Castles The castles, which in the past had different functions, are now silent wittnesses of the history of Merano.

Castles

TRAUTTMANSDORFF CASTLE

The castle lies in Obermais, south of the little church of St. Valentin, and is the centre of the Botanical Garden (internal link: the Gardens of Trauttmansdorff; link: www.trauttmansdorff.it) and the State History of Tourism Museum (internal link: The Museums; link: www.touriseum.it). The majestic Trauttmansdorff Castle, adorned with battlements and loggia and so named by the family that owned it, arose in the 16th century from the extensive development of a rural estate and the Neuburg Castle. The Austrian Empress Sissi (internal link: “Following Sissi’s footsteps through Meran”) appreciated the sunny, mild climate of this aristocratic residence: between 1870 and 1890, she stayed there several times with her family as a guest of the then lords of the castle. The castle decay considerably after the Second World War and in 1977 came into the possession of the South Tyrolean regional authority. Information: St. Valentin Strasse, www.trauttmansdorff.it and/or www.touriseum.it.