Tourist office Nals
Rathausplatz 1/A
39010 Nals (BZ)
South Tyrol / Italy
Tel. +39 0471 678619
Fax +39 0471 678141
eMail:
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Things worth seeing in Nals
The Schwanburg
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At the exit of the Sirmian river canyon, just below Castle Payersberg, you will find the well-presented, occupied and cultivated Schwanburg.
The fortress, which is also called ’Gaul House’ was first mentioned in 1286 in a document of the parish church in Bozen. Since the 14th Century, it was the property of the Lords of Boymundt-Payersberg. Lord Jacob changed the residence between 1560 and 1575 to what it looks like today. He called the annex after the swan in his coats of arms: Schwanburg. Besides black bull of the Boymundter family which they used for a long time, the Lords of Payersberg also had a proud white swan on a blue background in their coat of arms. Today, these animals are still part of the official coat of arms of the village of Nals.
The castle consists of a picturesque group of individual buildings with loggias and representative staircases, which surround a courtyard. At the entry gate, the coat of arms of the Boymundt-Payersberger can be seen, together with the year 1560. In the courtyard, you will find a beautiful sundial marked with the year 1563, as well as two walled Roman stones with ivy around them.
Castle Schwanburg was the oldest private wine cellar in South Tyrol and today is mainly used as a living and administration building by the company Rudolf Carli Erben. The wine growing estate extends over a surface of approximately 15 hectares and had produced South Tyrolean quality wines under the logo ‘Castel Schwanburg’. Besides hundreds of small French oak barrels (barriques), there are also a number of wooden barrels from the time of Empress Maria Theresia in the wine cellar.
Information:
Schlosskellerei Schwanburg, Schwanburger Strasse 16 – 39010 Nals, Italy
Tel: +39 0471 678622 - Fax: +39 0471 678430
The Stachelburg residence
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The residence is a playful Early Renaissance building from the second half of the 16th Century. For several generations, the beautiful, romantic building has been private property and was changed into a bar and Törggele cellar. The residence consists of some oriel towers, a free-standing staircase with loggia, simple wooden ceilings and decorative frescoes. The entire residence reflects pride and beauty. Many years ago, it was protected from the road by a battlement wall.
Information:
Stachelburg residence, Prissianer Str. 2 – 39010 Nals, Italy
Tel: +39 0471 678558 or +39 339 5624759
Opening times: 5 p.m. to midnight (March to November) – Wednesdays closed.
Kasatsch ruins or Pfeffersburg
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On the mountain ledge of the Tisen Vorbichl mountain, near Nals, just above the Tisen hamlet of Schernag, in 1194, five men from Tisens – after having been given permission by the bishop Konrad II von Beseno - built a castle. The area was called Kasatsch (from the Latin ’casaccia’ = big house) and there are also some findings from a pre-historic settlement. The permission included a deal, that this castle had to be open at all times for the Bishop of Trent and his ministerial officers, the Counts of Eppan. No family name was carried forward with the existence of the castle. It was also feoffed to several service personal of the Eppan counts. During the centuries that followed, the castle changed ownership several times. Before the year 1600, Castle Kasatsch was also called Pfeffersburg as the former owners were the Lords of Pfeffersberg. Today, there is very little left of the former fortress, although it is still possible to see the oval ring wall and the remains of a two-part annex. Around 1600, the residence was left empty and began to fall into disrepair. Due to the fact that it did not have extended buildings, the castle was kept in its original form and the renovation work carried out between 1999 and 2002 by its present owner, Mrs Verena Jordan, ensured it would stay that way.
The excellent preservation of the ruins of Castle Kasatsch ensures that every visitor can enjoy a unique experience, while travelling back in in time to the Middle Ages and its knights. The building can be visited throughout the year. During the summer, the great hall is used for cultural events and the castle grounds for open-air concerts.
How to reach the castle: By foot from Nals in about 15 minutes. By car via Prissian.
Information:
Gasthof Unterkasatsch-Pfeffersburg – 39010 Prissian, Italy
Tel: +39 0471 678390 - Fax: +39 0471 678390
Web: www.kasatsch-pfeffersburg.com
Opening times: March to November. Tuesdays closed.
