The Andraz Castle rises up on a rocky spur in the valley of Fodom, Veneto, an outgrowth of the rock itself, which was carried there by a glacier during the last glacial period. Its bizarre architecture has made it a symbol of this Ladin valley (Livinallongo in Italian, Fodom is the Ladin name), a popular destination for skiers in winter and hikers in summer given its central location close to many mountain groups of the Dolomites.

The Andraz Castle is thought to date back to the 11^th century. Built at the border between the Patriarchate of Aquileia and the Diocese of Bressanone-Brixen, it was in a strategic position to control the trade and communication routes between the area known today as Agordino (province of Belluno in Veneto, encompassed within the basin of the Cordevole creek) and the Puster valley of South Tyrol.