The History Of Tyrol Castle In South Tyrol, Northern Italy
Tyrol Castle is one of most illustrative and well preserved medieval landmarks of Central Europe. Situated in the small municipality of Tirol from the autonomous province of South Tyrol (also known in Italian as ‘Alto Adige’), present day northern Italy, the castle has a long standing history as the seat of the Counts of Tyrol. During the High Middle Ages, the castle belonged to the historical County of Tyrol in the Holy Roman Empire, and continued to remain as such until the early 20th century.
Aerial panorama of the Tyrol Castle and of the surroundings (including Tirol village). Image source: Wikimedia Commons
It is not known exactly when the initial stronghold was constructed, but it was most likely before the beginning of the 12th century. The second phase of construction took place between 1139 to 1140, when an additional keep was attached to the main fortification. A further third construction phase was undertaken during the second part of the 13th century. Through extensive archaeological research, there have equally been discovered numerous medieval artefacts and several clear remains of a church which was built on the site of the castle at some point during the early Middle Ages.
Closer view of the Tyrol Castle. Image source: www.pixabay.com
Architecturally, Tyrol Castle features prominent elements of the Romanesque style meddled with Gothic frescoes. In terms of its regional importance, it must be mentioned that Tyrol Castle actually gave the name to the entire region of South Tyrol back during the Middle Ages. Last but not least, nowadays this historical landmark in northern Italy houses the South Tyrolese Museum of Culture and Provincial History.
Documentation sources and external links:
- Tyrol Castle on www.wikipedia.org (in English)
- Tyrol Castle in Tirolo on www.merano-suedtirol.it (in English)
- Schloss Tirol (the official website of the castle) on www.schlosstiral.it (in German, Italian, and English)
