750 years of history
The Ansitz Mühlen in Pfalzen is a place with an eventful history. From the Bronze Age to the heyday of the Mörl family in the Middle Ages and the early modern period, this place played an important role in the history of the Puster Valley.
750 years of history characterize the walls of this special place. Vaulted ceilings, old wooden rooms, original wall paintings and decorations tell of a bygone era.
Prehistory and early history
The Ansitz Baumannhof below Schöneck Castle. The Baumannhof was responsible for farming for the lord of the castle.
The Pfalzen region in the Puster valley, South Tyrol, is a place with a rich history. Near the neighboring St. Lorenzen there are numerous archaeological finds from the Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman periods. In Pfalzen itself, however, fewer archaeological discoveries are known. However, some Bronze Age sites, such as the Baumannbühel near Mühlen and the Großegg at the Frauenbrünnl, provide evidence of earlier settlement.
The Baumannbühel is a striking spur of the Palatinate low mountain range, which drops steeply into the cut a deep valley into the surrounding landscape Mühlbachgraben. Ceramic finds were made here in 1943 and 1972, indicating settlement in the early Bronze Age.
The Nobles of Mühlen
The history of the Mühlen estate begins in the Middle Ages with the nobles of Mühlen, a servant family of the Schöneck family. The first mention comes from the year 1248 with Otto III, Lord of Mühlen. The Mühlen Palace was located below the Schöneck Castle and was frequently mentioned in documents from the 14th century.
Philipp "Lipp" von Mühlen played a central role in the 14th century. As a judge in Schöneck, he steadily expanded his property. In 1351, Arnold Chunigl sold him a mill and a farmstead. Later, Lipp von Mühlen acquired numerous lands in and around Pfalzen. Although he expanded his property, he had no male descendants, so his inheritance was passed on through marriage to Achaz von Pfalzen and his daughter Dorothea.
The Mörl of Mühlen
The Mörl family's rule in Mühlen began with the marriage of Achaz von Pfalzen and Dorothea von Mühlen. The estate remained in the possession of this family for several centuries. Peter von Mörl, son of Achaz and Dorothea, became a district judge and later an influential councillor at the court of the Counts of Gorizia. His sons Hans and Peter were given important positions in the Tyrolean parliament and in the administration.
In 1507, the brothers Michael and Georg von Mörl signed a contract that was to regulate the joint ownership of the Mühlen estate. The contract later led to inheritance disputes because it stipulated that the property should remain in the male line. The Mörl family remained in possession of the Mühlen estate until the 18th century, before it was finally sold to a farmer.
Schifferegger family
The Baumannhof residence has been owned by the Schifferegger family for four generations. From 2009 to 2024, the residence and the associated farmstead were extensively restored, renovated and modernized under the strict requirements of the monument protection authority.
