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Kastelbell Castle
Kastelbell Castle is situated in a picturesque position on a mighty rock on the left bank of the Adige river that finally reaches broader Lower Val Venosta after the Latschander ravine. The rock is not very high but so steep that the castle was safe on its southern side by nature, while it had to be protected again and again by modern and strong walls on its mountain side over the years.
The old castle was built in the middle of the rock and was very small. Today’s castle with a length of about 70 m and a breadth of 30 m dates from the 16th century. Kastelbell Castle, which was first mentioned in 1238, but which is probably even older, was built by the noble Montalban family. After 1200, this once very powerful noble family was fought against by the earls of Tyrol who finally became the owners of Kastelbell Castle. Around 1300, Castelbello was given jurisdiction. The owners were then changed quite often until the castle became a fief of the Hendl family in 1531. The Hendl family was responsible for considerable extensions and architectural alterations that still characterize today’s form of Kastelbell Castle. In 1813 and in 1824, large parts of the castle were destroyed by fire. The earls of Hendl only rebuilt a small part for residential purposes and therefore the remaining castle became dilapidated. In 1956, the whole building complex was purchased by the state. At the end of decade-long court proceedings, during which earl Siegmund von Hendl and the Republic of Italy fought for the ownership of the castle, a settlement was finally reached, which enabled the state to buy the castle for 31,068 lire (16,04 €).
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