Building history

2023 marked the 850th anniversary of the first mention of the Trostburg, above the South Tyrolean town of Waidbruck in the Eisack Valley.
A small inner courtyard is hidden behind the keep, which was built around 1230. This is surrounded by a residential wing and a Romanesque, three-story palas, which was expanded in the 17th century. The castle’s largest renovation phase took place in the late 15th and early 17th centuries. Some extensions for residential purposes were carried out in the 18th century.
In the castle, visitors can discover Romanesque door and window arches, fortifications from the time of the minstrel Oswald von Wolkenstein, and late Gothic living culture from the 15th and early 16th centuries. You will be surprised by an extremely magnificent Renaissance hall from the 17th century. The permanent exhibition of the South Tyrolean Castle Museum “Castles – Buildings of History ” can also be seen in three rooms. Additionally, 86 true-to-scale models provide a good insight into the development history of South Tyrolean castles. A must for all castle lovers traveling to South Tyrol!
The Trostburg also has an extensive outer bailey (Hirschgraben, Michaelstor, Pfaffenturm, casern, chapel), with a fascinating wine press (Torggl), a valuable arched stable and, on a higher rock outcropping, a round so-called “Roman tower”/“Kreideturm” (signal and watchtower for Crayenfeuer) that tapers towards the attack side.
From 1967 to 1977, the South Tyrolean Castle Institute carried out extensive security and repair work. Wall paintings with hunting motifs and a cooking scene were uncovered (around 1514). Many rooms retained their original furnishings.