Situated high in the Austrian Alps in the picturesque northwestern province of Tyrol, their cozy castle bed and breakfast is surrounded by twenty-five hundred acres of parkland.  It is just ten minutes from excellent skiing, a half-day from Vienna, and conveniently close to Italy, Switzerland, and Germany--making it a convenient stopover spot.

THE PAST  A Roman sentry first stood watch on this strategic site above the Inn river valley over two thousand years ago. Only a tower existed then. Using smoke signals to spread important news through the empire, from tower to tower, the site served as a vital communications link for the ancient world.  The Romans named the site "Masciacum"; the name Schloss Matzen was taken from this word. It is one of the few castles in Austria that has always remained in private hands.

The present structure dates back to 1167 and the first family of record--the Freundsbergs. Over the years, they fortified the castle with a second tower and extensive walls.

During the fifteenth century the wealthy Turndl family bought the property and turned the castle into a stunning home. Parapets were transformed into cloistered arcades, and glass--an unheard of luxury--was set into the enlarged windows.  Then a succession of families, most of whom were involved with the silver and copper mines in the valley, took over the castle.

Life was prosperous until the Napoleonic Wars, when the ancient Roman tower of Schloss Matzen supported field guns in defense of the town. A peasant army led by Andreas Hofer stood up to Napoleon's army.  Though Napoleon won the battle and Hofer was killed, he was highly regarded for leading the revolt.  (A castle room is named in honor of Hofer.) The war devastated this area of the Tyrol, and with no money for upkeep, the last owners moved out of the castle and into the stables.

In 1873 Fanny Read Grohman, an Irishwoman, bought the property and restored it. Her son William Baillie-Grohman continued her work, wrote a number of books about the history of the valley, and once even hosted Theodore Roosevelt on a hunt. The family maintained the castle through two World Wars, returning to Britain when the fighting got too close.

The fourth generation of the family sold the castle in 1957 to the American architect Ernest Kump, who was of Austrian background.  Kump carefully installed modern bathrooms, plumbing, and central heating while preserving the integrity of the castle's medieval architecture.  In 1994 his son Peter, who founded the prestigious Peter Kump's New York Cooking School, planned to open the castle to guests but died the next year. Peter's son Christopher carried out his plans and introduced Schloss Matzen as Austria's newest castle hotel in 1996.

THE PRESENT  You don't need to pack your tiara when visiting this comfortable country castle.  Its interior reveals the medieval architectural charm of Gothic cloisters, carved marble doorways, high beamed ceilings, and intricately decorated wrought iron hinges and locks.

Most of the stately guest rooms in this sixty-eight-room, five-floor castle have high ceilings and thick stone walls and feature antique furniture found by the Kumps in the attic.  Choose the extra-large Baillie-Grohman Room for its marble fireplace and three-sided view of the valley, or the Teddy Roosevelt Room--the highest room--for its views of the valley and Alps.

Sherry and snacks are offered in the late afternoon.  A lavish buffet breakfast, which includes regional foods and delicious pastries from the town bakery, is usually served in an interior cloistered corridor overlooking the central castle courtyard and background mountains. 

You can explore the premises on your own or take a guided tour.  Highlights include a five-story Roman watchtower, a Baroque chapel, a knights' dining hall, and two dungeons. Very old manuscripts and rare books and maps in the library can be perused with assistance.  Among the castle diversions are playing billiards on an antique pool table, playing table tennis in the vaulted gallery, and swimming in a rock-lined pool just outside the walls.

A-6230 Reith, Brixlegg, Tyrol.  Tel: 011-43-5337-62-679.  Fax: 011-43-5337-66-581.  Rooms: 11; all with bath.  Rates: AS1700; includes breakfast; does not include 11 percent  room tax; 2-night minimum stay.  Dates closed: Dates change each year.  Dining facilities: No restaurant.  Children: No discounts.  Facilities for disabled:  None.  On-site recreation: Billiards; swimming pool.  Nearby diversions: Hiking; alpine and cross-country skiing; ice skating; fishing; river rafting; tennis; golf; rock climbing and mineral baths in Brixlegg; excursions to nearby Rattenberg--the oldest medieval village in Austria and famous for its glass and crystal--and to Alpbach, called the most beautiful village in the Alps; cogwheel train from nearby Jenbach to lake for ride on a lake steamer.  Proprietor: Christopher Kump and Margaret Fox.  Operated as a hotel since: 1996.  U.S. representative: Christopher Kump (owner); Tel: 888-837-0618, Tel/Fax: 707-937-0618; E-mail:  cafebeau@mcn.org.