Leuchtenburg Castle (Castelchiaro) above Lake Caldaro towers into the sky in the surroundings of Castel Varco in the locality of Vadena. The castle was probably constructed in 1250 by the Lords of Rottenburg. The castle complex has been protected by a circular wall which protected the castle complex from assaults. Due to the fact that the position of the castle is not really well-protected it has presumably been constructed in order to impress.
Numerous castles of the Rottenburg leadership have been razed after the conflicts with Frederick IV, Duke of Austria, in 1410, but not Leuchtenburg, which was handed over to the sovereigns and in the following years was lent to officials of Caldaro. After 1610 Leuchtenburg remained uninhabited and started decaying.
Only in the 20th century the walls of the ruins were conserved. Leuchtenburg consists of a circular wall inside which there were several residential buildings. However, today these buildings could only be preserved to some extend. However, there are also well-preserved rests of the great hall with frescos dating back to the 15th century.
References:The Château du Lude is one of the many great châteaux of the Loire Valley in France. Le Lude is the most northerly château of the Loire Valley and one of the last important historic castles in France, still inhabited by the same family for the last 260 years. The château is testimony to four centuries of French architecture, as a stronghold transformed into an elegant house during the Renaissance and the 18th century. The monument is located in the valley of Le Loir. Its gardens have evolved throughout the centuries.