BUONCONSIGLIO CASTLE, Castelvecchio Bishop's Hall

The Sala dei Vescovi, or Bishops’ Hall, is the largest room in Castelvecchio, decorated with portraits of the prince-bishops on the walls. Depicted here are all the figures who ruled over Trento during the prince-bishopric, which lasted from just before the year 1000 until the beginning of the 19th century, at the time of Napoleon.  

The final figure depicted in the cycle of frescoes is the last prince-bishop of Trento, Peter Michael Vigil von Thun und Hohenstein.

In addition to decorating the room, the frescoes in the Bishops’ Hall testify to the strong links that existed between the principality and the Holy Roman Empire: above the portrait of each bishop is another depicting the emperor in power at the time. The decoration of the Hall is also an explicit indication that the prince-bishops were faithful to the papacy, since the names of St. Peter’s successors are listed at the top of the walls. ...