Castle Payersberg
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High above Nals, on a rocky mountain ledge at the edge of the Sirmian river canyon, you find the ruins of Castle Payersberg. The castle was built during the first 30 years of the 13th Century by the Payr family, ministerial officers of the Counts of Eppan. The rectangular, four-storey high building had its entrance at the second floor. A staircase led to the third floor, which was used as living quarters. It had a four metre wide window and a fireplace with a drop-like mantle-piece that kept the room warm. From here, it was possible to enter the wooden military area, which protected the castle, through a wooden door. Towards the East, you will find the remains of a Late-Gothic castle chapel. The fortress was renovated in the 16th Century by the knight Jakob of Boymundt-Payersberg and also received new protective walls at that time. An entry towards the North was also added, together with a round tower. Above the entrance, they put the coat of arms of the Payersberg family with the year 1560. Back around 1600, when Marx Sittich of Wolkenstein described the area, he mentioned that the Payersberg was already in ruins and could no longer be inhabited. Most likely, it was the neglect of this building, which brought about the building of Castle Schwanburg in Nals, which was far more suitable for the owners to live in. Until the decline of the Courts of Payersberg in 1791, the castle stayed in their ownership. Today, the Malpaga family uses the building as their main residence, as well as a workplace for the adjacent farmhouse. In Obersirmian, just beside the Rainerhof farmhouse, which is the highest situated farmhouse found in the village of Nals, you will come across a tower-like building, which differs substantially from the surrounding farmhouses and presents itself more like a knight’s fortress. This is the so-called Jagdturm (lit: hunting tower), which was used by the Counts of Payersberg during the hunting season and hot summers. The unique tower of Castle Payrsberg, which can be seen from afar and which is used as a landmark in the village, is part of the Nals village logo.
Saint Ulrich parish church
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The church of Saint Ulrich was founded during the 12th Century by the cloisters of Saint Afra in Augsburg and has been used as the Nals parish church since 1910. The original church building, which existed from 1209, is now only represented by the high bell tower, which contains some windows. In 1810, the building process for the current parish church began. It was consecrated by Bishop Count Emanuel Thun in 1814. The church was built by Mattäus Wachter, who also built the parish church in Kaltern. The architect was Cominatta from Rovereto. The church is one of the most beautiful Barroque churches in South Tyrol. Its most particular feature is that the walls do not run straight, but have a slight concave touch. The magnificent vault shows engravings above the pillars, as well as goitre beams. The main room was decorated with a scene from the life of the patron saint and painted by Josef Schelsky from Bozen: Bishop Ulrich makes peace between Otto I. and his son Luitolf. There are also some paintings above the high altar (the announcement to Mary) and a triumphant vault (crucifix with three godly characters and the four evangelists). These were created by the same artist. The side altars are made of stucco marble with a simple assembly and paintings of the apostles Peter and Paul. The painting of Saint Ulrich at the main altar was created by the painter Heinrich Told in 1813. The festive interior with its beautiful organ, transforms the church into an Early-Classicist hall for the Christian church. The organ originally came from the old parish church of Gries near Bozen and consists of a three-part assembly and a movable mantle-piece. According to experts’ opinion, this instrument is one of the most important examples of an organ in the South Tyrolean history. The Gothic baptismal font with an inscription was originally shown in the Nals parish church. Today, it is used for holy water. The five bells were newly consecrated in 1961. In 1995, after extensive renovation work, the main altar was consecrated.
Heart of Jesus church
In 1843, in Untersirmian, the small Heart of Jesus church was built, which is the first of a few churches, which were consecrated to the heart of Jesus. The simple building houses a Baroque altar from the 18th Century (1713). The tower was finished in 1857. The inscription found on the wooden Baroque altar is very interesting. It offers some insight into the deep faith of the people living in this area:
’To God and Mary, the immaculate and Virgin mother, to the highest archangel Michael and all angels and saints of honour, the fine and aristocratic Lord P. Jacob of Freising to Aichbach and his second wife, the fine and aristocratic Elisabeth Kurzin of Thurn, as well as for the honour of his first wife, the fine and aristocratic Anna Maria of Sollin of Theisegg Maienburg and Marberg Seele, who gave the order to build this altar. Year 1713.’
Saint Apollonia church
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High on a porphyry hill in Obersirmian stands the Saint Apollonia church. The little church, which was originally consecrated to Saint Pelagius, was built during the 12th and 13th Centuries on the grounds of an ancient settlement. It shows a stone-framed portal made around 1500.
The Saint Apollonia church stands of a forested hill, which can be reached by car in only a few minutes via the Sirmianerstrasse. The location suggests that the little church was built in early times. The finding of a bronze bracelet refers to an early-historic settlement. The original Roman building was built around 1300 and contains a round apse with struts. The portal is stone-framed with an ogee arch, as well as a round bar. It should date back to the beginning of the 16th Century. The barrel in the longhouse and the groin vault in the choir stalls, reach back to the 17th Century. The niche in the wall with its small iron door was used as a sacrament corner. Saint Apollonia helps when you have toothache and for this reason, is presented with a pair of pliers. She is a symbol of martyrdom, as she went through the ordeal of having her teeth pulled out in a cruel way. The church keys are available at the Restaurant Apollonia, which is situated right below the hill.
Nals river chapel or Holy Cross Chapel
Previously, this was the most visited chapel in the region. It is only 15 minutes by foot from the village centre, situated above the Nalserbach farmhouse at the road leading to Prissian, which was previously also called the Calvary mountain. It is part of a number of chapels, which were once built in the area, but which had to be removed in 1968 due to the building of the road. Inside the Holy Cross Chapel, you will find a large crucifix, which was prayed at in times gone by and which was frequented particularly during Lent. In the archives of the Tisens parish church, the Nals river chapel was first mentioned in 1713. However, it is most likely older than this date.
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