Castel Weinegg (or Weineck, in German Schloss Weinegg) was a castle that stood in Bolzano, on the slopes of the Virgolo, of which very little remains.
What to see
Of the castle, probably built in the 12th century, remain part of the perimeter wall, the foundations of the keep and the access stair. Among the testimonies of its existence are the old Thurnhof farm, which documents of 1175 call ab dem Turen, that is «near the tower» of the castle, and above all the church of San Vigilio al Virgolo, built as the castle's chapel by the noble Weineck family, who owned it; the first documentation of the chapel is of 1275.
The lords of Weineck, who had the castle built, were one of the most prominent families in the Bolzano of the 12th century: ministerials of the bishop of Trent, they were among the wealthiest. Like other Tyrolean ministerials, in 1292 they lost their possessions during the struggles between Meinhard II of Tyrol-Gorizia and the bishops of Trent; the castle was left destroyed and was never rebuilt.
Visiting
The remains are on the slopes of the Virgolo, in Bolzano; the sources consulted do not say whether they are accessible or how, so this should be checked before going.
Our editors' tip
To understand what the castle was like, look at the church of San Vigilio al Virgolo, which was its chapel: it is the most important testimony that survives, together with the perimeter wall and the foundations of the keep.
