Gracar Turn Castle, Hrastje, Slovenia

The Gracar Turn ('Grätzer's Tower') is not recorded in medieval sources, though the historian Valvasor mentions a manor stood on the site in the 14th century, built by the Grätzer family from nearby Gradac, whence its name derives. After passing through numerous hands, it was purchased by Anton Rudež in 1821. The author Janez Trdina was often Rudež's guest at Gracar Turn; several of the former's works were written at the castle, including his best-known, Fables and Tales of the Gorjancers. During World War II part the castle was burned down by partisan fighters. It has since been renovated.

The core of the castle consists of a multi-story residential palacium, surrounded by a rectangular complex anchored by two imposing square towers.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Matic (2 years ago)
Mystical and now abandoned castle where a murder occured just some 10 years ago. Only the outside of the building can be seen and there is no further information of the castle at the spot. It was still worth seeing this local gem.

čebelica belica (2 years ago)
Lepa narava,a žal zapuščeno

Marko Dular (3 years ago)
Pričara neke pozabljene čase

Umberto Ruggiero (3 years ago)
Chiuso e in declino. Non vale la pena andare

Viktorija Rozman Bitenc (4 years ago)
Cudoviti grad. Njegoca arhitektura sega vse v daljna stoletja nazaj. A zanimivo dejstvo, da je eden od gradov s najvec wc "na štrbunk". Iz glavnega notranjega dvorisca v enemu od arkadnih hodnikov v pritlicju vstopimo v čudovito vezico. Grad je pošteno načel zob časa kot tudi njegova zanimiva zgodba o tragicni ljubezni na gradu. Zalostno je le to, da je se eden od mnogih gradov, ki tonejo v pozabo. Ob sbojem obisku ni bilo nikogar, uoravnika ali kogarkoli od tam, ki bi bili tam konstantno prisotni. Se eden, ki slizi kot vikend, medtem ko ljudje nimajo denarja za mogočno vzdrževanje. Kulturna dediščina Slovenije v velikem delu propada, medtem ko uradi, sistem, in ljudje skrbijo le za svojo korist in čim večje finance.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright levaletfrancois

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Château de Falaise is best known as a castle, where William the Conqueror, the son of Duke Robert of Normandy, was born in about 1028. William went on to conquer England and become king and possession of the castle descended through his heirs until the 13th century when it was captured by King Philip II of France. Possession of the castle changed hands several times during the Hundred Years' War. The castle was deserted during the 17th century. Since 1840 it has been protected as a monument historique.

The castle (12th–13th century), which overlooks the town from a high crag, was formerly the seat of the Dukes of Normandy. The construction was started on the site of an earlier castle in 1123 by Henry I of England, with the 'large keep' (grand donjon). Later was added the 'small keep' (petit donjon). The tower built in the first quarter of the 12th century contained a hall, chapel, and a room for the lord, but no small rooms for a complicated household arrangement; in this way, it was similar to towers at Corfe, Norwich, and Portchester, all in England. In 1202 Arthur I, Duke of Brittany was King John of England's nephew, was imprisoned in Falaise castle's keep. According to contemporaneous chronicler Ralph of Coggeshall, John ordered two of his servants to mutilate the duke. Hugh de Burgh was in charge of guarding Arthur and refused to let him be mutilated, but to demoralise Arthur's supporters was to announce his death. The circumstances of Arthur's death are unclear, though he probably died in 1203.

In about 1207, after having conquered Normandy, Philip II Augustus ordered the building of a new cylindrical keep. It was later named the Talbot Tower (Tour Talbot) after the English commander responsible for its repair during the Hundred Years' War. It is a tall round tower, similar design to the towers built at Gisors and the medieval Louvre.Possession of the castle changed hands several times during the Hundred Years' War. The castle was deserted during the 17th century. Since 1840, Château de Falaise has been recognised as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture.

A programme of restoration was carried out between 1870 and 1874. The castle suffered due to bombardment during the Second World War in the battle for the Falaise pocket in 1944, but the three keeps were unscathed.

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