Trostburg Castle

Anyone driving past Ponte Gardena at the entrance to the Val Gardena will immediately notice the striking castle on the eastern slope. Trostburg Castle has been open to the public since 1977. A visit is worthwhile for its eventful history alone. It dates back to the 12th century: As early as 1173, it is mentioned as the seat of Cunrath de Trosperch, who belonged to the family of the Lords of Castelrotto. Later, it passed to the Lords of Velturno and Villandro.

From the 14th to the 20th century, it was the family seat of the Counts of Wolkenstein-Trostburg, who also administered the Court of Villandro from here. Although the noble family strove to preserve the castle, its decay could not be stopped. It is thanks to a private initiative by the South Tyrolean Castle Institute that the castle was saved.

Incidentally, Trostburg Castle is not only the probable birthplace of the late medieval minstrel Oswald von Wolkenstein (1377-1445), but also served as a film set, for example for the feature film "Das Märchen von der Prinzessin, die unbedingt in einem Märchen vorkommen wollte".

Today, the castle is the seat of the South Tyrolean Castle Institute and houses the South Tyrolean Castle Museum: The permanent exhibition, "Castles - Structures of History", displays scale models of castles in South Tyrol. The museum and castle are accessible during the warmer months and can be reached in 45 minutes via the Trostburg Path.