Castle and Sanctuary

An attractive and spiritual casket. Crossing over woods, rocky areas and streams you come to see the Sanctuary of San Romedio. It steep stairs of 131 steps will lead you to a clearing of small churches at the top of the rocks (approximately 70 metres) where, it has been known that the hermit St Romedio took shelter. Towards the end of the 10th century Romedio, of the noble family “Casata Tirolese dei Thaur” abandoned all his wealth after hearing the voice of God, and took refuge on the rocks to find his true happiness and communion in meditation. After his death, those who followed him dug a tomb in the rocks and gave cult in his honour.

This continues still today. From the first chapel built in the 11th century, the devotees to the patron saint built another three small churches, two chapels and seven shrines of “Passion”, true guardians of the sanctity and magic of the sanctuary. The faith was truly very strong that from the 15th century the walls along the steps leading to his tomb have been covered with objects and messages of trust for this Saint. This sanctuary is one of the most attractive in Europe and is remembered for its fauna area, adjacent to the entrance, where two bears live in semi-freedom, a real children’s mascot of the Valle di Non. Their presence is connected to Romedio’s legend: On his way to meet the Bishop of Trento Vigilio, the elderly Romedio is attacked by a bear while on horseback. The bear kills his horse and it is said that he tames the bear miraculously and rides it to Trento.

The symbol of antique glories of one of the most powerful Trentino families, the “Tono”. Today the Thun Castle still dominates in beauty and importance on all the other castles of the Valle di Non. It testifies periods of glory and reflects the dominion that the noble family had on the Valle di Non. The castle is located on a hill near Vigo di Ton. The castle had an important role in the history of the Princedom of Trento. The name Tono, changed in the German name Thun, compares for the first time in the 13th century. After they captured the antique fortress Belvesino, the Tono family transformed the castle into a magnificent family residence. The vast extension of the castle makes us understand that its architecture, for defensive reasons, was built very well considering the difficult distribution of the mountains. The main part of the castle was built on the summit of the hill. A majestic building with three Gothic spire turrets along the wall, and the fourth on the corner. The castle walls are enriched by angular turrets, massive towers, double walls and moats. On the north side, opposite the wooden bridge (once a drawbridge), stands the particularly Porta Spagnola, with twoturrets named “malta” and decorated by rustic ashlars-work. The name Porta Spagnola was given because of a legendary voyage of a member of the Thun’s family, in Spain. Sumptuous and elegant are the right words to describe the 150 rooms of the castle. The Stanza del Vescovo, entirely in wood, and the Stanza del Camino with its beautiful Renaissance fireplace. The walls of the Stanza dei Morti were blackened by the smoke of the lit candles during the wake.

On an isolated hill, surrounded by orchards, near the Lake Santa Giustina not far from the main town of the valley, stands Cles Castle. The original wooden Roman bridge has been lying for more than half a century in the castle’s moat. The first vestiges of the castle are dating from the 12th century when the Torre Antica was built. Thanks to Bernardo Clesio, the Prince Bishop of the Cles family, the entire castle was extended and developed in Renaissance style. In the course of the centuries the castle was damaged by various important attacks. One in the beginning of the 16th century, but more harmful was the attacks during the Peasants Rebellion in 1825, when a great fire destroyed part of the decorations on the second floor and the Barons of Cles had to bring down one of the three towers of the castle. The interiors of the castle are very precious; the rooms are decorated with 16th century frescos representing heraldic devices and allegoric sceneries by the artist Marcello Fogolino. The central hall has an elegant coffered ceiling. The castle is the Baron of Cles’s property and remains closed to public except for some cultural evenings in the summer.

The quiet and peaceful atmosphere that today fills the air in the surrounding fields of the castle, cannot take away the macabre remembrance of dramatic events regarding Castel Nanno. A carved stone with three crosses reminds us of three young people, being accused of witchcraft and burned to the stake in the late 17th century (According to the legend). From the original building that was constructed in the medieval period by the Nanno family, and after destroyed by the Tono family, remains the ruins of the turret on the north-east façade. Nothing remains of the antique fortress, reconstructed in the half of the 16th century by the Madruzzo family. TheMadruzzo familytransformed the castle in an elegant summer residence in Italian Renaissance style. No other castle in the Valle di Non gets so close to these Renaissance details. We see a square structure, with a well-built central tower. The embattled wall is reinforced by four turrets on its corners. The different floors of the castle are connected by stone stairs with small column railing. Castel Nanno is also the setting of a legendary and tragic love story of Melisenda, daughter of the landlord, and Ludovico, the young scion of the Sporo family, rivals of the aristocrats of Nanno. The legend tells us of the two young lovers who continued their love-story without their parents consent. When Melisenda’s father came to know about it he was outraged, and ordered to wall up the two lovers alive in two small niches under the main stairs of the castle. It was the night of 2nd May, a long long time ago, but every year during the nights in the month of May the plaintive voices of the two unfortunate young lovers echo between the walls of the antique castle. Being private property the castle remains closed to the public.

