Sigismund, Archduke of Austria, had this modest castle - “Landesfürstliche Burg” in German, “Castello Principesco” in Italian - built in central location of Merano (Meran) in the second half of the 15th century. He probably used this fortress behind the town hall, at the foot of Mt. Benedetto, as his private city residence. However, this ensemble of buildings rather resembles an artistically designed, solid building with low enclosure than a fully-developed castle. For this reason it is simply often referred to as residence. Up to the 16th century the Prince’s Castle remained a royal residence. In 1516, also Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, resided in the castle.

As the building repeatedly changed hands, it started deteriorating in the course of the centuries. In 1875 finally, the city of Merano purchased the building. Between 1878 and 1880, a restoration period followed, based on the drawings of the internationally famous architect Friedrich von Schmidt, who also directed the renovations of the Dome of Vienna. When these renovations came to an end, the castle was opened also for the public. Today it hosts the Prince’s Castle Museum.

Its wood-panelled ancient parlours, tiled stoves, bedrooms and maiden rooms provide an interesting insight into the life in Mediaeval times. The furniture, however, dates back to the Gothic and Renaissance periods. Also some weapons such as lances and halberds have been preserved. Moreover there is a little chapel decorated with frescoes dating back to the 16th century. And how to reach the Prince’s Castle? It is located in the centre of the spa town, with access from Via Galilei road or from the Arcades of Merano. There are also some parking lots (subject to charge) in the surroundings. 

https://www.suedtirolerland.it

Castello Principesco

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San Zeno Castle is located at the entrance of Val Passiria in exposed position.
The rock, called Zenoberg or Mount Zeno, on which San Zeno Castle is located is a strategic point in the municipal area of Tirolo village. Already Romans established a checkpoint to control trade routes, the so called Castrum Majense. In Middle Ages, to the honour of St Zeno, a chaped was established, which used to be a pilgrimage site for a long time.

At the turn of the millennium the religious importance of the chapel diminished, and the building kept deteriorating. So in the 13th century a fortification was built under Meinhard II, who used it as seat for his reign. When Tirolo Castle in 1301 was destroyed by a fire, the seat of the Counts of Tyrol was transferred to San Zeno Castle. In 1347 Charles IV from the House of Luxembourg destroyed the castle and from this point of time it has no longer been rebuilt.

In 1799 Leopold von Braitenberg, owner of the nearby Stemmerhof farm, purchased the castle and provided for its consolidation. Castel San Zeno has only been preserved in its substance, but it cannot be visited.

https://www.meranerland.org

San Zeno Castle

Castel Winkel (ted.: Schloss Winkel[1]) è un castello rinascimentale che si trova a Maia Alta, frazione del comune di Merano (BZ).

Nel tardo medioevo era una fattoria della famiglia Winkler. Fu completamente ricostruito da Kasper von Rosenberg nel XVII secolo, nella forma attuale.
La parte più caratteristica del maniero è la torre barocca, sormontata dalla lanterna.
Ebbe poi molti proprietari, tra cui Claudia de' Medici, moglie di Leopoldo V d'Austria, quando era reggente della contea di Tirolo.

Nel 1935 fu acquistato dal trentino Antonio Cembran, che la fece restaurare accuratamente. È ancora di proprietà degli eredi Cembran.

Castel Winkel

In the Vademecum for the Tourist published in Bolzano in 1851, among the noble residences of Merano was Schloss Rundeck, marked as accommodation for foreigners. For Castel Rundegg it is therefore a vocation of ancient date: after the long abandonment that saw it decay in the twentieth century, today this castle has returned to offer hospitality, and of the highest level. And for this the current managers, giving continuity to the tradition, have been able to add a great spirit of initiative and professionalism.

