
Bruneck was founded by the Prince-Bishop Bruno von Kirchberg of Bruneck, and was first mentioned on 23 Februaries 1256.
At that time the town consisted of two rows of houses forming to narrow wools.
The town walls and moat were completed in 1336 under Bishop Albert von Enn. Soon thereafter, further rows of houses were built outside the eastern gate. These led to the small Church of Our Lady (today's Church of the Assumption of Mary).
The first church inside the town walles (at first only to small chapel) was built beneath the castle by the Brunecker burgher Niklas Stuck.
This church is today the Rainkirche. In 1358, Heinrich von Stuck, Niklas's brother, funded the hospital / almshouse that was built in the following years.