Near Tassullo, in a panoramic position, surrounded by hills full of orchards and distinguished by its impeccable elegance, stands the Valer Castle. Its octagonal tower with its 40 metres, is the highest in the province. The tower was built in imported granite and excels in grandeur over all the other towers in Trentino. The name of the castle derives from the cult of San Valerio. The castle’s chapel is dedicated to this saint. The first documents of the castle are dating back to 1211, when it had a military function and was property of the Appiano family. In 1368 it became property of the Sporo family who are still in possession of it. The walls were built conditioned by the octagonal form of the antique tower. We can distinguish two types of buildings: the most antique buildings, dating from 14th century and called "Castel di sotto" (lower castle) and the second, dating from 16th century, called, "Castel di sopra" (upper castle). The chapel of San Valerio is located between the main wall and the external wall on the northern part of the castle. The chapel is full of frescos painted by the brothers Giovanni and Battista Baschenis, travelling painters from Bergamo. The frescos represent San Valerio on his throne with Saints Fabiano and Sebastiano placed side by side.

On the road from Taio to Tres stands the majestic elegant Bragher Castle. It is surrounded by woods. The famous Torre della Pece, referring to its defence against attacks, makes us believe that the castle had suffered numerous attacks, but in reality its history is not so. The name of the castle refers to its first owner, a certain Bragherio di Coredo, who inherited it towards the end of the 13th century. In the beginning the construction consisted only of the central “donjon” which controlled the road to Coredo. Soon it became property of the rich Thun family and gradually it was extended until it finally became one of the most elegant noble residences of the Valle di Non. The buildings follow one another in height covered with the traditional "scandole" (roof tiles in larch). In the court we find the chapel that was consecrated in 1452. It shows precious 15th century frescos by Jacopo Sunter representing The Passion of Christ. The castle, still belonging to the descendants of the Thun family cannot be visited; though we can admire from the outside the embattled wall and the antique wooden bridge near the western entrance of the castle.

 

 

We can admire the private residence only from the outside. The castle stands along the road from Romeno to Malgolo. It is surrounded by luxurious vegetation and it captures you above all because of its double nature; the medieval fortress and the elegant romantic residence. Originally only the Torre Grande existed. The castle was used by its owners, the princes of Coredo, as a fortress house to rent out. Our first records date back to 1342. In the course of the centuries, the typical medieval construction was extended and transformed by its owners; first by the De Concini and the De Betta families and then by the Premoli family. So it became the actual aristocratic residence, with corner towers and beautiful 17th century windows. The romantic atmosphere ties in with the functionality of the medieval architecture.

he waters of the streams Rabiola and Novella and the thick surrounding woods protect the Castelfondo Castle that once had an important role in the political events of the Valle di Non. The spur on which the castle stands, still seems to have its antique defensive function. In spite of its probable Roman origin, the first documentation dates back to the 12th century. The central part of the castle was built firstly under the Castelfondo family’s dominion and then under the Cagno family’s. From the 14th century the castle was extended with numerous residential areas built around the antique tower. Now belonging to the Rottenburg family and then to the Thun family.

In the top of a hill here Còredo Castle, the cradle of the same name that the family was also ministerial Prince Bishop of Trento. Ancient, the manor was rebuilt in 1500 by George II of Hack. But earlier in 1419 the castle was occupied by Peter Sporo half century and became headquarters of this court and also called Castel San Vigilio. In 1600 it was destroyed by fire and then left, then was entirely rebuilt by 1726 to the family Còredo, losing its feudal and becoming, in practice, a two-storey building. It was abandoned during the last century but its amount that breaks away from the park that surrounds the building still stands for prestige.