Sigmundskron Castle

P3

The Sigmundskron Castle

Sigmundskron Castle is a sprawling castle and fortress near Bolzano in South Tyrol. The ruin is now home to the fourth mountain museum of the South Tyrolean alpinist Reinhold Messner. On 9 June 2006, the MMM ( Messner Mountain Museum Firmian ) was opened in the late medieval fortress.

History

The first historical mention under the name Formicaria (later Formigar ) dates from the year 945 Emperor Conrad II donated it in 1027 to the Bishop of Trent. In the 12th century it was handed over to ministry officials, who called themselves from then on Firmian. In 1473 bought the Prince of Tyrol, Duke Sigmund the Rich, the castle, renamed it to Sigmundskron Castle and let them expand so that they could withstand firearms. From the old castle Formigar relatively small remnants only survived, mostly located on the highest point of the fortress terrain. Due to financial difficulties had to Sigmund the castle soon pawn it. As a result, the plant fell progressively.

End of the 18th century the castle belonged to Count Wolkenstein, 1807-1870 Count of Sarnthein, then to 1994, the Count of Toggenburg. In 1976, the semi- ruin was restored by a family of innkeepers partially opened and a guest operating. In 1996, the castle passed into the possession of the Province of Bolzano. In spring 2003, Reinhold Messner received after much discussion a concession for the use of the system for a long- planned mountain museum.

During construction work in March 2006, a Neolithic grave was discovered in the skeletal remains of a woman were found. The age of the grave is estimated to be 6,000 to 7,000 years.

Sigmundskron as a symbol of Autonomiebestrebung

The fortress is an important political symbol of the South Tyrolean: 1957 took place here under the leadership of Silvius Magnago the largest protest in the history of South Tyrol part of the Trentino-Alto Adige region instead. About 30,000 South Tyrolean gathered in the castle to protest against the non-compliance of the Paris Agreement and to demand freedom for South Tyrol ( " from Trento ").

Photo Gallery

Entrance

Wall, east side, walk to the south

Wall, east side, in the background Bolzano

Courtyard in the entrance area