Wolfsthurn Castle, Cultural heritage castle in Ratschings, Italy.
Wolfsthurn Castle sits on a hilltop above Mareit where the Ridnaun valley begins, designed with a distinctive numerical pattern throughout its structure. The building contains 365 windows, 52 doors, 12 chimneys, and 4 main entrances that correspond to days, weeks, months, and seasons of the year.
Franz Andrä von Sternbach acquired the original property in the 18th century and built the Baroque complex that stands today. The castle remained in family hands across generations before being adapted for public use as a museum.
The castle has housed a hunting and fishing museum since 1996, where you can see native wildlife and traditional hunting equipment on display. These collections reflect how important these practices have been to people in the region for generations.
You can explore three floors of exhibitions featuring period rooms with original furnishings, wildlife displays you can interact with, and presentations about hunting traditions. The castle is best visited in fair weather, and the layout allows you to move through the collections at your own pace.
A fascinating detail of the design is how each architectural element mirrors a calendar unit in a deliberate scheme. This careful planning reveals the builder's intention to weave order and structure directly into the building itself.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
