Castel Fragsburg, in Italian also called Castel Verruca, is the highest castle in Merano, at 727 metres above sea level: it stands above the hamlet of Sinigo, with a wide view over the Merano basin. The site was probably already fortified in prehistoric times, and perhaps in the Roman period. The castle was built in the second half of the thirteenth century by Otto von Auer, a vassal of the counts of Tyrol.
What to see
What you see today is the result of several rebuildings. In 1479 it was bought by the Niederthor, and a radical transformation began that reached its peak in the mid-sixteenth century. In 1620 the Memminger, patricians of Merano, had the main part of the surviving palace built, used as a hunting lodge. A further transformation dates from the mid-nineteenth century.
Little remains of the old furnishings: during the Second World War all the original furniture was lost, except that of the chapel and of two other rooms, which was partly saved.
Visiting
After the war the castle was bought by private owners and went back to being a hotel; in 2001 it was completely restored, and in December 2015 it was put up for auction. Whether it is open, and on what terms, should be checked.
Our editors' tip
The road that still links the castle to the town has a date and a name: the counts Deuster of Kitzingen had it opened at their own expense in 1904, when they turned the castle into a hotel for the first time.
