Exploring Slovenia's castles in 3D

The cat is out of the bag: since Lonely Planet's endorsement of Slovenia as one of the top 5 travel destinations in the world, its many attractions no longer are the privilege of connoisseurs but are becoming common knowledge. While the natural beauty of the country definitely is worth exploring, its cultural riches are substantial as well.

In this blog, we zoom in on some of Slovenia's heritage sites, with a beginner's guide to picturesque castles and evocative ruins illustrated by 3D models and digitised cultural heritage.

Treasure-trove

Covering 20,273 km² and home to more than two million citizens, Slovenia boasts no less than 29,359 examples of immovable cultural heritage, of which 8,470 are 'cultural monuments'. Small wonder that the country is keeping close track of its architectural treasures: Slovenia has been investing in professional care for immovable heritage since 1913. Moreover, the preservation and conservation of monuments and sites is described in the Slovenian Constitution and dedicated legislation has been put in place.

The preponderance of fortresses, palaces and other mansions with royal allures is all the more remarkable, since Slovenia has never been ruled by kings!

The fact that about 500 castles survive is largely due to the presence of the house of Habsburg in Slovenia from the 14th century until 1918. As a part of their legacy, castles in different styles survive, from massive medieval structures and renaissance palaces to lavishly detailed baroque chateaus. The buildings - or the ruins that still remain - offer a unique opportunity to travel back in time and explore the country’s history.

Svibno

Svibno castle is a beautiful example, named in 14th-century manuscripts for the first time, but - according to legend - possibly dating back to the early 10th century.

Svibno castle is a beautiful example, named in 14th-century manuscripts for the first time, but - according to legend - possibly dating back to the early 10th century.

In the 14th century, the lords of Svibno pawned the castle to the lords of Celje - once vassals of the Habsburg dukes of Styria, who later rose to 'Reichsgrafen' and Princes of the Holy Roman Empire. An important new chapter began when the castle was acquired by the provincial counselor of Carniola in the 16th century. His (male) family line only came to an end in the 19th century.

The original castle had a medieval core extended towards the south on the slope of the Ostri every. Later on, it was fortified and protected by a new defence wall and renaissance towers. Nowadays the original form of the castle is barely recognisable from the ruins, as a large part of the old walls unfortunately was destroyed.

Prem

Prem Grad is a medieval castle in Brkini Hills, where it has dominated the Reka River Valley for over 700 years.

Like Svibno castle, Prem castle dates back to the middle ages, as documentary evidence shows that its construction was completed by 1213. Its roots could be even more ancient than that, as the castle is rumoured to have been built where once a Roman fortress was located.

The castle was first owned by the Lords of Duino, vassals of the Patriarchs of Aquileia, but was inhabited by many other owners subsequently, including the Habsburg family and the Dukes of Porcia. In 1927, it was bought by Italian doctor Bruno Zucculini as a summer residence. Today the castle is renovated and houses several museum collections, including an exhibit showing palatial heritage sites along the Reka River Basin.

Koper

For architecture enthusiasts, the Praetorian Palace in Koper is a must-see. The present building emerged after centuries of development and renovation. The current structure in late gothic-renaissance style was constructed in the late 15th century and boasts distinct Venetian features on the outside as well as lavish baroque interiors.

The 'palazzo' is only one storey high but generously decorated, featuring façade ornaments, an elegant staircase and Ghibelline swallow-tailed merlons.

Lušperg

While castles were often conceived as citadels - located high on a hill or mountain - or strategically located in the vicinity of a river, Lušperg Castle combines both. 607 metres above sea level, the site can only be reached via a daunting climb. The reward, however, is a panoramic view of the upper Dravinja Valley, at the confluence of the Dravinja and Ljubnica rivers.

Why the castle was built at this hard-to-reach spot remains unclear, but this very fact seems to be responsible for the abandonment of Lušperg in the early 16th century. The mighty mansion now is a humble ruin, sitting silently surrounded by outstanding natural beauty. The story of Lušperg, however, continues to intrigue and has become a piece of intangible cultural heritage in and of itself.

This blog is part of WEAVE – Widen European Access to cultural communities Via Europeana, a project aimed at developing a framework to link the tangible and intangible heritage of cultural communities.