Castel Roncolo dominates the city of Bolzano from the top of an imposing rocky spur.
Its construction began in 1237 on the orders of the nobles Friederich and Beral Vanga. However, its glory began in 1385, when the two middle-class brothers Niklaus and Franz Vintler bought the manor. These, not wanting to be outdone compared to the nobles of their time, had the entire castle decorated with wonderful frescoes, a unique testimony of the courtly world, noble fashion and chivalry. To date, Castel Roncolo preserves the largest cycle of profane frescoes from the medieval era.
In 1390 the Vintler family had the so-called "Summer House" built next to the Romanesque building. Inside there are not only green earth frescoes depicting the legend of "Tristan and Isolde" by Gottfried von Straßburg, but also one of the oldest fresco representations of the round table of King Arthur. In contrast to the chivalrous - literary themes present both inside and outside the Summer House, the western palace of Castel Roncolo offers representations of court life.
The tournament room instead houses an impressive representation of the tournament with spears.
The frescoes of Castel Roncolo, in their entirety, present us with a unique and precious testimony of the past courtly world, of the clothing of the nobility, of the world of the tournament and at the same time are a painted gallery of inestimable value.
Alongside the eventful events that characterize the history of Castel Roncolo, the real attraction is found inside, in the Western Palace and in the Summer House, where the frescoed rooms host the largest cycle of secular painting of the Middle Ages.
This makes Castel Roncolo an "illustrated" manor, a castle of images that seems to spring directly from a fairytale, a particularity that, in addition to giving emotion to visitors today, has above all entranced the romantics.
In fact, the taste of Romanticism meant that Castel Roncolo was the most designed, painted and photographed castle of the nineteenth century, becoming for this reason "the illustrated manor" par excellence.
Here, in a play of light and shadow, the Middle Ages are intertwined with the Renaissance, Romanticism and the contemporary era.
Castel Roncolo
Address: Via Sill, 15, 39100
Phone: 0471329808
Site:
https://www.runkelstein.info/Location inserted by
Giulia