The hotel, the first in Italy to have obtained the name of beauty-farm, is distributed in three connected buildings: the central body of the castle, built according to some sources around 1154 and enlarged in the fifteenth century, the former home of the factor and the former shed, also secular. The renovation wanted to enhance and emphasize the supporting elements of the architecture, such as the lunette ceilings of rooms and lounges, the exposed stone walls, some large original beams of the thirteenth century; antique furniture and tasteful furnishings complete the rooms. Among the rooms available there is spoiled for choice: attic, with terrace or loggia and garden, with Gothic vaults or antique beams, with windows for a panoramic view, or self-sufficient apartments. The beauty-farm, which is a ground floor, is connected to the three structures by a series of steps, which allow guests to comfortably reach the facilities in a bathrobe. Numerous treatments offered between massages, beauty treatments, therapies and spas.

https://www.histouring.com

Castel Rundegg

Castel Pienzenau (in tedesco Schloss Pienzenau) è un castello che si trova nel quartiere di Maia Alta del comune di Merano in Alto Adige.

I primi documenti scritti riguardanti il castello risalgono al 1394. Fino al XVIII secolo fu utilizzato dai monaci benedettini dell'abbazia di Ettal in Baviera come luogo di riposo e preghiera. Furono loro a trasformare i vasti terreni del castello in un giardino con varie specie vegetali anche rare.

Dopo vari passaggi, il maniero fu acquistato da Paul Kuh-Chrobak, che vi ebbe come ospite anche Richard Strauss. Nel 1969 divenne di proprietà della famiglia Schölzhorn che lo rinnovò completamente.

Oggi il castello è adibito ad albergo e vi si svolgono anche matrimoni e altre manifestazioni.

Castel Pienzenau


The first historical records of the Castello Rametz estate began in the 13th century, when it was already mentioned in various documents as an important possession in the field of viticulture.

In fact, already from this period in fact there are flourishing different types of vines thanks to the Mediterranean microclimate, to the soil rich in water and to the shelter given by the marvelous mountains that surround the area.

In 1836 it was bought by Francesco Flarer, a professor at the University of Pavia, who transformed it into his own home; carrying out a radical restoration brought the castle to its current appearance, characterized by towers and Ghibelline battlements.

In 1860 began the cultivation of the best vines for the production of Pinot noir alongside the production of Riesling Renano, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

This small corner of peace and tranquility also houses a museum dedicated to viticulture, established in 1980 in the cellars of the castle: tools and tools for harvesting, winemaking and transport are displayed in 4 large rooms of the museum, along with ancient equipment for the wheat cultivation and speck production.

Together with experienced sommeliers it is possible to taste the wines produced here and to experience the history of the estate in a comprehensive way with guided food and wine tours.

The restaurant offers the welcoming hospitality of the typical Tyrolean parlor; the cuisine ranges from refined local specialties to international dishes, all naturally accompanied by the quality of the wines of the precious cellar.

https://www.histouring.com

Castel Rametz

Castel Trauttmansdorf (chiamato anche Castel Neuberg (di Nova), in ted.: Schloss Trauttmansdorff) è un castello che si trova a Merano (BZ). Ospita il Touriseum, il museo provinciale del Turismo. Nel 2001 è stato aperto l'orto botanico che circonda il castello: Touriseum e giardini di castel Trauttmansdorff.
Nel XIV secolo nel luogo dove ora sorge il castello c'era un altro castello, chiamato Neuberg, che ebbe fra i proprietari gli Angerheim e i Suppan. La famiglia Trauttmansdorff lo acquistò nel 1543 mentre si trasferivano dalla Stiria nel Tirolo meridionale, oltre a due castelli nei pressi di Trento. Franz, il figlio dell'acquirente, lo fece ampliare. Due generazioni più tardi questo ramo della famiglia Trauttmansdorff si estinse, segnando il tramonto di un'epoca: la nobiltà perse interesse per i castelli di sua proprietà e si ritirò nelle residenze urbane. La conseguenza fu il decadimento del castello Neuburg nell'anno 1777. Tra il 1777 e il 1778 crollarono la torre e la cappella.

