Tourist office Nals
Rathausplatz 1/A
39010 Nals (BZ)
South Tyrol / Italy
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Stories & legends
The “old“ count
Only 15 minutes’ walk above the village of Nals, you come to Castle Payersberg, which is enthroned on a high rock and looks down from its towers over the land. A very long time ago, a mighty count lived in the castle together with his pious and softly spoken wife called Adelheid of Andrian. For many years, they lived together in peace and harmony until one day the court drifted into depression and became wild at heart. He walked alone through the forests and was captivated by his thoughts. During this time, he left his faith behind and could not longer tolerate his wife’s faith. Every time he saw her praying, he became violent. This change in his attitude created much heartache for his wife Adelheid. One day, she knelt in prayer before the picture of the cross Jesus, which was part of the castle’s walls for many years. While his wife was praying at the wall, the count returned from his walk through the forest and was in a very bad mood. When he saw his wife kneeling in prayer, he took his sword and killed Adelheid. His wife collapsed and died. She was buried in the old parish church in Bozen.
The count, however, realised what he had done and became very desperate in his grief over Adelheid. He left the castle and lived in the surrounding woodlands. Even today, during thunderstorms, it is possible to hear his cry. The clothes he was wearing were old and on his head, he had a hat of weed and moss, which he had made himself. His face became old and the tears made his eyes red and swollen. His beard and hair turned as white as snow and grew uncontrollably down to his shoulders. So, the “old count” became a terrifying figure for the entire area. Snakes and lizards walked all over his body and the people he met were horrified, when they saw him. One day, some people were cutting the grass on the meadows, when one of them slipped and fell down the cliff. At the same time, a shrill cry was heard from nearby. The others turned around and saw the ‘old count’ with his moss hat.
With lots of crying noises, he ran back into the forest. Later, the man from the meadow was found dead. – Another story told speaks about some men who wanted to fell a tree, when one of them called out: ‘Watch out. The old count is standing over there! This is a bad sign.’ As he spoke, the tree fell down and killed one of the children standing nearby. The ‘old count’ disappeared into the bushes, but his cries could still be heard for a long time. From then onwards, whenever a group of children played together and the ‘old count’ happened to be seen nearby, everyone quickly went home.
Therefore, the old man lived a hard and lonely life until his death. He died full of remorse about what he had done to his wife. And today, when at midnight the church towers count to twelve, you can see a knight in shining armour near the Bozen parish church. He leans a ladder onto one of the windows in order to climb into the church and see his wife’s grave. Then you hear crying, kissing and whispering coming up from the grave. However, not for long, because as soon as the old count returns with his white face, he will bring peace and reconciliation to his marriage. Not long now and he will be saved.
Joh. Adolf Heyl, folk tales, page 453 – no.12
The golden dove
Just above the village of Nals, you will find Castle Payersberg. A long time ago, a rich and mighty man lived there happily with his fine wife, who had born him a son.
One day, the knight had to travel into a far-away country where there was war. As he feared that the enemy might come to his country while he was away and rob his treasures, he melted his riches and made golden balls out of them, which he covered with lead.
However, some of the gold he used to make doves and other birds, which he painted black so that it seemed they were made of iron. He put them into flower pots and near windows. After many years, when he returned from the war, he found that his wife and son had died. The knight was so unhappy that he died shortly after that, without telling anyone about his treasures. Then another family took ownership of the castle. The lady, who previously had taken care of the knight’s son, asked the new owners whether she could take something from the house to remember the family she had worked for so long. Her request was not denied and she chose one of the black doves with which the knight’s son had often played. The woman took the dove and moved into the village below the castle, where she lived in poverty.
As it happened, one day she discovered the secret of the dove and noticed the gold underneath the black paint. Overnight, the woman became rich. She married a good farmer and they had many children. This family still exists today. The golden balls, however, are still buried beneath Castle Payersberg and are waiting to be discovered.
Joh. Adolf Heyl, folk tales, page 507 – no.72
Reimprecht von Payersberg
Once upon a time, a wild knight called Reimprecht lived with his beautiful wife Elisabeth in Castle Payersberg. Elisabeth was pious and found strength in God. One day, she knelt in her garden in moonlight, lifting her hands up to the heavens. Her violent husband saw her, took his sword and said to his wife:
In this hour you will swear
That you will love me more
Than God and never think of him.
If not, my revenge,
Oh unfaithful wife,
Will be my sword to take your life.
In fear, Elisabeth dropped to the ground and was found dead. The knight was shocked when he saw his dead wife and his eyes had a glassy stare. Only after four days, when the cock crowed, the ban was lifted and the knight could move again. He cried aloud and tears dripped down his face. Elisabeth’s body was taken away by monks and buried in the Bozen Fahnenhaus. Reimprecht walked away into the woods and lived there for nine years, after which his beard had grown so long that he could rap it around his body three times. Finally, he died. In Bozen, however, a black knight appeared at midnight, leaning a ladder onto the windows of the Fahnenhaus, where he thought he would find his wife’s grave. He cried so much that the clothes of her dead body were wet from his tears. In the morning, the knight went over to the church, walked in and disappeared. No-one ever saw him leaving the building.
The collector, part 3, page 135
The Payersberger
A bad-tempered knight, the Payersberger!
Bad language,
Too much wining and dining.
The mania took hold of him.
He spoke to the priest about his sins,
Buried his golden treasure,
Took the cross of pilgrimage
To catch the Turks.
The others returned with time.
With slaves and many riches.
Only the knight died
In Christ’s land.
And when his heir appeared,
Nobody could tell him the place
Where his father once
Had buried the gold.
Many bought a spade to find the treasure,
But the mountain kept his secret.
Instead the grapes of the vineyards,
Were nourished with the gold in the ground.
Alois Fridrich
’The Burgrave’s Calendar 1947’
The Schwanburg Ghost
At midnight, an old cellar master heard horses and weapons in his courtyard. He quietly came downstairs to see a crowd of knights on white horses, who were fighting a battle.
Ignaz Mader
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