Following the main road to Passo Falzarego and passed the hamlet of Cernadoi, leave the car on the right on the small parking lot, then follow the road for almost 15 minutes and eventually you will meet the Andraz Castle. The Andraz Castle rise on a rock coming from Mount Setsass at an altitude of 1800 m; the medieval building was build around 1000 A.D., but his structure is probably older. Around the mid of 19th Century the castle was partially destroyed, but recent restoration has returned to the building much of its former glory.

https://www.dolomiti.org

Castello di Andraz

Account

by category

Login

Name

by region

Title

Name in English

Castel Colz is a Renaissance castle located in the center of the small village of La Villa, in the Bolzano municipality of Badia. The first traces of the building date back to 1536, when Hans von Rubatsch had permission from Emperor Ferdinand I to build a noble residence. The construction, in Gothic style, carried out on a dolomite rock spur, ended within a year or so. The castle consists of four towers, two of which are round and two other rectangular. Later the building was modified by the Colz, whose name it still retains, and then by the Winklers and then again by the Mayerhofers.

The name of Castel Colz is also linked to that of Francesco Guglielmo Brack (in Ladin "Gran Bracùn"), a knight really existed, even if his deeds are often linked to mere legends of cruelty in Val Badia.

Castel Colz was left in ruins around 1850, but in 1988 it was restored to be used as a luxury grand hotel. In 2010, the structure closed the business to return to being a private residence.

https://www.histouring.com

Castel Colz 

Like an eyrie, the Mediaeval castle named after the family of Oswald von Wolkenstein, holds on tight to the Stevia rockface.
In the Vallunga, there is the family seat of the Tyrolean noble family Wolkenstein-Trostburg, located in a rather unusual position at more than 1,600 m of altitude. It can be seen high up in the Stevia rockface, a 2,555 m asl high mountain of the Puez Group in the Dolomites. The castle’s position reveals that it was constructed to monitor the transition area from the Val Gardena to the Val Badia.

The castle dates back to the 13th century. After initial deterioration, it passed into the hands of Randolt von Villanders, an ancestor of the noble Wolkenstein family, ancestors of the famous minestrel Oswald von Wolkenstein. The lyric poet and composer had an adventuresome life and often resided in Wolkenstein Castle on the Stevia rockface.

In the 15th century, the castle was stormed by the Venetians, in the 16th century it was rebuilt, before it finally started deteriorating. Still preserved today is the wall directed to the south as well as the forecourt of the castle.

https://www.valgardena-groeden.com

Wolkenstein Castle

Between Selva Gardena and Santa Cristina, there is Gardena Castle, once upon a time summer residence and hunting castle.
On the left side of the Rio Gardena, between Selva Gardena and Santa Cristina, there is the Renaissance building of Castel Gardena, surrounded by numerous fish ponds that were name-giving for the castle (the German name “Fischburg” means “Fishing Castle”). It was constructed between 1622 and 1641 by Engelhard Dietrich von Wolkenstein-Trostburg as summer residence and hunting castle, even if the monumental construction conveys Mediaeval grandeur.

Actually, the inventory of the castle reveals that the castle contains more hunting weapons than weapons of war. Moreover appliances for fishing were found - not far to seek, as there are the nearby fishing ponds. At the end of the 18th century, the castle started deteriorating, in 1826 parts of the inventory were sold by public sale. In the mid 19th century, Leopold Earl of Wolkenstein-Trostburg gave the castle to the municipality of Santa Cristina. In those days, a retirement home or poorhouse was meant to be established in the castle.

However, in 1926, it was sold to Baron Carlo Franchetti from Venice, who had the castle restored inside and outside and furnished it with chattels of South Tyrol and the Val Gardena. Still today the castle is owned by the Venetian family and can not be visited.

https://www.valgardena-groeden.com

Gardena Castle

The antique Badia Castle known as Ćiastel de Tor is located in San Martino in Badia and houses the Museum Ladin.
In 1230, a three-storey residential tower was built by the attendants of the Bishops of Bressanone in the village of San Martino di Badia (St. Martin in Thurn). It was first documented under the name “Turris in Geder” in 1290. In this context the Lords of Rodank-Schöneck were feuds of the building until 1331. In the years to follow, the residential tower was amplified by a crenelated circular wall and a great hall. Also the tower was modified and two storeys were added and converted into a granary. Also in 1500 there were renovations. The Roman great hall was enlarged and two round towers were added to the circular wall.

When the bishops lost reign of the Court of Thurn and Ćiastel de Tor - “Schloss Thurn” in German - represented the centre of this complex, farmers purchased the castle. Until the castle has been rearranged it has been inhabited by their descendants. Now Ćiastel de Tor houses a museum.

Since 2001, Ćiastel de Tor in San Martino in Badia is venue for the so-called Museum Ladin, the Ladin Museum. The exhibited items and documents provide an insight into the history, culture, legends and handicraft of the Ladin speaking Dolomite valleys. Moreover several events such as exhibitions and concerts take place in the inner courtyard. And how to reach Ćiastel de Tor? A street leads on the hill. On the right side of the street there’s a covered carpark as well as open parking lots, on the left side there’s the castle.

https://www.suedtirolerland.it