Soltanto nel 1846 Joseph von Trauttmansdorff, conte di Stiria, si trasferì a Merano, neonata "città di cura", ricomprando il castello 150 anni dopo che i suoi parenti l'avevano abbandonato. Ridotto a rovine, lo ampliò fino alle dimensioni che lo caratterizzano al giorno d'oggi, integrandolo con elementi neogotici. Il castello fu rinominato Trauttmansdorff e fu il primo esempio di castello neogotico nel Tirolo. Nel 1867 Joseph morì ed il suo corpo venne deposto nella cripta, situata attualmente sotto la cappella del castello. Morto scapolo, il suo ingente patrimonio passò in eredità al cavalier Moritz von Leon, molto probabilmente figlio illegittimo del conte.

Nel 1870 ospitò Elisabetta di Baviera, la principessa d'Austrai Sissi, durante le sue cure a Merano. Con le figlie Gisella e Maria Valeria, rispettivamente di 14 anni la prima e di 2 anni la seconda, l'imperatrice occupò l'ultimo piano dell'edificio. Questa visita rese la cittadina sudtirolese estremamente famosa come luogo termale. Vissero nelle stanze del secondo piano dell'edificio. Il seguito dell'Imperatrice era invece composto da 102 persone e fu sistemato in alcune residenze nei dintorni della struttura. Fu grazie all'Imperatrice Elisabetta che Merano divenne una nota "città di cura". A pochi mesi dal suo arrivo a Merano, infatti, i giornali viennesi annunciarono i progressi fatti dall'Imperatrice, che non godeva di ottima salute, beneficiando del clima mite presente nella città dove si stanziò per sette mesi. Nel settembre 1889 Elisabetta tornò per la seconda volta a castel Trauttmansdorff, otto mesi dopo che suo figlio Rodolfo d'Asburgo-Lorena, nonché principe ereditario, si era suicidato a Mayerling.

L'ospite dell'imperatrice fu Moritz von Leon, che però fu costretto a rivendere tutti i suoi beni, compreso il castello e le residenze di Pienzenau e Fragsburg, con le relative tenute a Friedrich von Deuster di Kitzingen, proveniente da Kitzingen, non distante da Würzburg. Deuster partecipò attivamente alla vita della città di cura in pieno sviluppo. Diventò membro della direzione corse dell'ippodromo, acquistò Fragsburg, fece allestire frutteti e giardini tutto attorno al castello e rialzò l'ala orientale con una sala in stile neorococò. Questi portò il castello a nuovo splendore, che terminò con l'inizio della prima guerra mondiale.

In seguito alla prima guerra mondiale, Friedrich von Deuster fu espropriato dei suoi beni, come molti cittadini germanici in Italia, sotto il Fascismo, e divenne sede dell'Opera Nazionale Combattenti e fu chiamato Castel di Nova (dal nome del torrente che scorre poco distante). Nel periodo caratterizzato dal fascismo gli arredi del castello furono quasi completamente perduti e l'edificio diventò cadente. L'ONC tentò di trovare un acquirente per la proprietà del castello, senza però riuscirci. Nel corso dell'occupazione tedesca della provincia dopo l'armistizio dell'8 settembre fu usato dalla Wehrmacht.

Nel 1977 l'Associazione Nazionale Combattenti fu sciolta e la proprietà passò all'amministrazione provinciale, che nel 1990 lo adibì a sede del Touriseum, aperto nel 2003 dopo anni di restauri. I giardini del castello sono stati realizzati in collaborazione con il Giardino esotico Pallanca. Nel 2001 fu aperto anche l'orto botanico di Merano.

Trauttmansdorff Castle

On the left above Castel Rametz in Merano, there is a two-storied, castle-like construction with two corner towers. Once upon a time it was a farm named after its owners, Laubers. In 1185 this farm has been mentioned for the first time in written documents. Already before, between 1077 and 1082, a man named Ulrich von Laubers was believed to live here. After the house of Laubers, Heinrich Marschall of Tyrol took over this farm in the 13th century.

In the following centuries many families purchased and sold the castle. In 1891 the Dane Adolf Neubert was king of the castle and transformed Labers Castle into a pension. The basic structure of the building got lost, only remains of characteristics are recognizable at some corners. Ancient stone layers in the cellar as well as the St Michael chapel from the 15th century are the only witnesses of former times.

