Sankt Petersberg Castle

Petersberg Castle is located west of Silz on a hill. Scattered around the castle hill are several houses, which form the hamlet of Schloss Petersberg (also St. Petersberg), a district of Silz.

It was built by the Welfs as a central base for the administration of their Tyrolean possessions and was first mentioned in a document in 1196 as "Neuhaus". Through various other owners, it came into the possession of the Counts of Tyrol. In 1228, the name "Petersberg" first appeared. Meinhard II had the castle extensively expanded and made it a judicial and administrative seat for the Inn Valley between Roppen and Rietz, the Mieminger Plateau, and the Ötztal. The Petersberg estate was also administered from there. The importance of Silz is still evident today as the seat of the district court, although it has been housed in the town center since the 17th century.

In 1893, Emperor Franz Josef I acquired the ruin after a fire and had it rebuilt. It served, among other things, as a convalescent home and a hospital.

In 1965, the castle was acquired by the Engelwerk and later converted into a monastic house by the Order of the Canons Regular of the Holy Cross, re-established in 1979, which supervises the Engelwerk on behalf of the Holy See.