Buonconsiglio Castle is the most important monumental complex in Trentino Alto Adige .
Situated on a small hill from which it dominates the city of Trento, the castle was built in 1200 as a defensive fortress and then became the residence of the prince-bishops of the county until the early 1800s.
During the First World War, its gardens were the scene of the death sentences of irredentists Cesare Battisti, Fabio Filzi and Damiano Chiesa, previously imprisoned in cells that can still be visited.
In 1974 , the Buonconsiglio Castle became the property of the Autonomous Province of Trento and today it is a beautiful museum housing various art collections and important temporary exhibitions.
Visiting Buonconsiglio Castle: entrance ticket and opening hours
The entrance ticket for a visit to the Buonconsiglio Castle can be purchased directly at the ticket office or online (with a €1.00 advance sale), and costs €10.00 full price, €6.00 reduced price for children aged 15 to 26, free for children aged 0-14.
Admission to the Eagle Tower requires a separate ticket at a cost of €2.50 and only takes place at set times (every 45 minutes).
For those interested in also visiting Castel Beseno, Stenico Castle, Castel Thun and Castel Caldes, there is a cumulative ticket at a cost of €20.00 (€15.00 the reduced).
To buy the ticket online, and to view the Castle’s opening hours (which vary from month to month), I refer you to the official website.
Visiting Castello del Buonconsiglio: visit route
The tour begins in the oldest part of the castle, called Castelvecchio, over which stands a beautiful cylindrical tower. In these first rooms, there are archaeological finds ranging from prehistoric times to the early Middle Ages.
One crosses the inner courtyard characterised by beautiful frescoes, and arrives at the upper floors, which are the most recent areas of the palace: the Magno Palazzo and the Giunta Albertiana.
Frescoed ceilings, long corridors, huge mirrors, medieval paintings. Each room contains something extraordinary that will catch your eye.
When you reach the top floor, you can admire the city of Trento from the Venetian loggia. At this point, you can visit the Refectory, with its splendid fresco ed ceiling, and the Cellar, where the wooden barrels are still kept.
The tour ends in the castle’s well-kept gardens and the cells where the martyrs were imprisoned while awaiting execution.
It may be useful to know that the gardens can also be visited freely by those who do not have a ticket to the Castle (and wi-fi is freely available).
How long does a visit to Buonconsiglio Castle last?
The Castle is really big and to visit both the interior and the exterior garden and cells without haste, it takes about a couple of hours.
Activities for children at Buonconsiglio Castle
Periodically, various family activities and creative workshops are organised for children in order to introduce them to the cultural heritage and spend quality time together. For all information, check out the official website.
Visiting Buonconsiglio Castle: Eagle Tower
The Eagle Tower houses the so-called Cycle of the Months, frescoes representing the economic and social life of Trentino (and beyond) in the years between 1300 and 1400. A masterpiece of international Gothic art, the Cycle of Months is a unique document that has come down to us perfectly preserved.
If you are interested in visiting the Eagle Tower, you must inform the ticket office in advance so that you can purchase the appropriate ticket. Visits leave every 45 minutes and are limited to 20 visitors at a time; at peak times, places fill up quickly so it is best to arrive at opening time or book places online.
Useful information: pram and where to eat
You cannot enter with a pushchair, you will be asked to leave it at the entrance. It is forbidden to eat inside the Castle; for those who are peckish or for a coffee, there is a bar between the ticket office and the entrance stairs.
Where to park near Buonconsiglio Castle
The castle does not have a dedicated car park so you will have to look for one in the surrounding area. We, for example, found it in Via Manzoni, in the blue stripes. An alternative could be the Autosilo Buonconsiglio, in Via Petrarca, where you can also pay with a telepass.
Continue reading:
1. 5 things to see in Trento with children
2. Thun Castle
3. Bee Museum
