Trauttmansdorff Castle

Trauttmansdorff Castle is one of the most beloved castles in Europe. Located near Merano, it hosts the Touriseum (South Tyrol Museum of Tourism), a restaurant, and the vast Sissi’s Gardens, featuring four garden worlds with more than eighty different botanical landscapes. The castle became famous thanks to Empress Elisabeth of Austria, known as Sissi.

The history of Trauttmansdorff Castle dates back to the Middle Ages: it was first mentioned in the 14th century as the Neuburg estate. The structure of this oldest section can still be seen on the south‑west side. The castle was purchased by Nikolaus von Trauttmansdorff in 1543, but it was abandoned after two generations due to the lack of a male heir.

The ruins were rediscovered in 1846 by Count Joseph von Trauttmansdorff, who decided to rebuild the castle in a neo‑Gothic style, introducing this architectural language to a Tyrolean fortress for the first time.

At the end of the 19th century, Empress Elisabeth of Austria chose the castle as her winter residence, making it widely known and helping transform Merano into a fashionable destination. The gardens surrounding the castle were later named after her (Sissi’s Gardens).

In 1897, the Trauttmansdorff estate was purchased by Baron von Deuster, who renovated the eastern wing in neo‑Rococo style and altered the overall appearance of the building. After the First World War, the castle—renamed “Castel di Nova”—was taken over by the soldiers’ association Opera Nazionale per i Combattenti. During the Second World War, it was used by German troops as a military warehouse.

A long period of decline followed the war, lasting until the 1980s, when the estate became property of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano. Plans for the botanical gardens were developed and completed in 2001. The castle façade was restored in 2002, along with the chapel, the crypt, the great hall and the Empress’s rooms on the second floor.

Today, these rooms can be visited inside the Touriseum, the first museum in the Alps dedicated exclusively to the history of tourism. Sissi’s Gardens can also be explored, offering wonderful plants and relaxing walks.

Opening times:

Further information:
Castel Trauttmansdorff
Via S. Valentino, 51 a
39012 Merano
Tel. (+39) 0473 235730