Untermontani Castle

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Untermontani Castle
Untermontani from the northwest

Untermontani from the northwest

Creation time : around 1300
Castle type : Hilltop castle
Conservation status: ruin
Standing position : Ministeriale
Place: Laces
Geographical location 46 ° 36 '16.7 "  N , 10 ° 49' 39.2"  E Coordinates: 46 ° 36 '16.7 "  N , 10 ° 49' 39.2"  E
Untermontani Castle (South Tyrol)
Untermontani Castle

The castle Untermontani is a small castle in the field of Group Morter the municipality Latsch in Vinschgau in South Tyrol . It stands on the northern tip of a long ridge of rock that stretches from south to north like a tongue from the Martell valley into the Adige valley . Farther south, about 400 meters away, 30 meters higher on the same ridge, stands the larger Obermontani Castle and to the west of it the St. Stephan Chapel .

history

The exact construction time of the Spornburg is no longer verifiable. Due to its function as a bailey or burgrave seat of Obermontani Castle, however, it can be assumed that it will begin until the middle of the 13th century following the completion of Obermontani. The builders are likely to have been the lords of Montalban , who, as a Welf noble family, were among the servants of the Counts of Tyrol . The castle was sold in 1355 by Albert von Montani (a descendant of those of Montalban) to Heinrich von Annenberg, who had the structure, which was initially only a free-standing tower, reinforced and expanded.

In 1472 the family Scheck von Goldrain was enfeoffed with the castle, so in 1487 Philipp Scheck appears as the owner of "Nidermontáni" . After the castle had changed hands several times, the Count Mohr was named as the owner at the beginning of the 17th century. Untermontani Castle lost its importance over time and was left to decay. At the beginning of the 19th century plunged parts of the western curtain wall and the Palas one because the flowing along here Plima the embankment was washed away. In 1945, parts of the keep collapsed , so that the castle has fallen apart today.

Building

It is a previously almost triangular small complex, the tip of which points south to Obermontani Castle. At the top of the triangle is the keep, which is integrated into the curtain wall. From there, it encompassed the area. In the north-eastern part there is a small hall, which is leaned against the wall. The curtain wall is equipped with dovetail battlements. In front of the keep and offset to the east there is a gate tower with an adjoining small kennel that leads to the main entrance in the eastern area of ​​the curtain wall. The gate tower is open to the rear and had a wooden platform for the defenders. In front of the gate there was a wooden drawbridge , the counterweights of which disappeared into brick slits under the gate tower. For this purpose, the foundation of the tower was bricked up to around 2.5 meters (height of the base plate of the gate above the bottom of the trench) and a bridge ramp was built on the opposite side, creating a neck trench . Entry is permitted.

Due to the nature of the terrain, the castle can only be reached on foot or with pack animals via a rock ridge from Obermontani or via a serpentine path in the northern slope. No access is possible with vehicles.

  • Eastern curtain wall with entrance gate

  • Inside of the gate tower

  • Kennel wall

  • patio

literature

Web links

Commons : Burg Untermontani  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Hannes Obermair : Bozen Süd - Bolzano Nord. Written form and documentary tradition of the city of Bozen up to 1500 . tape 2 . City of Bozen, Bozen 2008, ISBN 978-88-901870-1-8 , p. 193, no.1233 .
  2. ^ Beda Weber: The Land of Tyrol. A Handbook for Travelers , Volume 3. 1838