During WWII, at Castel Labers there was a centre for counterfeiting money for the Third Reich. This is where false pounds and starlings were produced for espionage purposes under Admiral Canaris. This was one of the main counterfeiting plots of history (”Operation Bernhard”). After WWII Labers Castle was transformed into a hotel and has this function still today. It is not open to the public. 

Labers Castle 

Brunnenburg (Italian: Castel Fontana) is a 13th-century castle in the province of South Tyrol, in northern Italy.

History
Schloss Brunnenburg is situated above the city of Merano, on the outskirts of the municipality of Tirol. Originally built circa 1250, the castle was completely restored and updated in the mid-20th century by Boris de Rachewiltz, an Egyptologist, and his wife Mary, daughter of the poet Ezra Pound and violinist Olga Rudge, who have made it their home. Surrounding the castle is the family's vineyard.

Pound stayed with his daughter and her family at the castle in 1958 after he returned from the United States. He wrote the last 6 of his 116 "cantos" of The Cantos.

The Ezra Pound Centre for Literature
"The Ezra Pound Centre for Literature" was established at the castle by his daughter, where students come from all over the world to study the poet's works. A large guesthouse on the castle grounds is used as temporary housing for students, usually for a semester at a time.

Brunnenburg

Gaiano Castle is located at Maia Alta and is one of the oldest castles of Merano and surroundings.
Gaiano Castle, or Goyen in German, is recognisable from its massive donjon boasting slits and the relief of an elephant on one of the quoins. A high circular wall surrounds the tower. According to a legend dating back to ancient times, the castle used to be inhabited by a Roman called Gaius, who also gave the name to the castle. Also the donjon, called “Roman Tower”, took its name from this legend.

The building at the entrance of Val di Nova, as it appears today, dates back to the 12th century. In the 14th century it was owned by the Milser family, which sold it In 1384 to Hans von Starkenberg. A struggle between Frederick IV “of the Empty Pockets”, Duke of Further Austria, and the Elephant’s league brought along the besiegement of Gaiano Castle. In 1422 the Starkenberg family surrendered possession and the Campan family took over the castle. When this family became extinct, the Botsch Lords owned the castle.

When the last Botsch died in 1647, the Stachelberg family purchased the castle complex. The last of them died in the battle at the Bergisel. From this point of time the castle repeatedly changed hands. The last one, a certain van Heek, a Dutch merchant, had the castle thoroughly restored in the 20th century. Still today the grand hall of the castle is inhabited. The castle complex can’t be visited.

https://www.meranerland.org

Gaiano Castle

Tyrol Castle, less commonly Tirol Castle (Italian: Castel Tirolo, German: Schloss Tirol) is a castle in the comune (municipality) of Tirol near Merano, in the Burggrafenamt district of South Tyrol, Italy. It was the ancestral seat of the Counts of Tyrol and gave the whole Tyrol region its name.
History
The castle hill has been inhabited since ancient times. Several artefacts and one field of graves from the early Middle Ages have been identified. Archeologists have excavated a church with three apses dating from the early Christian period.

The first castle was built before 1100. The second construction phase including the keep dates to 1139/40. A third phase of construction took place in the second half of the 13th century under Count Meinhard II of Gorizia-Tyrol. In 1347 Meinhard's granddaughter Countess Margaret of Tyrol was besieged here by the forces of the Luxembourg king Charles IV. The castle remained the seat of Tyrol's sovereigns until 1420, when the Habsburg archduke Frederick IV moved the administrative seat to Innsbruck north of the Brenner Pass.

In modern times parts of the castle fell into the so-called "Köstengraben", a steep gorge. It was even sold in order to be used as a quarry. In the 19th century the castle was restored; the keep was rebuilt in 1904.

Regarding art history, the frescos of the castle's chapel are of special interest as well as two Romanesque portals with opulent marble sculptures showing legendary creatures, religious themes, and geometric ornaments.

The castle has served as the site of a museum since the early 1980s. Since 2003, Tyrol Castle houses the South Tyrolean Museum of History. Next to the castle there is a falconry with a nursing ward for birds of prey.