Castel – History
At the very origin of time, on a hill between the valleys of South Tyrol, the first threads of an uninterrupted story began to intertwine. For over four thousand years, this place has been inhabited, crossed, transformed: a meeting point long before it was a border. From this deep stratification, Castel Badia was born, known in German as Sonnenburg (the “Castle of the Sun”, originally conceived as the “Castle of judgement”).
In the 11th century, under the will of Count Otwin von Lurngau, the fortress assumed the form that still defines it today, playing a central role in the surrounding valleys throughout the Middle Ages. It was his son Volkhold who altered its destiny, transforming it into the first female Benedictine convent in historic Tyrol.
What emerged was no ordinary abbey. It was led by educated, autonomous abbesses, deeply connected to the world beyond its walls. Maria Antonia Mörlin – known as MAMA – engraved her signature into the castle’s walls, still visible today. In the 15th century, Verena von Stuben fiercely defended the abbey’s independence, standing firm through conflicts with the bishopric, never retreating.
Time brought change, battles, and transformation. After the fire of 1598 and years of upheaval, the monastery was dissolved in 1785. The halls fell silent, nature reclaimed its space, and history became an echo.
In the mid-20th century, the Knötig family brought the castle back to life, transforming it into a place of hospitality: a natural evolution for a place that had hosted so many lives before. Today, that hospitality evolves once more, opening a new chapter where contemporary vision and ancient soul engage in quiet dialogue.
Every stone has been restored with reverence: from resurfaced frescoes and original plasterwork to reclaimed ruins and newly curated museum spaces. To walk through the castle is to cross into another dimension of time.