Cornedo Castle

The entrance to the Val d'Ega valley, just 3 kilometres from Bolzano, held a strategically important position along the Brennero Road in past centuries. There, on a steep rocky crag above Cardano, in the district of Cornedo village, the Lords of Greifenstein built the mighty Cornedo Castle (Burg Karneid) in the 13th century, then known as "castrum de Curniet". From 1378 to 1760, it remained in the possession of the Lords of Liechtenstein, with the exception of a brief occupation by Frederick of the Empty Pockets. For a short period, it also belonged to the municipality of Bolzano.

Today, Cornedo Castle, one of the most beautiful and best-preserved castles in South Tyrol, is owned by the family of Baron Christoph von Malaisé. It has been open to the public since 2006. The complex comprises a keep, a residential tower with a great hall, a courtyard, open staircases, a two-storey loggia, and a curtain wall with dovetail merlons. Inside, the 14th-century fresco "The Triumph of Death" and the Romanesque murals in St. Anne's Chapel are particularly noteworthy.

From Cornedo Castle, you can enjoy a magnificent view of the Adige and Isarco valley basins, as well as the regional capital of Bolzano. Its former illustrious guests likely appreciated this too: The minstrel Oswald von Wolkenstein performed his songs here, Albrecht Dürer made sketches, Goethe is said to have rested here on his Italian journey, and the Tyrolean freedom fighter Andreas Hofer is also said to have visited the castle. How to get there?

You can reach Cornedo Castle from Cardano, a district in the municipality of Cornedo all'Isarco, where parking and a bus stop are available. From there, a 15-minute walk leads to the castle. Visits are possible as part of a guided tour (upon reservation).