Top 12 Castles around Terfens

A worthwhile ensemble.

The castle is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The castle cannot be visited freely; it can only be visited as part of a guided tour.

The Renaissance Jewel Among Austria's Castles and Fortresses Tratzberg Castle was first documented in the 13th century and served as a former border fortress against Bavaria. Emperor Maximilian used Tratzberg as a hunting lodge, but the original fortified castle was completely destroyed by fire in 1492. The emperor did not rebuild Tratzberg but instead exchanged the ruins for a castle belonging to the wealthy silver mine owners, the Tänzel family. In 1500, they erected the first late Gothic section of the present-day Tratzberg Castle in an unusually magnificent and lavish manner, furnishing it with extraordinarily artistic marble, wood, and ironwork. In 1554, the wealthy Augsburg merchant Georg Ritter von Ilsung acquired the castle, expanding and altering it in the spirit of the Renaissance. Through inheritance, Tratzberg became the property of the well-known and wealthy Fugger merchant family, who further embellished the castle. The magnificently painted inner courtyard and most of the furnishings still preserved today, as well as the exquisite Renaissance rooms, date from this period. After several changes of ownership, Tratzberg remained uninhabited for almost 150 years. Through the marriage of Count Franz Enzenberg to Countess Ottilie Tannenberg, the by then almost derelict castle passed into the possession of the Counts Enzenberg in 1847, and it has remained their private residence ever since. To this day, it is only thanks to the great dedication of the family that the approximately 6,800 square meter Tratzberg, with its 5,000 square meter shingle roof, has once again become the epitome of a 16th-century Tyrolean castle and thus one of the most important artistic and cultural monuments in the region, open to the public. Text / Source: Tratzberg Castle, Tratzberg 1, A-6200 Jenbach https://www.schloss-tratzberg.at/geschichte/

The eventful history of Tratzberg Castle: What began more than 500 years ago as a small fortified settlement has developed into one of the most beautiful and best-preserved Renaissance castles in Austria. Tratzberg Castle frequently changed hands, suffered many setbacks, and was continually expanded. Today, Tratzberg Castle is one of the few castles still privately owned and even serves as the residence of the Count Goëss-Enzenberg family. Text / Source: Tratzberg Castle, Tratzberg 1, A-6200 Jenbach https://www.schloss-tratzberg.at/geschichte/

Tratzberg Castle Tratzberg Castle, perched high above the Inn Valley, is a true Renaissance gem. Located between Jenbach and Schwaz, Tratzberg Castle was first documented in the 13th century. It is one of the most beautiful buildings in the Alpine region from the transitional period between Gothic and Renaissance architecture and impresses visitors with its magnificently painted inner courtyard and various Renaissance rooms. The castle changed hands several times over the centuries and was used as a hunting lodge by Emperor Maximilian I and the Fugger family. When it was completely destroyed by fire in 1492, Maximilian I exchanged it for a castle belonging to the Tänzl brothers. Veitjakob and Simon Tänzl then had the first part of Tratzberg Castle—as it can be seen today—built around the year 1500. This section was constructed in an extremely opulent late Gothic style. Since the 19th century, this magnificent building has been owned by the Counts of Enzenberg, who also use it as their private residence. The 6,800 m² castle is a true gem. An audio guide allows you to embark on an exciting 360° virtual reality journey through time. The centerpiece is the Habsburg Hall, featuring a painted Habsburg family tree with 148 half-life-size portrait figures. Other rooms to see include the Queen's Room with its secret door, a hunting hall, and the armory. There's a special tour for children where they can meet a real knight. The journey there is also unique: the "Tratzberg Express" miniature train takes you from the castle inn up to the castle. Incidentally, the castle was featured in an article in the British magazine "World of Interiors" in autumn 2024. Text / Source: tirol.tl https://www.tirol.tl/de/highlights/burgen-schloesser/schloss-tratzberg/

Hasegg Castle, Hall in Tirol First mentioned in documents in the 13th century, the castle was built to protect the saltworks, shipping, the bridge over the Inn and to monitor the old salt road. The name comes from the Pfannhäuser, in which brine was evaporated and on whose "Egg" (corner) the castle was located. In the 15th century, the castle was expanded into a princely residence. In 1567, Archduke Ferdinand II had the mint moved here. Text / Source: Hall-Wattens Tourism, Unterer Stadtplatz 19, 6060 Hall in Tirol https://www.hall-wattens.at/de/burg-hasegg.html

Mint tower of Hasegg Castle, Hall in Tirol The old town of Hall is the largest preserved medieval old town in North Tyrol: its landmark is the mint tower of Hasegg Castle. Two special features of this charming little town are its old town and the mint with the mint tower. In 1477, Archduke Sigmund of Tyrol moved the princely mint from Merano to Hall, probably because of its proximity to the silver mines of Schwaz. In 1748, the Maria Theresa thaler was minted over 17 million times here and used as a means of payment all over the world. Today, the coin museum at Hasegg Castle tells of these times, and the associated mint tower offers you a wonderful view of the city. Text / Source: Tirol.tl https://www.tirol.tl/de/tirol/innsbruck-und-umgebung/hall-in-tirol/

The Münzerturm, the legendary landmark of the city of Hall, can also be visited. There are individual tickets for the museum and tower, as well as a combined ticket for both. Personal tours or tours with audio guides are available in various languages.