Vellenberg Castle

The castle ruin Vellenberg is located on a detached fallback hill in the municipality of Götzens in the district of Innsbruck-Land. The castle ruin is a protected monument.

The Counts of Andechs were outlawed in 1207 and lost the castle complex. Around 1232, it was re-enfeoffed. The castle then became the permanent residence of the ministerial family of the Lords of Vellenberg. The Vellenberg family has been traceable since 1164.

In 1248, the Counts of Andechs died out, and the Counts of Tyrol enfeoffed the fortress. At this time, the castle was under the Counts of Hirschberg, meaning the Vellenbergers still resided in this castle. The Sterzing arbitration of 1263 decided that Vellenberg Castle belonged to Meinhard II and thus to Tyrol. Meinhard II changed the status of his castle to a burgravial status, which allowed the ministerials to erect their own fortified building within the fortress area. At this time, the ministerial family had long held the office of judge of the Vellenberg court, and the castle was the seat of the court.

Around 1349, the castle had been divided among several Vellenberg heirs and various sales. This divided into a part of the court and the fortress held by the Lords of Liebenberg, the other by the Lords of Rottenburg. From 1380, the entire fortress was owned by the Liebenbergers, with the administration in the hands of the Rottenburgers.

From 1426, the castle was owned by the sovereign Friedrich IV, who in return ceded Juval Castle along with the court of Schlanders to the Liebenbergers.

Emperor Maximilian I visited Vellenberg Castle in 1501 during a hunting trip, and in 1511 gave instructions for its renovation and expansion. Birdhouses, fish farms, and a granary were built. Administrator Blasius Hölzl informed Maximilian in correspondence that Vellenberg Castle had a dilapidated structure. The restorations and conversions exceeded Maximilian's financial means. Therefore, the administrator had to advance these funds.

Due to its proximity to the provincial capital Innsbruck, Vellenberg was used for the custody of state prisoners. Thus, Heinrich von Rottenburg in 1410 and Oswald von Wolkenstein in 1427 are found in the dungeon of the complex. Due to structural decay, a prisoner had to be freed in 1569. Minor repairs, especially to the roof, were no longer sufficient in 1657 for its continued function as a suitable dwelling and prison. The extensive armory was dissolved in 1663, and most of the weapons were transferred to the Innsbruck arsenal.