Naturno Castle is located approx. 1 km from Naturno, above the village. At the beginning there was a Roman Tower, which has been changed in Mediaeval style. In the middle of the 13th century the “Oswald Tower” has been established and named after Oswald von Naturns, who was a knight of the Teutonic Order. From then on, the castle was the principle residence of the Lords of Naturns (Naturno).

After the Lords of Naturns there were the Lords of Maretsch (Mareccio) and those of Völs (Fiè). A fire destroyed the castle in 1538, and Abundus von Tschötsch had it reconstructed. In the course of these works he established the Room of Reformers with pictures of Luther, Huss, Calvin and Zwingli. According to a legend, Abundus died nearby the castle and transformed into a black dog as punishment for his disbelief.

In the 16th century the castle had its prime and has been equipped with various items such as wood ceilings or tilted stove. After a period of decay, Franz Ritter von Goldegg had the castle restored in the 19th century. Also the following owners decorated the owners castle with art pieces of the surroundings.

As the complex has been changed into a hotel, its original shape can only be guessed. The castle was designated a historic monument in 1950. Today, Castel Naturno is in private ownership and cannot be visited.

https://www.meranerland.org

Naturno Castle

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Taranto Castle, also called Dornsberg or Tarantsberg, is located between Naturno and Plaus.
The castle is located at the foot of the Tramontana mountain (Nördersberg). Dornsberg or Tarantsberg Castle, as it also used to be called, has been established in 1217 by the Lords von Tarant. Members of this family were demonstrably imperial ministerialis of Tyrol. They decorated the castle with panels, tiled stove, carved doors and windows, and many more elements. In the St Ursula chapel there is also a winged altar, the walls boast ancient paintings. In the heart of the castle the donjon towers into the sky.

Around 1291, proprietor of the castle was Count Meinhard II, around 1347 it was Heinrich von Annenberg, from 1699 the Counts von Mohr and later on the Giovanelli and Fuchs families.

After the end of WWII the building was damaged, but in 1964 the Gottschall family from Munich purchased the castle complex and had it restored with the utmost effort. Still today this castle is in possession of this family and cannot be visited.

https://www.meranerland.org/

Taranto Castle

Juval Castle (German: Schloss Juval; Italian: Castel Juval [kaˈstɛl juˈval]) is a medieval castle located at the entrance of the Schnalstal, in the Vinschgau, above the village of Naturns in the comune of Kastelbell-Tschars at around 1000 meters above sea level, in South Tyrol, Italy. It derives its name from the Latin name of the mountain, Mons Jovis (mountain of Jupiter).

The oldest account of the castle dates to 1278, when it was owned by Hugo of Montalban. It was probably constructed about thirty years before the first account referencing it. In 1368, it was acquired by the lords of Starkenberg, and in 1540, it passed to Sinkmoser. The period from its construction to the mid 1500s was the castle's heyday.

After several more changes of ownership, in 1813, it was sold to a local farmer, Josef Blaas. The castle was passed down through generations and was owned by the Blaas family until World War II, when it was taken over by the Nazis.

Since 1983, it has been the summer residence (July and August) of famous mountaineer Reinhold Messner, who has partially converted it into a museum displaying works of Tibetan art and a collection of masks from five continents. A later restoration of the castle was presided over by Vinschgau architect Karl Spitaler. It is one of the venues of the Messner Mountain Museum. The museum is closed in the summer months, when Messner resides in the castle.

Around the castle there is a path open to the public along which there are informational signs relating to the botanical features on the grounds. For private individuals, the castle is accessible only on foot with an hour-long walk or by using a special bus service.

Juval Castle

The Kastelbell Castle
THE CASTLE ON THE LEFT BANK OF THE ADIGE RIVER
The picturesque Kastelbell Castle, first mentioned in 1238, was built by the Lords of Montalban. Majestically, it is situated on a cliff on the left bank of the Adige River. Because of its exposed position, the castle had to be protected by strong fortifications, which needed to be remodernized over the years. In 1813 and 1824, the castle was largely destroyed by fire. The Counts of Hendl rebuilt only a small part for residential purposes. At the end of a protracted court process held over decades between Count Siegmund von Hendl and the Republic of Italy for the possession of the castle, eventually a settlement was reached. This allowed the State to acquire the castle.

The Kastelbell Castle is the cultural center of the village. In addition to permanent exhibitions in Spring and Autumn, alternating art exhibitions take place here.

https://www.vinschgau.net

The Kastelbell Castle

The village of Foresta extends at the southern edge of Lagundo and is famous for its homonymous brewery.
Foresta represents the most southern locality of Lagundo and extends at 320 to 360 m asl. Not only its rural and original character make Foresta worth a visit, but also its brewery, which is also well-known beyond borders.

