Michelsburg Castle

It is not proven whether the core castle was built in the late 11th century as the former seat of the counts in the Puster Valley; sometimes the year 1091 is given as the construction date, as in that year Emperor Henry IV transferred the County of Puster Valley to the episcopal church of Brixen. The first mentions of the castle in 1205 and 1209 indicate a foundation by the Counts of Andechs, before they lost the complex to the Counts of Tyrol due to their imperial political outlawing. From the 15th century onwards, judges of the district court of the same name officiated here, whose extensive district included the villages of Dietenheim, Ellen, Getzenberg, Hörschwang, Irschling, Kienberg, Kniepass, Lothen, Luns, Montal, Moos, Onach, Reiperting, Reischach, Runggen, Saalen, St. Georgen, St. Martin, Stefansdorf, Stegen and Walchhorn. In the 16th century, the castle was massively expanded, a second "dominating tower" was added and an outer bailey with rondels was supplemented. From 1874 to 1955, the Michelsburg belonged to the Künigl family with a brief interruption. It is still in private ownership today.

The partially dilapidated two-towered core castle had a tower with battlements, several flat bay window extensions and a curtain wall with keyhole embrasures and square battlements. In 1950, the core castle was placed under monument protection. The outer bailey with the remains of the outer castle gate still shows the ruins of an outbuilding and a corner tower in the south.