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BaitoneAlpino Suggests: Castel Thun

Castel Thun is a monumental medieval building, among the best preserved in Trentino, and has always been the main residence of the powerful Counts of Thun. It is located in the municipality of Ton, in the Val di Non. It was originally called Castel Belvesino, after the hill on which it was built. It later took the name of the titular family, the Tonos, who Germanized the surname to Thun. It was damaged by fires several times, one of which, in 1569, killed Sigismondo Thun, imperial orator at the Council of Trento. The castle, consisting of towers, walls, bastions, and a moat, owes its current appearance to modifications undertaken in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Spanish Gate, which leads to the drawbridge and the first courtyard, dates back to 1566. It is said that it was built in Moorish style after Giorgio Thun's trip to Spain. The most famous room is the 17th-century Bishop's Room, entirely paneled in Swiss pine, with a coffered ceiling and a tiled stove. The Thuns lived in the castle until the death of Count Zdenko Franz Thun Hohenstein in 1982. In 1992, the Autonomous Province of Trento purchased Thun Castle, overseeing its restoration and cataloguing of its furnishings and extensive library, as well as inventorying the family archive. Since 2010, following the completion of the restoration work, the castle has been open to visitors. The castle's furnishings are a major attraction for visitors, helping to convey the image of a residence used throughout the centuries until the second half of the 20th century. The castle is part of the Buonconsiglio museum network, which includes Castello del Buonconsiglio in Trento, Castel Stenico in the Giudicarie area, Castel Beseno in Besenello, Castel Thun in the Val di Non, and Castel Caldes in the Val di Sole. Tickets are available for €20, which grants access to all five castles. If you visit all five, you'll receive a small gift!