Salego Ruin

In the midst of the Castelvecchio forest (Hauensteiner Wald, in German), there is the scanty ruin of the former Castel Salego, which has probably been constructed around the 12th century by the Lords of Saleck. Castel Salego was a feud castle and has been inhabited by more families. In 1473 the castle completely passed into the hands of the Zwingensteiner family, while in the 16th century the Lords of Wolkenstein took over the castle. In the 17th century, however, it started to fall into decay.

Unfortunately only few details about the history of the castle are known. Mural remains reveal a reconstruction of the castle in the 15th century. According to chronicles there was also a chapel. After decay of this structure, the bell and altar have been brought to the Mary Help of Christians Church of Siusi. The Salego Ruin is now in possession of the diocese of Bolzano-Bressanone. In 2001, after a three months long restoration period, the murals were backed and restored. One year later, the ruin has been cleared of undergrowth and made open to the public. A curiosity: according to a legend, once upon a time there was a corridor connecting the castles Castelvecchio and Salego. This hallway and its gold and silver treasure was guarded by a damsel with long golden hair.

Suggest an edit/correction