Attraction Castel Matrei Trautson

Starting from the Roman road station Matreyum, three castles were built in the Middle Ages to protect the important Brenner road. Trautson Castle is the last castle which was built, in addition to the no longer existing Raspen- and Vogelbühel castles. It was intended to represent the dominance of the Counts of Tyrol over the Wipptal valley over the Counts of Andechs. The first castle was built in 1221 and was owned by the Lords of Matrei. In 1369 it passed to the Lords of Trautson, who already owned Burg Sprechenstein near Sterzing/Vipiteno. After several changes the Trautson passed the castel to the Princes Auersperg in 1600. With the construction of the Brenner railway in 1868 and the blasting of the tunnel through the castle hill, the castle suffered great damage. After major restorations, the castle was destroyed by aerial bombs on April 2, 1945, except for the chaplaincy and parts of the keep. The bombs were intended to interrupt the Brenner railway.