Bistra Castle

Bistra, Slovenia

Bistra Carthusian Monastery was founded in 1255 as the first monastery in Carniola. The first half of the 14th century represents the culmination of the monastery. This is when the monastery greatly expanded and invested in the functioning of the monastic library, where they created a number of copies and original works. Later began the slow decay of the monastery which was repeatedly hit by fires and in 1670 by a strong earthquake. The final collapse of the monastery came when the Emperor Joseph II commanded the dissolution of the monasteries which did not contributed to the prosperity of the country.

The property was split into several parts - some were confiscated, some passed into the hands of the Church and some were sold. The castle’s image, as you can admire it today, was shaped after many renovations in the mid-19th century, when the grounds became the property of the Galle family. In 1945 the property was nationalized, and since 1951, the castle is a cultural monument of national importance and the place of the Technical Museum of Slovenia.

The attention of most visitors is drawn towards the water-driven elements - the flour mill, blacksmith’s workshop, fulling mill and veneer sawmill, and some temporary exhibitions. Road vehicle fans won’t be disappointed either. They can admire the oldest surviving car from Slovenia or enjoy the sight of the limousines that once belonged to President Tito, Premier of former Yugoslavia.

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Address

Bistra 5, Bistra, Slovenia
See all sites in Bistra

Details

Founded: 1255
Category: Castles and fortifications in Slovenia

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Klemen Peterlin (2 years ago)
Nice and tidy place with lots to do. Oldtimer cars being the main attraction, but the whole place is quite big with very nice castle-like gardens and buildings. Museum covers the whole range of technology from watermills, hunting, woodworking, electricity and many others. We easily spent 3 hours and could do more. In our opinion, 13€ for two adults and a kid is more than reasonable for the whole package. Recommended!
Marko Miljkovic (2 years ago)
Very interesting museum in a wonderful location, and great for learning a piece of Slovenin history! Well organized collection, although some parts are a bit conventional and need to be updated. Overall, a very nice museum which will capture your attention for at least an hour, or more, easily.
Branka Hodinj (2 years ago)
Great place, hours of fun and learning. If you check their website you might catch some of the special presentations. For example Tesla experiments. Really nice garden as well, bring your lunch and have a picnic.
Tic Pavlin (4 years ago)
One of the best motorized vehicles exhibition I've ever seen, besides other very interesting exhibitions regarding woodcutting, textile and electric nachinery.
Russ Wiltshire (5 years ago)
Big. Interesting. Well maintained. Most exhibits with local and English notes. Diverse subjects covered. Great value and well worth a visit. Allow at least 2 hours. You could easily spend 3 or 4 hours there if you're really interested in industry and mechanical engineering.
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