Braunsberg Castle, Medieval castle in Lana, Italy.
Braunsberg Castle stands above the Gaulschlucht gorge near Lana, on the road to Val d'Ultimo. Its ring wall on the mountain side once enclosed the whole complex; the dwelling block keeps walled-in swallowtail crenellations. The chapel of St. Blaise, originally Romanesque, was enlarged around 1670 with a choir, and its front wall bears frescoes of the coats of arms of Austria, Tyrol and the Trapp counts.
The castle was probably built in the 13th century by the Lords of Braunsberg, ministeriales of the Counts of Tyrol; a 1231 document names Ulrich von Braunsberg. The line died out in 1361 with Paul von Braunsberg. On 9 February 1492 King Maximilian I granted castle and lordship of Ulten to the brothers Jakob V. and Jörg Trapp for 15,000 guilders.
The chapel holds religious artworks spanning centuries, including a silver chalice from the 13th century and an altar decorated with paintings of saints. These pieces reveal how important this place remained for local spiritual life across different periods.
The castle remains in private ownership and is closed to the public, but its exterior can be viewed from the street connecting Lana to Val d'Ultimo. From this public road, the walls and overall shape of the structure are clearly visible.
In 1510, sections of the castle structure collapsed into the Gaul Canyon below, permanently altering its original form. This collapse affected the overall shape of the building in ways that remain visible today.
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