ensemble with ancient trees is rounded off by the Gothic church church of St. Sebastian near the house as well as the adjoining estate with fruit and wine cultures, a small duck pond, an extensive chicken farm and animals lovingly farmed by our
Seeschlössl: this romantic house is situated on the west bank of the large Montiggl Lake. History: Josef von Zastrow, who came from Germany and also owned Aichberg, in 1888, built it. At this time he also owned both the lakes. In 1902 the village of Eppan took over both lakes. Architectural style: the whole building is very pleasing and blends in well with the scenery. The style is middle Aged, the windows have pointed arches and the gables have a staircase form finish. The painter Max Sparer from Tramin often painted this house. Walking: as soon as you get to know the two Montiggler Lakes, it is no problem to find this beautiful house. Walks through the Spring Valley and round the large lake take you past this house
The ruin Kaldiff is locaded at Mazzon, above Egna . This castle was probably built around 1200. Between the 16th and 18th century it was inhabited by the noble family Von Enn. However, unfortunately it decayed partially after a fire. Today, after remediation work, there are only remains of curtain-walls as well as some frescoes and mural paintings available.
Castle basket ( Italian Castel Corba ) is a castle west of Bolzano in Appiano district Missian in South Tyrol. It is located below the castle ruins Boymont . The square tower house was from 1230 to 1235 , built by the Lords of basket, ministry officials of the Counts of Appiano . From the 14th century it was a fief in the hands of various Tyrolean noble families (including the fox Fuchsberg and Fieger , 1637 ) . The merchant Johann cleaner Reibegg of 1834 prompted a castle-like , romanticized conversion to a winning with decorative pinnacles housing and the construction of the chapel. [1 ] The crenellated tower house is now covered with a pyramidal roof . Are coupled Romanesque double windows on the sides. In 1877, the native of Greifswald Teßmann family acquired the property . Their son Friedrich Tessman was born at Castle basket and was a noted jurist and historian Tyrol. According to him, the State Library was named in Bolzano.
Although it is not really in the area of the municipality of Kaltern, the ruin Leuchtenburg, which can be reached through a nice walk, belongs to Kaltern's skyline. Built in 1250 by the lords of Rottenburg, it was protected by its location and by an imposing wall. Many castles of the Rottenburgers were honed after their conflict with Duke Friedrich IV of Tyrol in 1410, but the Leuchtenburg passed into the possession of the landlord, who gave it to the respective mainmen of Caldaro. For a long time the Leuchtenburg was also the seat of the judge of Kaltern. In the 17th century the ruin ceased to be used, it was abandoned. Parts of the wall and the palace with frescoes from the 15th century are still well preserved. Always worth seeing: The beautiful view of lake Kaltern from above, the South Tyrolean wine road and the Adige Valley. Perfect location for a picknick.
The "Linticlar estate" is first mentioned in records dating from 1225 A.D. A hundred years later, the Cathedral Chapter of Trento, was being supplied with wine from the estate "auf dem Püchel", also known as "mansu a coste", on the orders of the Counts of Tyrol. Then, in 1537, the name "Turnhof" was first used, and later there are occurrences of the designation "Thurner Hof". With the drawing up of a new land register in 1848, the name finally became officially "Turmhof". The estate has belonged to the family since 1675.
After a short hike through the mixed forest up to Hocheppan Castle, visitors are greeted with a unique panorama: towering above the provincial capital of Bolzano is one of South Tyrol’s most famous mountain groups, the Sciliar massif and the legendary Rosengarten. Looking further across the landscape, one can see the Ötztal Alps to the north and the Lagorai range in Trentino to the south.
History:
The castle was built by Count Ulrich II around 1130 and was already one of the most powerful fortresses in the region at that time. In 1158, it was destroyed but soon rebuilt. In 1315, it was handed over to the territorial princes of Tyrol and has since changed ownership several times. Since 2019, Hocheppan Castle has been owned by the municipality of Eppan. Among the many well-preserved castles in South Tyrol, Hocheppan Castle is undoubtedly one of the most impressive due to its unique location.
Architectural Style and Features:
Hocheppan Castle combines the beauty of the surrounding landscape with the romantic charm of a medieval fortress. Particularly striking is the keep, with its pentagonal shape, parts of which date back to the 16th century. The highlight from an art-historical perspective is the castle chapel, featuring a remarkable fresco cycle.
Art-Historical Guided Tours:
Hocheppan Castle and its chapel can be visited as part of guided tours, available every 30 minutes from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM on the following days:
For more information about guided tours, please contact the Tourist Association of Appiano at info@eppan.com or by phone at +39 0471 662206.
Archery Course at Hocheppan Castle:
The archery course next to Hocheppan Castle is open daily except Wednesdays and offers visitors an exciting and medieval-like experience during the "hunt" with bow and arrow. Completing the entire course takes approximately 3 hours.
Hiking Options:
The hike to Hocheppan Castle is one of the highlights of the "Three Castles Hike," which also includes the ruins of Boymont Castle and Schloss Hotel Korb.
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