Tarasp Castle

[2] They had adopted the name of the castle by 1089 when Ulrich von Tarasp was mentioned in a papal mandate to the Bishop of Chur.

[3] Around the same time the family founded Scuol Monastery, which later moved to Marienberg Abbey, as part of their program to carve out a barony in the formerly uninhabited high alpine valley.

However, his nephew and co-owner Gerhard, with the support of the Count of Tyrol, seized the castle and drove out the bishop's troops in 1163.

In 1464 Ulrich IX von Matsch sold the castle to Sigmund of Austria, which triggered an uprising in Lower Engadine.

Initially the Canton planned to turn the castle into a prison, but eventually gave up the idea as too expensive and began looking for a buyer.

The von Planta family bought it in 1856, began repairing it and replaced the damaged roof.

In 2010 the Fundaziun Chastè da Tarasp was created to seek funding and administer the castle after it was purchased.

After the Foundation struggled to raise funding, in 2015 Swiss artist Not Vital announced that he would purchase the castle.

In the 13th century a large palas with 2 meters (6.6 ft) thick walls was built west of the chapel, becoming the center of the castle.

The lower floors were given vaulted ceilings, new windows were cut through the rock walls and they were decorated in wood.

[2] The zwinger (outer courtyard) and two half towers were probably built in the 16th century to protect the castle from attack.

[7] The exterior walls are covered in white plaster and were decorated with coats of arms from the late 15th century.

The Tarasp castle on the hill, overlooking the Tarasp village, Switzerland, (2005)
Plan of Tarasp Castle