Trostburg Castle

Almost everyone who has ever been in this area knows this castle, located on the eastern hillside above Ponte Gardena at the entrance of the Val Gardena. But who has ever visited it? In 1977 Castel Trostburg has been opened for the public, and it is highly recommendable due to the first-rate importance of the castle. Its history dates back to the 12th century. In 1173 it was the seat of a certain Cunrath de Trosperch, ancestry of the Lords of Kastelruth.

It passed into the hands of the Lords of Velthurns as well as the Lords of Villanders. From the 14th to the 20th century, it used to be the aristocratic estate of the Lords of Wolkenstein-Trostburg. Even if the nobility strived to preserve the building, its deterioration could not be stopped. Thanks to a private initiative of the South Tyrolean Castles Institute (Südtiroler Burgeninstitut), finally the castle could be saved from downfall.

By the way, Trostburg Castle is the parental home of the late Mediaeval minstrel Oswald von Wolkenstein (1377-1445). Moreover it was venue for shots, e.g. as leading motive for a German movie by Steffen Zacke telling the story of a princess. Today it is seat of the above mentioned institute and since 2005 also of the South Tyrolean Castles Museum. The complex can be visited as part of a guided tour and offers an interesting permanent exhibition named "Castles, historical buildings", illustrating true to scale models of South Tyrolean castles.