The Lord of the Castle Castle Prösels near Fiè allo Sciliar is a cultural centre, and is run by a cooperative association with a new president at the helm: The man who reached fame as Ötzi’s own personal physician.
Ö Ötzi is the name of the glacier mummy who, at the age of over 5,000 years old, was discovered 27 years ago at Tisa/Hauslabjoch in the Venoste/ Ötztal Alps. When he was brought to South Tyrol in 1998 Dr. Eduard Egarter Vigl, Chief of Pathology at the Bolzano Hospital at that time, was tasked with preserving the mummy so that it could be studied over time. By means of the freezing technique purpose-developed by the pathologist, the mummy can today be seen at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano. As Ötzi’s personal physician, Dr. Eduard Egarter Vigl has made a name for himself internationally and has been called upon to provide consultation on other mummies including King Tutankhamen in Egypt and the Inca mummies in South America.
est in culture, got involved in his new surroundings instantly. Close to his house was a shining jewel of culture in the form of a spectacular mediaeval castle, and he played an active role in its preservation and maintenance. Now that he had more time on his hands, he was not averse to the prospect of new challenges and responsibility and, in the following election the board of trustees of the “Kuratorium Schloss Prösels” (Castle Prösels Curatorship) voted Dr. Eduard Egarter Vigl as president. And that’s how the famous Ötzi authority came to become the lord of the castle, bringing with him a contribution of unquestionable value. Dr. Eduard Egarter Vigl is not just a great expert in preservation and upkeep; he brings a passion and enthusiasm that makes the past spring to life, in a tapestry of tales that spark the interest of all.
Ötzi’s personal physician. In 2016 Dr. Eduard
Text: Rosa Maria Erlacher Photo: Helmuth Rier
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Egarter Vigl, who had also worked as a forensic pathologist for the public prosecutor’s office in Bolzano, entered his well-deserved retirement. The doctor had already moved home from the provincial capital of Bolzano to an old farm in Aica di Fiè and, with his innate love of being busy and inter-
This passion was precisely why Ötzi is always the focus of public interest. “After I solved the problem of how to preserve him, I turned my attention to researching the mummy,” the pathologist tells us. And he hit upon a detail that other researchers had previously overlooked: An arrowhead in the »
Dr. Eduard Egater Vigl from Prรถsels Castle: Keeping history alive, with passion and enthusiasm.
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Pathologist Dr. Eduard Egater Vigl rose to international fame as conservator of “Ötzi” the Ice Man.
back, that had presumably been the cause of his death; a finding that fuelled international interest in Ötzi and, once again, brought the mummy back into the limelight.
Castrum Presil. Today, Castle Presule is the focus of Dr. Eduard Egarter Vigl’s interest. The medieval “Castrum Presil” fortress was first referenced in a document dating to 1279. Built by the Barons of Fiè, it was extended and converted in around 1500 by Leonardo di Fie, their most famous successor, Governor of the Adige and Burgrave of Tyrol. After 1800, when the Barons of Fiè abandoned the castle, it fell into a state of disrepair and passed through various hands in the decades to follow. When the last owner died in 1978, Castle Presule was left to its fate for a few years, during which time it suffered a great deal of damage. The
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fact that today the building, which was all but ruined, can be visited as a magnificently preserved medieval castle, is due to the efforts of the “Kuratorium Schloss Prösels,” a cooperative founded in 1981 by cultural associations of the region, the zeal of individual people and the surrounding communities, all committed to saving this cultural testament and filling it with new life.
The Prösels Castle Curatorship. Since then the castle and its magnificent collection of weaponry has been owned by this cooperative organisation, which is run as a charity. It consists of around 70 members, with an administrative and a supervisory board who elect a new president at a plenary meeting held every three years. And ever since the organisation was founded, the castle has been in the safest of hands. Over time the
curatorship has renovated the castle and grounds and opened it up to the public for guided tours, celebrations, exhibitions and cultural events. Dr. Eduard Egarter Vigl has thrown himself into his presidential role with immense commitment. Experience has been a great master, he tells us, and he values the fact that the burden of responsibility lies on several shoulders. “I can consult the board, dedicated, experienced people with a wide range of skills.” A lot of work goes on behind the scenes, he says, offering his thanks to the many reliable volunteers and supporters who make it all possible. The President is also delighted to have a good employee in the background, who deals with all the bureaucracy of requests for public contributions and bookkeeping. After the long-standing, superbly attentive castle warden Michl Rabensteiner retired, a great weight was lifted from the president’s heart when he found a capable successor who cares for the castle and looks after as if it were his.
The energy and optimism exuding from new lord of the castle is infectious; we are sitting on the newly-designed sun terrace at the entrance to the castle, where visitors can admire the breathtaking view over a cappuccino. Dr. Eduard Egarter Vigl points out the sprawling roof landscape of the castle complex. The roof shingles are now over 30 years old, and the wooden ones need replacing; renovation of the roof was one of the first measures the Kuratorium took to save the castle. Novel ideas on how to fill the castle with life also abound, and include adventure nights for children with the ghost Fridolin, where the kids - supervised by professional guides - sleep and have breakfast in the Knight’s Hall, or a trip in time back to the Middle Ages with Friedrich the Knight on a guided tour where families will learn fascinating facts about a knight’s life at Castle Presule 500 years ago. Witch Martha has also been a stock character of the programme for years, and is skilled in the art of enthusing guests young and old.
Castle tours Prösels Castle can be visited from 1 May to 31 October every day except Saturdays, on guided tours only. From the end of December until the end of March, a castle tour runs every Thursday at 3 pm. Guided tours for groups are available on request throughout the year. Prösels Castle 39050 Fiè allo Sciliar, Via Presule 2 Phone +39 0471 601 062 www.schloss-proesels.seiseralm.it
The lord of the castle in private. Cultural centre. “Naturally, we need solid public support to finance the maintenance of the castle and its institutional cultural activities,” affirms the president. But he was keen to develop new independent sources of revenue in order to become independent of the public purse. Now, for example, upon an arrangement with the South Tyrolean research institute Eurac, scientific conferences are held in Castle Presule. “Castle Presule has proven its value as a conference venue. There are plenty rooms, perfectly equipped for conventions, seminars and workshops of all kinds,” he emphasises. The success of these events is enhanced by the mesmerising atmosphere of the castle: contemplative and focussed on the one hand, with breathtaking panoramic views on the other.
Is preservation and maintenance in the DNA of the new laird? “Possibly,” says Dr. Eduard Egarter Vigl. Just as he was unexpectedly faced with the problem of how to preserve Ötzi’, today he deals with the modern-day demands of a cultural testament like that of Castle Presule. It is a task that, like his many hobbies, he approaches with vim and vigour. When the retired doctor is not working in his house and garden with his wife, or if the grandchildren aren’t visiting, he enjoys going out on his motorbike or e-bike, and loves hiking and skiing. He is happy to finally have enough time to read, and has a particular predilection for books about the past and biographies. Last but not least, he is also an avid photographer and likes to experiment with different techniques. «
Ötzi in Bolzano The South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology is the home of the man from Giogo di Tisa, better known as “Ötzi.” The museum extends over three floors, houses exhibits of original finds and narrates the history of the ice man. The highlight of the exhibition is the life-like reconstruction of the ice man.. South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology 39100 Bolzano, Via Museo 43 Phone +39 0471 320 100 · www.iceman.it Opening times: Open from Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 6pm (Last entry: 5.30pm) Closed on Mondays (except when Monday falls on a holiday, in December the Museum is open every day) Online booking is recommended!
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