The hader castle
Die Haderburg
Salurn Castle, later also called “Hader Castle”, is one of the most important monuments of South Tirol. It was built by the counts of Salurn in the first half of the 13th century. The Hader Castle was then owned by count Meinhard II of Tirol and came at last into the Habsburger’s possession. Under orders of emperor Maximilian, a fort was added and some strategic changes were made to the architecture. The Hader Castle is then soon unoccupied, as it lost its defending function. The Castle started slowly to decay. This process could only be stopped a couple of years ago. Since 1648 the Hader Castle is owned by the Venetian family of counts Zenobio, later Zenobio-Albrizzi and their heirs.
The restoration was carried out by request of today’s owner baron Ernesto Rubin de Cervin Albrizzi. Since 2003 the Hader Castle is open to any visitor. Even musical, literary and folkloristic events take place in the castle. Inside the big courtyard there are a kiosk, tables and benches.
Schloss Tirol
Schloss Tirol
Tirol Castle gave the village Dorf Tirol and the whole country its name. The most important castle of South Tirol was built between 1140 and 1160. It is the castle from which the counts of Tirol come from.
At the end of the 16th century the decay of the castle begins. The North Eastern part is brought down in the first half of the 17th century out of fear that the rock on which the castle stands will not stand its weight. During restorations at the end of the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th century the main tower, the palais, the Southern part and the chapel are changed. In 1816 the city of Meran bought the castle and gave it later as a present to emperor Franz I., princely count of Tirol.
The country’s department of monuments restored the castle until 1973, trying to change the complex of buildings into what they were originally where it was possible. Tirol Castle was then given to the country South Tirol that started using the castle as country museum and for cultural events, up to the present date.
Especially the centre and the Southern part of the castle are worth seeing. The portal in the front yard of the palais and the one on the entrance to the chapel are typical for the art of the 12th century. They belong to the most original creations of the roman art in Tirol: these two marble portals are equipped with symbolic sculptures.
The chapel with its round apse has four altars, marble sculptures, numerous wall paintings and the powerful crucifixion group ( copy of the lost original of the 14th century).
The castle can be reached within approximately 20 min on the foot path through the squire hole.
Schloss Runkelstein
Burg Runkelstein
Since April the 19th 2000 Runkelstein Castle near Bozen can be again visited. The castle stands on the entrance to the Sarntal Valley on a steep porphyry rock.
The original stronghold was built by the noble family of the Lords of Wangen in the year 1237. The uniqueness of Runkelstein Castle are the inner walls of the Western building and of the summer house, which contain the biggest preserved profane fresco cycle of the Middle Ages.
Already in the 19th century has Runkelstein Castle been one of the best loved and mostly drawn, painted or photographed castles. This is the reason Runkelstein Castle is also called “the picture castle”.
Burg Hocheppan
Schloss Hocheppan
Die Burg befindet sich oberhalb von Missian, einer Fraktion von Eppan.
Sie wurde im 12. Jahrhundert erbaut, der Burgkern wurde um 1200 bzw. 1500 erweitert. Die Grafen von Eppan und auch die Grafen von Tirol waren für einige Zeit Herrscher dieser mächtigen Burg.
Seit 1911 befindet sie sich im Besitz der Grafen von Enzenberg zu Terlan-Liebeneich, die sie aber nicht selbst bewohnen.
Die “Wehr – und Trutzburg”, wie sie auch bezeichnet wird, weist Elemente aus dem Hochmittelalter, Um – und Ausbauten der Spätgotik und Romanik auf. Die neueren Zubauten, die in schlechtem Zustand waren, wurden in den Jahren 1964 – 1967 vom Landesdenkmalamt renoviert.
Die Burg Hocheppan hat einen fünfeckigen und besonders hohen Bergfried, der der einzige dieser Art in Tirol ist, sowie eine Burgkapelle mit Wandmalereien aus der Zeit der Erbauung. Besonders sehenswert sind vor allem die noch sehr gut erhaltenen romanischen Fresken, die u.a. auch typische Motive unserer Gegend aufweisen.
Schloss Trauttmansdorff
Schloss Trauttmansdorff
Link: www.trauttmansdorff.it
Eine Auflistung der besichtbaren Burgen in Südtirol finden Sie hier: Burgen und Schlösser