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Reifenstein Castle today

Italy · Restored

Reifenstein Castle

Castel Reifenstein o Tasso

Reifenstein Castle (Burg Reifenstein / Castel Tasso) is a medieval castle above the Eisack valley near Sterzing in South Tyrol, Italy. The site preserves multiple medieval interiors including the painted Green Hall, a woodcarved chapel door, original kitchen and sleeping bunks, and a collection of armor, and remains in the hands of the Thurn und Taxis family.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

First raised

1110

Its prime

1350

Today

Restored

As it stood in 1350

What Reifenstein Castle looked like in its prime.

Perched on a rocky wooded spur in the Eisack valley near a dried marsh, the castle is a compact complex of pale plastered and masonry ranges surrounded by a crenellated curtain wall. A squat, square keep with thick stone walls and a steep pyramidal/hipped roof dominates the silhouette, with lower pitched roofs on the domestic ranges. Small rectangular windows and narrow slit openings puncture the walls; conifer forest rises on the slopes behind.

Its story

The story of Reifenstein Castle.

Reifenstein Castle, Burg Reifenstein in German, Castel Tasso in Italian, is a medieval castle in Freienfeld near Sterzing in South Tyrol, standing beside a dried marsh in the valley of the Eisack. It is the property of the Thurn und Taxis counts, who have remained its owners to the present.

What distinguishes Reifenstein is how much of its medieval interior survives: the painted Green Hall, a woodcarved chapel door, the original kitchen and sleeping bunks, and a collection of armour, all preserved within a castle that remains in family hands.

Step inside

11 places to explore in 1350.

The record describes 11 distinct spots at Reifenstein Castle, including 7 interiors: green hall (decorated hall), woodcarved chapel door, stubes (wood-paneled living rooms) and more. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Exterior approach from the valleyCurtain wall and battlementsMain tower (keep) exteriorInner courtyardGreen Hall (decorated hall)Woodcarved chapel doorStubes (wood-paneled living rooms)Armor collection roomOriginal kitchenOriginal bathroomMedieval sleeping bunks

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Recreate Reifenstein Castle with AI to explore it.

The artist rebuilds it as it stood in 1350, a photoreal reconstruction that belongs to you alone. Pay with coins, no subscription needed.

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Whose castle

Clans who held Reifenstein Castle.

The families that held Reifenstein Castle for a decade or more across its history, follow a name to its clan.

  • Thurn und Taxis

    Property of the Thurn und Taxis counts, who have remained its owners to the present.

Questions about Reifenstein Castle

What is the history of Reifenstein Castle?

Reifenstein Castle was first mentioned in the 12th century and was modified in the 14th century. Written records date its first mention to about 1110, when it was a fief of the Bavarian Counts of Lechsgemünd. It later passed through several noble families and the Teutonic Order before becoming the property of the Thurn und Taxis counts in 1813.

What is inside Reifenstein Castle?

Inside Reifenstein Castle are the decorated Green Hall, Gothic paintings, a woodcarved chapel door, Tyrolean stubes and a collection of armour. The preserved rooms also include an original kitchen, bathroom and medieval sleeping bunks. Other recorded spaces include the old residential tower and a five-metre-deep dark prison.

Who owns Reifenstein Castle now?

Reifenstein Castle is owned by the Thurn und Taxis counts. They have remained its owners to the present, and the castle remains in family hands. It is also designated as a cultural heritage monument in South Tyrol and as Italian national heritage.

Where is Reifenstein Castle?

Reifenstein Castle is in Freienfeld, near Sterzing, in South Tyrol. It stands above the Eisack valley near a dried marsh, at the southern entrance to the Sterzing basin. The castle is in the municipality of Freienfeld, in the province of Bolzano.

When was Reifenstein Castle built?

Reifenstein Castle was first raised in 1110. It was later modified in the 14th century, so the surviving building reflects more than one medieval phase. The castle is also associated with Gothic art as its architectural style.

Which family or clan held Reifenstein Castle?

The Thurn und Taxis counts have held Reifenstein Castle since 1813. Before that, it passed from the Lechsgemünd, Stilfes, Trautson and Sabiona families to Duke Sigismund of Austria, who sold it to the Teutonic Order in 1470. The curated family history identifies the Thurn und Taxis counts as its continuing owners.

What did Reifenstein Castle look like in its prime?

In its prime, Reifenstein Castle was a compact complex of pale plastered and masonry ranges enclosed by a crenellated curtain wall. A squat square keep with thick stone walls and a steep pyramidal or hipped roof dominates the silhouette, while lower pitched roofs cover the domestic ranges. Small rectangular windows and narrow slit openings punctuate the walls.

Is Reifenstein Castle still standing?

Reifenstein Castle is still standing and is restored rather than a ruin. Its medieval rooms, furnishings and architectural features remain well preserved, including the Green Hall, original kitchen and medieval sleeping bunks. The castle was never conquered or devastated, which helped preserve its historic fabric and contents.

Can you visit Reifenstein Castle?

Reifenstein Castle can be visited, with guided visits offered from Easter to early November. The castle contains around ten well-preserved rooms, including the Green Hall, a large 13th-century kitchen and Tyrolean stubes. Its public visits focus on the preserved medieval interiors and historic furnishings.

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