Castel Forte

Castel Forte is one of the most known South Tyrolean castles, also thanks to its dominating position along the main road from north to south, the Brennero road. The complex towers on a rock spur opposite the village of Colma, high above the Isarco river. Around 1173 AD Castel Forte was first mentioned in written documents as seat of the Counts of Trostburg. The castle features late gothic-style elements and is fairly well-preserved. It houses a spacious and famous parlour, a traditional wood-panelled lounge. Worth seeing are also the library, among the most famous ones of its time, the Hall of Knights, the dining hall and several other rooms and halls decorated with precious furniture and paintings.

To prevent decay, in 1981 Castel Forte was officially donated to the South Tyrolean Castle Institute (Südtiroler Burgeninstitut). Nowadays the institute strives to keep it accessible to the public without loosing the castle's original character. Since 2005 the beautiful castle complex houses the South Tyrolean Castles Museum with its permanent exhibition "Castles - monuments of history" and 86 models of South Tyrolean castles that are true to scale.