Prince’s Castle

Built in the 13th century as the seat of the prince-bishops of Coira, the mighty Prince's Castle - "Fürstenburg" in German, "Castello del Principe" in Italian - still stands above Burgusio on the way to the uppermost Val Venosta valley. In 1292, Bishop Berthold II mentioned it for the first time in documents. Today, the venerable walls house a professional school for agriculture and forestry.

Beautiful murals depict knights and coats of arms and adorn the walls in the interior rooms and courtyard of the castle complex. The mighty keep is particularly worth seeing: Its impermeable walls are three metres thick and are the oldest part of the old fortress and stronghold. Other parts were added in the 16th and 17th centuries and are a bit younger. Three decades ago, the tower of the Prince's Castle collapsed and the expansion into the current school followed. The complex is located directly on the Val Venosta Cycle Path, so it is also a nice destination as a stopover on a bike tour. It can be visited on certain dates in midsummer. By the way, the majestic white building above it belongs to the Benedictine Abbey of Monte Maria, the highest located one of Europe.

And how can the Prince's Castle be reached? The road leads towards Burgusio and past the St. Michael Church, then comes the castle. Parking spaces are available in front of it. It is also easily accessible by public transport: Burgusio (Burgeis) is connected to Merano by city bus no. 274, and to the Resia Pass by bus line no. 273.