Castel Pietra (Italy)

Castel Pietra (Germ .: Sprechenstein Schloss) is a castle situated in the commune of Freienfeld, opening to the south of the basin where there is Sterzing (in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano), in front of Castel Tasso.

The castle is in good condition and is inhabited by a noble family from Salzburg, the Auersperg.

It is characterized by being formed from two separate buildings. In the upper part of the spur is the round tower, the characteristic best known sign of the castle, with the oldest buildings (dating back to the thirteenth century); closer to the walls instead is the later (XV century) palace with the other structure that makes known the building: the late-Gothic chapel of St. Erasmus, completed in 1511.

Was severely damaged by bombing in World War II, but an intense work of restoration has returned the habitability, in fact between 2007 and 2008, there was an expansion of the castle itself, but also of the neighboring structures, where three were built private apartments, a private house and a dairy farm. In 2008, Luis Durnwalder accompanied by Hans Berger and the Mayor of Campo di Trens Armin Holzer, have emphasized what are increasingly important for the care of cultural heritage and agriculture. The dairy instead opened in 2009.