Otocec Castle

Otočec, Slovenia

Otočec Castle is a castle hotel on a small island in the middle of the Krka River. It is the only water castle in Slovenia and one of the most picturesque images in the country and is a prominent cultural and natural monument.

The castle was first mentioned in documents in the 13th century, although the walls are said to date to the more precise date of 1252. It was once owned by Ivan Lenković, the chief commander of the Croatia-Slavonia march.

Over the centuries that followed the castle underwent architectural and ownership changes, passing from one noble family to another.

Medieval structure of the castle has changed in time, yet some of the architectural details were preserved and cannot be missed out on. One of the most important ones is the Renaissance portal dating back to the 16th century decorated with two marble medallions bearing maiden profiles.

At the beginning of World War II the castle was seized by the Italians and used as a fortress. In 1942, it was burnt by the Partisans and only ruins remained of the two bridges. Castle’s restoration began in 1952 with the restoration of the roof and lasted for six years, also with the help of international work brigades. In 1959, the first restaurant was opened in the restored castle. Over the next few decades the castle changed its appearance until it was restored to its original Gothic and Renaissance splendour as it houses one of the most outstanding hotels in Slovenia.

 

 

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Address

Grajska cesta 2, Otočec, Slovenia
See all sites in Otočec

Details

Founded: 13th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Slovenia

More Information

en.wikipedia.org
www.grad-otocec.com

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Novo Mesto Cathedral (6,5 km)
Hmeljnik Castle (6,9 km)
Gracar Turn Castle (5,4 km)


Celje Castle (42,6 km)
Marton Museum (37 km)
Olimje Castle (43 km)
Zuzemberk Castle (23,7 km)
Celje Cathedral (43,3 km)
Brezice Castle (28,6 km)
Sevnica Castle (19,9 km)
Karlovac City Museum (45,6 km)
Samobor Castle (36,2 km)

User Reviews

Alex Bondarev (3 years ago)
Amazing looking place, the restaurant is excellent, the waiting staff is as excellent as the food is, it is properly priced and the overall feel after a visit is totally 5 stars. You can take a walk around the premises which are beautiful and serene and just have a very good time. Highly highly recommended.
Monir El Shazly (3 years ago)
A lovely place to have coffee and walk around...just tranquil :-)
Breda Dular (3 years ago)
The castel is really something special because it was built on the small island. You can walk around the island. If you have more time there is another castle near with the golf and you can walk to there next to the river. If you want to feel a little bit of luxury then go inside the castle Otocec and enjoy the drink or food. They have a very good restaurant.
Nadia K (3 years ago)
An upscale restaurant, perfect for a day trip on a weekend, any special occasion or just to treat yourself. The waiters are fast and almost invisible, like they should be. Food is served fast and with a beautiful display. There is free parking and a beautiful park to take a walk in after your meal. We had no issue getting a table without a reservation on a Saturday afternoon.
HISTRO zhang (3 years ago)
Frankly speaking the food is so so, if just ranking for food I prefer 3 star only, but the most valuable part is to walk outside the castle after you get yourself full. Quite, clean and green, you could sit on the bench and listen the river flow. Just enjoy the peace of life.
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Glimmingehus

Glimmingehus is the best preserved medieval stronghold in Scandinavia. It was built 1499-1506, during an era when Scania formed a vital part of Denmark, and contains many defensive arrangements of the era, such as parapets, false doors and dead-end corridors, 'murder-holes' for pouring boiling pitch over the attackers, moats, drawbridges and various other forms of death traps to surprise trespassers and protect the nobles against peasant uprisings. The lower part of the castle's stone walls are 2.4 meters (94 inches) thick and the upper part 1.8 meters (71 inches).

Construction was started in 1499 by the Danish knight Jens Holgersen Ulfstand and stone-cutter-mason and architect Adam van Düren, a North German master who also worked on Lund Cathedral. Construction was completed in 1506.

Ulfstand was a councillor, nobleman and admiral serving under John I of Denmark and many objects have been uncovered during archeological excavations that demonstrate the extravagant lifestyle of the knight's family at Glimmingehus up until Ulfstand's death in 1523. Some of the most expensive objects for sale in Europe during this period, such as Venetian glass, painted glass from the Rhine district and Spanish ceramics have been found here. Evidence of the family's wealth can also be seen inside the stone fortress, where everyday comforts for the knight's family included hot air channels in the walls and bench seats in the window recesses. Although considered comfortable for its period, it has also been argued that Glimmingehus was an expression of "Knighthood nostalgia" and not considered opulent or progressive enough even to the knight's contemporaries and especially not to later generations of the Scanian nobility. Glimmingehus is thought to have served as a residential castle for only a few generations before being transformed into a storage facility for grain.

An order from Charles XI to the administrators of the Swedish dominion of Scania in 1676 to demolish the castle, in order to ensure that it would not fall into the hands of the Danish king during the Scanian War, could not be executed. A first attempt, in which 20 Scanian farmers were ordered to assist, proved unsuccessful. An additional force of 130 men were sent to Glimmingehus to execute the order in a second attempt. However, before they could carry out the order, a Danish-Dutch naval division arrived in Ystad, and the Swedes had to abandon the demolition attempts. Throughout the 18th century the castle was used as deposit for agricultural produce and in 1924 it was donated to the Swedish state. Today it is administered by the Swedish National Heritage Board.

On site there is a museum, medieval kitchen, shop and restaurant and coffee house. During summer time there are several guided tours daily. In local folklore, the castle is described as haunted by multiple ghosts and the tradition of storytelling inspired by the castle is continued in the summer events at the castle called "Strange stories and terrifying tales".

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