Castel Rubein

Sometimes reality overcomes fantasy. Imagine realizing your dream of love in the romantic chapel in the Gothic style of an ancient castle and then receiving relatives and friends in noble salons adorned with all that means art and good taste, that is, antique furniture, paintings of author , gilded mirrors, coffered ceilings, frescoes, carpets, tapestries, ceramics, busts, hunting trophies and rarities of all kinds. Add to this the warm welcome of a landlady with the cult of good hospitality, able to make the defendants feel immediately at ease. A magical set, perfect for those who want to give their holidays, a private party or a business meeting the unique and unforgettable climate of a place out of time.

In the district of Maia Alta in Merano, surrounded by thick stone walls and a centuries-old park of five hectares populated with squirrels, stands the Rubein Castle, one of the most valuable historical residences in South Tyrol. Cited for the first time in 1220 as the residence of the Lords of Ruvina (Rubein), ministries of the Counts of Tirolo, after the extinction of the Rubein family in 1388, many owners followed, including the lords of Starkenberg, the Rottenburg and the Mareccio. In 1536 the castle was part of the possessions of the Vanga. In 1875 the manor was acquired by Count Brandis and in 1880 passed to the baron Franz von Reyer. The latter began a renovation of the buildings, which then continued in a more profound manner with Countess Anna Asseburg-Wolff-Metternich and her husband Count Camille du Parc-Locmarià, since 1883 owners of the castle. Their descendants are still in their possession, in particular Countess Eliane du Parc, who loves to personally receive her guests and entrust them with one of the spacious suites.

Warm shades of curtains and carpets, antique furniture, large majolica stoves from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and paintings from the private collection of Count Robert du Parc, a famous 20th century painter, create inviting atmospheres that invite you to savor the almost enchanted silence that surrounds this intact corner of the Middle Ages.

The original core of the castle consists of the keep, 21 meters high and initially used as a casatorre, probably without any defensive purpose. Over time, other buildings were added, such as the north-west residential building and the south-facing loggia.

In 1984, frescoes were discovered inside and outside the loggia. They probably date back to 1540. They represent scenes taken from the gospel, which is quite rare since such decorations usually portray profane themes.

In the same building there is also the late Gothic chapel of the castle which dates back to 1455. It was modernized in the Baroque period with the original medieval frescoes which were rediscovered in recent times thanks to a restoration funded by the Messerschmitt Foundation.