Brunico Castle

Emperor Federico II died and the powerful and territorial princes fought over lands, in particular those belonging to the church. The headquarters of the administration of Bishop Bruno von Kirchberg was situated in the unprotected Villa Santa Caterina in Val Pusteria.
Between years 1251 and 1288 he commissioned the building of a well-fortified castle on a rocky hill that stretched out on the valley. At the same time the building of the town of Brunico started. In the 14th century the castle was expanded by Bishop Albert von Enn and surrounded by a wall with a moat. During the 15th century the capacity of the castle to defend itself was further developed. In the 16th century Prince Bishop Christoph von Schroffenstein converted the castle in a residential palace. Today the castle belongs to the Brunico citizens and has been made available to mountaineer Reinhold Messner for one of his museum projects “Messner Mountain Museum – i popoli della montagna” (MMM).