Prösels Castle: The Gothic fortress of the Völs family

Prösels Castle, a Gothic château in South Tyrol, stands on the high plain below the Schlern mountain. Known as Castel Colonna, the castle has been a part of the landscape since 1200. Built by the lords of Völs, feudatories of the Bishopric of Brixen, the castle's central palace bears the marks of its Romanesque ancestor, with a surviving Romanesque archway still in place.

Leonhard of Völs, born in 1458, built the Gothic castle of today. He was the administrator of the salt mines of Hall in Tirol, a highly profitable position, and married three times to wealthy noblewomen, which enabled him to spend extravagantly on the expansion of his castle. In 1498, Leonhard became governor of the County of Tyrol thanks to his friendship with the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I and Archduke of Austria. Leonhard showed his gratitude by including the emperor on one of the frescoes in the newly built arcade of his castle.

During the Peasants' War of 1525, the castle was briefly occupied by the revolting subservient farmers, who burnt all the documents in the vain hope of destroying all proof of their debts and tithes. The uprising was squashed and six leaders executed. Leonhard of Völs also instigated the burning of nine local women for witchcraft. To deflect blame placed on him by his subjects for a high infant mortality rate, Leonhard found nine women, had them tortured and after they confessed burnt at the stake for witchcraft. The women confessed that they had "stolen the babies and ridden on their brooms to the Schlern where they had eaten the babies together with the devil." The many local legends about the so-called Schlernhexen (Schlern witches) date back to this time.

Today, the castle stands proudly, with guided visits available during the summer months and during the Christmas holidays. Various cultural events are held at Prösels Castle, including concerts, exhibitions, and theatrical performances. Permanent displays include a collection of weapons and suits of armour, a collection of paintings in the "Batzenhäusl" restaurant, and a modern art collection.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons