Education centre in a
Renaissance castle
The Beginning
The first written mention of the estate dates back to 1170. Around 1323, Goldrain Castle was converted into a freestanding residence by the noble family Scheck von Goldrain. While the exact construction date is unknown, oak beams found on the ground floor suggest a felling date of 1335 or shortly thereafter.
The property later passed to the Hendl family.
The original north wing consisted of a rectangular residential building. Around 1530, the owner at the time enlarged the structure slightly. A large, two-storey bay window was added to the east side of the old building, featuring a trefoil design in white marble that displays the coats of arms of Austria, Hendl, and Ramschwag.
Spirit of Renaissance
In 1562, Franz Hendl added two bay windows to the upper floor of the castle’s north façade, bringing more light and comfort to the living spaces. He then began construction of a new wing to the south of the existing structure. Over time, this developed into the south wing, stretching across the entire front of the castle. A bridge with arcades was built to connect the two sections. The new south wing (piano nobile) housed the castle’s state rooms. The largest room in the castle, the Knights’ Hall, is located on the second floor in the south-west corner of the wing. The marble portal to the hall bears an inscription which translates to “1588 Franz Hendl of Goldrain, knight, prince(ly) and (most) noble councillor and governor on the Adige.” The hall features a magnificent coffered ceiling. A splendid arcade leads past the living quarters, including the ornately decorated Chapel Room, and connects to the original castle building.
The construction was completed by Franz Hendl’s son Ulrich, who also built the chapel and the massive curtain wall with its corner bastions.
Curtain Wall and Towers
Completion and repurposing
Ulrich Freiherr Hendl had an imposing, plastered curtain wall up to seven metres high built at the beginning of the 17th century. A round tower with a conical roof stands on each corner. The towers have three floors with the top floor utilised as a dovecote. The walls could not withstand a militarily organised attack, as they were not defendable due to the lack of walkways. A magnificent marble portal in the south wall serves as the entrance.
In 1863, the family of the Counts Hendl of Goldrain died out. The heir to the Hendl estate was the Plawenn family, who in the same year sold the building to the municipality of Goldrain for 18,000 florins. The municipality exchanged the property with the Catholic Church, from whose ownership it later passed into the possession of the municipality of Latsch.
During the Fascist era, the highest administrative official (podestà) had his seat in the castle, which during this period and in the following decades fell into complete disrepair, as the furnishings gradually disappeared. In the Second World War, it was used, among other things, by the SS as a base in Vinschgau. After the end of the war, it was first occupied by Allied troops and then given to returning settlers as temporary accommodation. The school that had been set up was expanded, and a kindergarten and a volunteer fire brigade depot were added.
Rising maintenance costs led the municipality of Latsch to consider selling the property. After an auction failed, further ideas for the use of the building were explored. In 1985, the Provincial Office for the Protection of Monuments had the roofs restored. From 1987 onwards, the castle was renovated with the support from the province, so that since 1987 the building has been used as an educational centre.
