Pro Loco Spormaggiore APS

The name "Corte" is first heard of in a historical document that dates back to 1299. The document is about a quarrel regarding the ownership of a vineyard located in Ravara. Tissone of Sporo demanded its ownership from the court of Spormaggiore by right given to him by Varderina, daughter of the late Gerardo.

At that time people did not have a family name, instead people would be identified with the name of the place they lived or where their land was. The family called "Dalla Corte" (of the Court) were the first people to own the court. In 1424 all information about the family was lost.

All historical data of this time is quite uncertain. The only certain thing is that the Corte Franca was not an Episcopal feud but a Tyrolean feud. At this point it is fundamental to remember the historical grounds on which the events of this region were based on for centuries.
All local events and mainly all the alternate fortunes for power that happened through the years were mostly dependent on three authorities, which often clashed with each other and which exercised power over the Sporeggio.
The three authorities were the King, the Prince Bishop and the Count of Tyrol. In 1497, the King Massimiliano I awarded Giovanni Altspaur with the title "Corte Franca" in return for several favours. From that date up to 1740, "Corte Franca" belonged to the family of Altspaur.

The name "Franca" (free) comes from the fact that the palace enjoyed principality exemptions such as the right of asylum for people guilty of murder or other crimes. It was for this reason that some doors were built in the surrounding walls of the residence: when someone was being chased by the police and managed to enter the courtyard through these doors, he was regarded as safe, at least until he stayed inside the "welcoming" walls.

Relevant to mention it is that there were attempts by the barons of Spaur, lords of the jurisdiction of Tyrol and Sporeggio, to rise up against the privileges of the Altspaur. The Spaur tried to rebel against the enemies of Spormaggiore by way of different means. Among these was the accusation of using the name Altspaur illegitimately because their real name was "De la cort" (zu fon Hof).
The Altspaur, however, confident of the appointment of Massimilian I, succeeded in reiterating the principality exemptions in 1528 and a second time in 1598 by King Rodolfo II .

The last descendant of the Altspaur was Giuseppe Maria of Alstpaur who died in 1790 at the age of 90 in Mezzocorona.
He had two sons who both died before him without leaving any heirs; of his four daughters, three were unmarried and one married in Egna to doctor Filos von Vilas. He was invested with the property of Corte Franca, for the sum of 5000 florins. In 1856 he sold it to the Counts of Spaur who, in turn, sold it to Spormaggiore Town Council in 1878. From that date until 1965, the property was alternately, the town hall, the school and then, lastly, the Carabinieri headquarters.

This is the end of the short historical summary of the lords of Corte Franca that, with exception of some unclear aspects of the early times, has lots of precise documented historical references.
The architectural aspect is different because there are no documented proofs of it.
In 1300, several properties in locality "alla corte" seemed to be belonging to the aristocrats of the "Corte" and of the family of "Tissoni", the most powerful representatives of the local nobility.

The contruction of the tower is most likely to date back to the beginning of 1400, while the remaining part of the building was built in XVII century, as it is clearly shown by the date engraved on the portal of the southern side (1609).

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