The Brunnenburg

The Brunnenburg (Italian: Castel Fontana ) is a fortress located in the South Tyrolean municipality of Tyrol (Italy), near Meran.

History

The Brunnenburg was built around 1241 by Wilhelm Tarant. The castle has since been destroyed and rebuilt several times. In 1356 it was bought by the brothers Heinrich and Johann von Bopfingen. Heinrich was a priest in Tyrol, commander of Ludwig von Brandenburg and captain of the County of Tyrol (until 1359). Johann was Minnesinger.

In 1421, Ulrich Putsch, the chaplain of Duke Frederick IV of Austria , bought the castle. Ulrich Putsch later became bishop of the Diocese of Bozen-Brixen. In 1457 the Brunnenburg was bought by Hans (or Johann) von Kripp, and remained in the possession of the Van Kripp family until 1812, although as early as 1600 the castle was described as "an old ruined castle."

In 1705, the farmer Gregor Hofer started the restoration. Michael Sonnenburger, another farmer and mayor of Tyrol, acquired the castle in 1884. He organized a parade of Tyrolean Riflemen (Schützen) in 1889, with Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este as the guest of honor.

In 1903, the Brunnenburg was bought by the German Karl Schwickert, industrial entrepreneur from Pforzheim, who began a rigorous restoration. However, this restoration completely changed the architectural style of the castle. The fort was completely redesigned to the taste of the new owner (in the neo-Gothic style). The work was never completed due to Schwickert's death (in 1927) and the Brunnenburg again fell into disrepair.

In 1955 the castle was bought by Boris de Rachewiltz (professor and Egyptologist ), who married Maria Pound in 1946. Maria is the daughter of American poet Ezra Pound and violinist Olga Rudge . Ezra Pound stayed at the Brunnenburg from 1958 to 1962 and wrote the last 6 of his 116 " Cantos " here, which would later become his most important work.

Naming

The castle probably owes its name (Brunnenburg, literally: Bronnenburcht) to a water spring that originated in the area. Other names of the castle, Prunnenberch (1285) and Brunnberg (1437) confirm this etymology. Another theory states that the name comes from one of the many owners.

Today

Today, the Brunnenburg is still owned by the De Rachewiltz family. It serves as an agricultural museum (Landwirtschaftliches Museum Brunnenburg). The castle also houses the Ezra Pound Center for Literature, affiliated with the University of New Orleans.

external links

Website Landwirtschaftliches Museum Brunnenburg (archived)

Sources, notes and/or references

Trapp, Oswald (1980) Tyrolean Burgenbuch, II. Band: Burggrafenamt. Bolzano, Athesia.

De Concini, Wolftraud (1991) Südtiroler Burgen und Schlösser. Terlan, Alpine. ISBN 978-8878320024

Obermair, Hannes (1997)' Lexikon des Mittelalters, vol. 8'

Kühebacher, Egon (1995) 'Die Ortsnamen Südtirols und ihre Geschichte, vol. 1' Bolzano, Athesia, pg. 63, ISBN 88-7014-634-0

de Rachewiltz, Siegfried (1982) 'The Bauernwerkmuseum auf der Brunnenburg'

See the Brunnenburg category of Wikimedia Commons for media files on this topic. Alpenliebe : Johann Wellenzohn