Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Castle
Prösels Castle
Château in South Tyrol, Italy
At a glance
- Type
- Castle
- Protection
- Cultural heritage monument in South Tyrol
- Coordinates
- 46°30′20″ N, 11°29′44″ E
- Address
- Andreas Hofer, Fie' Allo Sciliar/vols Am Schlern
History and description
Prösels Castle (German: Schloss Prösels; Italian: Castello di Presule) is a castle in the Gothic style which stands on the high plain below the Schlern mountain, in South Tyrol. Prösels is a location within the municipal boundaries of the commune of Völs am Schlern (Fiè allo Sciliar).
History
The castle was first named in a document from 1279, as castrum Presil, whereas the settlement close to the castle compares in 1373 as Bresels. It is believed that the lords of Völs, feudatories of the Bishopric of Brixen, had built the castle here just by 1200. Today the central palace with a Romanesque archway are surviving parts of this first fortress.
In Italian it is sometimes called Castel Colonna, reflecting the fact that around the time of Leonhard II the Völs (Fiè) family started to add the Colonna family name to their own. The reason for this is unclear, although a number of hypotheses have been advanced. According to some the family originated as a branch of the Colonnas who came to Tyrol in the twelfth century; others believe that Leonhard II, fighting alongside Marcantonio Colonna (1535–1584) at the Battle of Lepanto, was affirming his family’s origins in the Colonnas of Tusculum. A third version speculates that Marcantonio adopted Leonhard in order to enable the latter to display his membership of the noble Roman dynasty. Most probably, perhaps, Leonhard II simply requested and obtained the right to add the name Colonna to his own.
The Gothic castle of today was built by Leonhard of Völs (born 1458). He was the administrator of the salt mines of Hall in Tirol, a highly profitable position, furthermore he was married three times to wealthy noblewomen, which enabled him to spend extravagantly on the expansion of his castle. In 1498 Leonhard, thanks to his friendship with the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I and Archduke of Austria, became governor of the County of Tyrol. Leonhard showed his gratitude by including the emperor on one of the frescoes in the newly built arcade of his castle. …
Visiting the castle
Guided visits are available during the summer months and during the Christmas holidays, various cultural events are held here including concerts, exhibitions and theatrical performances. Permanent displays include:
A collection of weapons and suits of armour
The "Batzenhäusl" restaurant collection of paintings (The "Batzenhäusl" being the oldest restaurant in the city of Bolzano)
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Full article: «Prösels Castle».
Photos
Getting there
Bolzano - BozenTrain, nearest
10.5 km as the crow flies
Prösels CastleAndreas Hofer, Fie' Allo Sciliar/vols Am Schlern
Aeroporto di Bolzano-Dolomiti - Flughafen Bozen-Dolomiten14.0 km
Distances are as the crow flies, not walking or driving.
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Nearby
See on the mapMore castles in Trentino-South Tyrol
Frequently asked questions
Where is Prösels Castle?
Prösels Castle is in Völs am Schlern, in the province of Bolzano (Trentino-South Tyrol), Italy. Address: Andreas Hofer, Fie' Allo Sciliar/vols Am Schlern. GPS coordinates: 46.50543, 11.49564.
How much does it cost to visit Prösels Castle?
There is an admission charge. Up-to-date prices are on the official website.
What else is there to see near Prösels Castle?
Nearby you’ll find: Castle Stein am Ritten (2.8 km away), Castle Steinegg (3.7 km away), Zwingenstein Castle (4.8 km away).
Sources and licences
Text. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Data. Wikidata (CC0); opening hours and contacts OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Photos. Wikimedia Commons, author and licence on every image.
Credits for the 9 photos
- Schloss Proesels-1 — CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cortile del Castello di Presule a Fiè — Luiclemens, Public domain
- Cortile interno Castello di Presule — Luiclemens, Public domain
- Mary as Queen of Heaven, from the chapel of Castle Prosels in Tyrol, by the Master of the Habsburgs, 1507-1508, painting on fir - Germanisches Nationalmuseum - Nuremberg, Germany - DSC03556 — Master of the Habsburgs, Public domain
- Particolare del cortile del Castello di Presule — Luiclemens, Public domain
- Prösels Castle01 — Asia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Castel Presule 01 — Syrio, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Castel Presule Colonna1 — Nimue, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Castel Presule verso est, 1867 — Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
Updated 28 October 2026. All sources and licences