Silandro

Silandro, also known as Schlanders, lies in the Vinschgau valley of the upper Adige. Its name was recorded in 1077, and the lords of Schlandersberg built their castle above the settlement in the thirteenth century. The Teutonic Order established a commandery here in 1305, while the local court is documented from 1355. In 1499, after the battle of Calven, Swiss forces burned Schlanders and other villages in the valley. Peasants rose against their authorities in 1525, and Anabaptist communities appeared later in the century despite persecution. A flood of the Schlandraun stream damaged or destroyed thirty houses in 1731, prompting the renewal of protective works. The Order's long presence ended in 1811 under Bavarian occupation.