Culture and spare time - Churches and castles

Parish Church in Gais
This church has a long history and is nowadays regarded as being one of the oldest and most interesting alpine churches in the whole of Tyrol.

Parish Church of Villa Ottone
This was originally a roman church. It was later on gothicised and in the churches interior a precious altar of the socalled "Maestro di Villa Ottone" (approx. 1430-1480) was found. The real name of the artist is not known, but he was however, one of the main masters of the late Gothic period and it is also believed, that he could have been the teacher of the famous Michael Pacher.

Chapel of Castel Neuhaus
At the beginning of the 17th Century this was a preferred place for pilgrimage. In 1999, thanks to the Hofer Family, the Chapel was completely restored.

Castello di Chela Castle
The 30th of April 1944 was a black day for the Castle. It went on fire and the flames could be seen from far away and still no one knows what started the fire off. The castle has never been restored since and unfortunately it is now a ruin.

Remains of the Castellotto in Villa Ottone
The Castellotto is located on a big rock that inclines on both sides. At the top you see the start of the ring-wall and further down, the building and the chapel can be found.

The Castello di Tures Castle
The Castle towers at the entrance to the Valle Aurina Valley. It is crowned by the glaciers of the Aurine Alps and surrounded by forests. At the bottom of the Castle lies the beautiful village of Campo Tures and the vast green Campo di Tures hollow. This is the image that awaits all visitors of the area.  Merloned walls and a round arch make it impossible to cross the road that once went past the castle. The path of the castle leads you across a drawbridge over the castle moat, and through a big lancet door into a square court with a round tower at each side.

On top of the doors and at the towers you can see the trap-door, from which hot liquids and various other objects, that were once used for protective purposes, were spilled or dropped down onto  any daring would-be enemies. Further on, another drawbridge and three gateways can be found. The square tower with the big gate, the two round towers, the battlement parapet to the South and the south-west track (period of construction: the oldest walls date back to the 11th Century, the byarched windows to the middle of the 13th Century and the gothic part was built between 1483 and 1541) date back to the 2nd period. - In the castles court you can see a picturesque fountain, covered by an octagonal roof built in the shape of a pyramid. It is very likely that this used to be a furge.

Also the so-called granary is located in the court. It is a high building with three rows of gothic windows over the ground floor. In the sout-west track, which is well restored, some habitable areas con be found. The Masters of Tures, a noble family and one of the most famous houses in Tyrol, used to live in the castle before the 13th Century. The Tures family died out way back in 1340.

In 1977 the castle became the property of the Südtiroler Burgeninstitut (Southtyrolian Castles Institute). During the 15th and 16th Century the castle was used as a home. The castle is completely furnished and it was preserved very well. That is why the Castello di Tures Castle is considered to be one of the biggest and most beautiful castles in the whole tyrolian area. About two thirds of the 64 rooms are panelled with wood. The fresco-paintings of Friedrich Pacher in the chapel are particularily precious.

Castelo di Tures Castle
Via Winkel, 4
39032 Campo Tures
Phone: 0039/0474/678543
info@burgeninstitut.com
http://www.burgeninstitut.com/indexexp.htm
 
Opening hours:
January - middle of June
Tues, Fri, Sun at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
15th June - 31st  October
daily at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 3.15 p.m., 4.30 p.m.
Christmas, Passion Week
daily at 3 p.m., 4 p.m.


 

Ehrenburg (Casteldarne)
The former residence of the Earls of Künigl is located in Puster Valley at the left bank of the Rienza river and at the bottom of the Gezzo mountain. The castle is still property of the Earls of Künigl and it is one of the few castles, that are still fully furnished. Thanks to this meticulous preservation, the castle provides evidence of the life style of the former upper class. This interesting building has two faces: one is the old wing that has barely changed since, and towards the East, the barouque section dating back to 1700. The important court in the shape of an arch, its harmonic architecture and its particularity and beauty make up the centre of the newest part of the castle. On three sides tower arches rest on granite columns with capitells that are designed in the finest manner. Thanks to the help of the Messerschmid Foundation the castle was restored only a few years ago and appears now in its baroque vestments.

Casteldarne
39030 Chienes
Phone:+39/0474/565221 - Fax: +39/0474/565221
 
Opening hours:
April, May, October: Wed 3 p.m.
July, August: Mon-Sat 11 a.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m.
June, September: Mon-Sat 11 a.m., 3 p.m.

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