The Forst brewery, which is by gave the name to the locality, is one of the largest breweries of Italy. Founded in 1857 by the town clerk Franz Tappeiner, today the “Forst” produces seven different types of beer. A stop at the brewery to taste one of the beers produced right in this place is of course a must-do in your holidays, all the same you should pay a visit to the Castel Foresta, where the famous minne singer Oswald von Wolkenstein was kept imprisoned by his mistress Sabina Jäger. Another virtue of Foresta is of course its vicinity to Merano.

https://www.meranerland.org

Castel Foresta 

Monteleone Castle (Lebenberg in German) is a splendid castle amidst colourful vineyards high above the municipality of Cermes. It is deemed to be the landmark of the village. Doing a hike along the Marlengo Waalweg path you have a fantastic view on the castle.

Built in the 13th century by the Lords of Marlengo (Marling), Monteleone Castle is one of the most beautiful and biggest fully furnished castles in private hands in South Tyrol. 1426 the castle passed from the Lords of Marlengo to the Lords von Fuchs. They owned it up to the 19th century. Nowadays the castle belongs to the van Rossem family and is open to the public.

Lovers of culture and architecture can look forward for instance to the three-floors high St. Stephan chapel of the 14th century, picturesque inner courtyards, a French flower garden and a Venetian hall of mirrors, dating back to the rococo era. Worth seeing are also the hall of knights and the hall of arms. Moreover some valuable Gothic frescoes have been rediscovered. Monteleone Castle can be discovered on foot from the village centre of Cermes and is accessible by car along the Monte Leone Road.

https://www.meranerland.org

Monteleone Castle

Castel Torre (Schloss Thurnstein in tedesco) è un castello medievale che si trova nel comune di Tirolo in Alto Adige.
Cenni storici
Le prime notizie documentate che lo riguardano risalgono al 1276, ma scavi archeologici hanno dimostrato l'esistenza di un castelliere preistorico, segno di una presenza umana molto più antica. All'epoca della sua fondazione, il castello era chiamato Turm auf Platzleid (solo nel 1478 apparirà per la prima volta il toponimo Thurnstein) ed era costituito unicamente da una casatorre.

Nel 1282 fu dato in feudo da Mainardo II a Konrad Milsner. Negli anni successivi il castello sembra essere stato un feudo molto ambito per via della sua posizione e delle sue vigne e le famiglie nobili facevano a gara per poterlo avere.

Solo nel XVI secolo fu costruita l'ala sud addossata alla torre e solo nel 1803 quella nord, che però non fu mai completata.

Nel XVII secolo il castello divenne di proprietà di Alexander von Egen la cui famiglia lo possiede tuttora.

Dalla prima guerra mondiale il castello è adibito a ristorante, tra le cui specialità c'è il "Vino Napoleone". Questo vino, prodotto dalle vigne del castello, prese il nome dell'imperatore Napoleone III quando giunse la notizia della sua cattura durante la battaglia di Sedan nel 1870.

Castel Torre (Merano)

Il castello di Laces (in tedesco Burg Latsch) è un maniero medievale che si trova nel centro dell'omonimo paese in Alto Adige.
Cenni storici
Fu costruito probabilmente nel 1297 dal conte di Tirolo Mainardo II che lo diede in feudo a Otto di Laces che da qui amministrava la giustizia locale.

Nel 1313 la sede di giustizia fu spostata a Silandro e il castello passò a Enrico di Parcines. Alla sua morte, nel 1364, i tre figli si divisero l'eredità e il castello andò a Heinrich von Annenberg, che già possedeva il castel Monte Sant'Anna.

Durante il XV secolo il castello fu ristrutturato con la costruzione, tra l'altro, di una cappella dedicata nel 1472 alla Vergine Maria.

Il maniero rimase nelle mani della famiglia von Annenberg fino alla sua estinzione nel 1695. In seguito passò ai conti di Hendl già proprietari di Castel Coldrano.

Nel 1770 scoppiò un furioso incendio che distrusse completamente il castello: non fu più ricostruito e le sue rovine furono concesse dall'imperatrice Maria Teresa d'Austria al conte di Mohr proprietario del castel Montani di Sopra e di Sotto. Nel 1813 venne addirittura utilizzato come cava per la nuova chiesa del paese.

Nel 1826 le rovine furono acquistate da Juliana von Martin che nel 1842 ne incominciò la ricostruzione, stravolgendone però l'impianto originale con nuovi edifici e il rimaneggiamento di quelli vecchi.

In seguito il castello passò al Dottor Franz von Breitenberg, la cui famiglia lo vendette nel 1950 agli Oberhofer attuali proprietari.

Tra il 2002 e il 2007 fu oggetto di un profondo restauro.

Descrizione
A causa dei numerosi interventi nel corso del tempo, il nucleo originale del castello è ormai difficilmente riconoscibile. Si doveva trattare comunque di una casatorre merlata di cinque piani circondata da un fossato, cosa molto rara in val Venosta.

Oggi il mastio misura 21 metri di altezza e 8 metri di lato. L'entrata si trova al primo piano e resti murari fanno pensare che sul muro a nord si trovasse un gabinetto a sbalzo.

Sul portone di ingresso troneggia uno stemma degli Annenberg del XV secolo.

Essendo una dimora privata il castello non è visitabile.

Castello di Laces

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.

Tyrol 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

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