The castle of Appiano is located above Missiano, a fraction of the municipality of Appiano, and offers all lovers of hiking a beloved destination with an interesting culture. The castle counts among the most important fortifications of South Tyrol. Castel d'Appiano is situated on a protruding rock, but in any case the manor is easily reached.
Castel d'Appiano History
Castel d'Appiano was built in 1125 by Count Ulrich II of Appiano with the aim of defense against enemies. Unfortunately until today we do not know exactly if this date is really the date of construction of the castle. The owners of then lived first at Castelvecchio in S. Paolo. But when that place became too dangerous they moved into the Castel d'Appiano. In 1158 the Lords of Appiano were defeated by Henry the Lion because they had robbed a papal carriage that carried precious treasures that were designed for the emperor Frederick Barbarossa. Thus the possession passed into the hands of the Counts of Tyrol. Finally the castle was subdued to various families. Since 1911 the castle is in the possession of the Counts von Enzenberg.
Much of the defense walls date back to the 16th century. Outside the wall, a moat protects the dwellings further from enemy attacks. Also interesting is the tower, which has a pentagonal and unique shape.
And even the small chapel in the inner courtyard of the castle is very interesting and attracts countless art lovers every year. The chapel was consecrated in 1131 by the bishop of Trento and inside there are precious frescoes that date back to the first decade of the 13th century. The complexity of the representations, the chromatic variety and their popular vein, perceptible in different details, make these frescoes true testimonies of the past. Furthermore, these works are part of the most important and well preserved frescoes in Tyrol.
The fortified outpost, or the high tower "Kreideturm", is approx. a 10-minute walk from the castle. This quadrangular tower is surrounded by a wall, which however has largely collapsed.