Tyrol Castle stands on a rocky spur above Merano, giving sweeping views across the valley and the town below. The castle was the ancestral seat of the Counts of Tyrol and dates in its earliest form to the 11th century, with significant rebuilding in the 12th–14th centuries. The Romanesque chapel doorways are considered the finest carved portals in the region, depicting figures and decorative motifs of considerable artistic quality for their period.
Today the castle houses the Museum of Tyrolean History and Folklore, with displays on local life, history, and the development of the region. The approach by foot takes about 40 minutes from Merano's old town, climbing through vineyards and orchards; there is also a cable car from the suburb of Lagundo. The views from the castle walls on a clear day extend well into the Adige valley toward Bolzano in one direction and up the Passeier Valley in the other.