It was named after an extinct species of cattle! Over the centuries, Turjak castle has been through everything and anything!

Slovenia can boast of numerous castles scattered in all directions, and some of them are among the oldest in the Adria region. Over the centuries, they have passed through the hands of many owners, leaving behind a turbulent and interesting history that is really worth exploring more deeply.

One of these castles, about which very little has been written so far, is Turjak, which is located not far from Ljubljana.

Turjak castle, Photo: Mihael Grmek, CC BY-SA 4.0

Turjak castle is located on a terraced hill in the settlement of Velika Lašče, only about 30 kilometers from the capital. It has stood in that very place, although not in its current form, since 1062 and has been whispering stories about long-gone times ever since. According to the found stone tablet, it was built by Konrad von Auersperg (of Turješki), but there is also a belief that it could be even older.

What is interesting is that, according to many beliefs and stories of the population, it was named after an extinct species of wild cattle – tur. The figure of cattle can also be found on the coat of arms of the Turješki family.

Turjak castle, Photo: Dudlajzov, Depositphotos

Going through its history,  Turjak castle proved to be a place of resilience, but also of troubles. Over the centuries, it was demolished several times, either due to conflicts between heirs, or due to earthquakes and wars with noble families. It was also sold and returned to the same family, and since then it has only been passed down from generation to generation.

After it was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1511, Trojan Turješki demolished it to the ground and built the castle we see today from scratch. After that, it survived the peasant revolt, and the attacks of the Ottoman Empire, proving to be a castle that has truly seen everything.

It was built in a triangular shape with defensive towers connected to residential quarters. In the western tower, it had a dungeon, but also two chapels, the Catholic and the Protestant. This is where Jurij Dalmatin and Primož Truba found their refuge, where they also worked on the first translation of the Bible into the Slovenian language.

However, although it was already known for its very stormy history, the most famous Slovenian writer France Prešeren brought it the greatest fame with his ballad “Turjaška Rozamunda“.

Turjak castle, Photo: Dudlajzov, Depositphotos

A little later, during the Second World War, the castle was under siege by the partisans and was damaged. After the end of the war, reconstruction took place slowly, and it was nationalized during Yugoslavia.

There were also attempts to return it to the heirs, i.e. the Turješki family, but they gave it up and sold it to the state.

Turjak castle, Photo: Dudlajzov, Depositphotos

Today, Turjak castle is the reminder and symbol of the hard times that once ruled this region, but also a place where various events are organized that take you back to the past all over again.

The permanent exhibition has a collection of tools and interesting figures that will take you through time, as well as stories about important members of the Turješki family.

You can visit it from Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am to 7 pm, and the entrance fee is 5 euros. There is also a brewery inside the castle, and passers-by say that food is also served on Sundays.