Kreideturm (Chalk Tower)

A tower stands alone on a wooded ridge towards the Valle dell'Adige valley, 65 m below Appiano Castle. It is a quadrangular tower with 1.5 metres thick walls called Kreideturm in German language which belongs to the complex of Appiano Castle above it. As the castle itself, also this building dates back to the 12th resp. 13th century. At those times, the Chalk Tower was surrounded by a curtain wall and provided with kennels, with a small building and a round bow entrance on the southern side, in a height of 12 m. Inside there was and is only one dark shaft.

The Chalk Tower was an outer ward of Appiano Castle, a fortified observation tower to secure the eastern access to the castle. Further on, it was used to light signal fires, called "Kreidefeuer". The word derives from the term "Kreid" for warning - this explains the German name of the tower, "Kreideturm". In English, however, it was translated literally: Nowadays, "Kreide" means chalk. The ruin of another outer ward - walls with loopholes - is located at the nearby Unterhauser Farm. The beautiful Three Castles Walk in Appiano leads also past the Chalk Tower.