Grifo Castle (Pork Castle)

Above Settequerce in the Valle dell'Adige valley, on the municipal territory of San Genesio, Grifo Castle (Burg Greifenstein, in German) is enthroned. The ruin is located on a steep rock spur of the Monzoccolo Ridge: It is a large complex which can be seen only partly from the valley. A fore-fortress protected the main building which was presumably built by the Lords of Greifenstein in the 12th century. In 1158, a century before its first destruction, it was first mentioned in written documents. In the 14th century, the castle passed into the hands of the Lords of Starkenberg.

In 1423, Frederick of the Empty Pockets was besieging Grifo Castle for several weeks. At that time the minstrel Oswald von Wolkenstein was also at the castle, where he wrote a satirical song about the attackers. Finally, they devised a ruse. Despite their great hunger, they sacrificed their last pig and threw it at the besiegers' feet. They left disappointed: Grifo Castle became known as "Pork Castle". Today a 1.5 hour-walk leads from Settequerce to the castle ruin which is not accessible to the public. Today, the walls are largely dilapidated and the inner courtyard is overgrown.