Castel Guardia

If you drive from the Wine Road towards Bolzano, you can see Castel Guardia on your right. In autumn it appears in red splendour, surrounded by green vineyards.

Exactly where Castel Guardia is located, in the 12th century there was a farm. In possession of the earls of Appiano, they donated this farm to the former bishop of Trento in 1194, who returned it as feud to the original owners in 1211. In 1250 the Count of Tyrol took over the castle who lent the castle to different aristocrats.

Also a certain Ulrich von Altenburg inhabited the farm in these days. It was him who had the donjon and the great hall constructed, which were surrounded by a wall. Mr. Peter Warter and other families later on came in favour of possessing the castle and in the course of time it has been repeatedly renewed.
The donjon and great hall date back to High Middle Ages. A ship’s bow-like section of the building dates back to the 15th century, while in the 17th century the farm building has been added to the complex. In the residential tower there are decorative paintings, the year 1613 is carved into the wainscot.
The counts of Künigl zu Ehrenburg were the last blue-blooded owners of Castel Guardia. At the moment the Frank family inhabits the castle and provides for the maintenance of the relatively young castle complex.