Pazin Castle, Pazin, Croatia - SpottingHistory.com

Pazin Castle is built on a solid rock situated in the middle of the town of Pazin, the administrative seat of Istria County. It is the largest and best-preserved castle in that westernmost Croatian county. The fortified structure was constructed of hewn stone, and, during its 1100 years long history, subjected to several major reconstructions and renovations.

The Pazin Castle was first mentioned in 983 in a document issued by Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor, confirming the possession of the castle to bishop of Poreč. In the 12th century the bishops of Poreč ceded it to Meinhard of Schwarzenburg, owner of Črnigrad Castle, then to Meinhard I, Count of Gorizia, and finally to Meinhard, Margrave of Istria (d. 1193) and his successors.

In 1374 Albert IV, Margrave of Gorizia, died without successors and the castle was inherited by the members of the House of Habsburg. They rented or mortgaged it many times during the next few centuries to various noblemen closely related to them.

The castle was finally sold to Antonio Laderchi de Montecuccoli in 1766 and remained the property of his family until 1945. In the meantime, various countries around the castle changed many times over the last more than 200 years: after the end of the Venetian Republic in 1797, Pazin belonged to the Habsburg Monarchy, then to Napoleon's French Empire, again to the Habsburg Monarchy, in 1918 to Italy, in 1945 to Yugoslavia, and in 1991 to Croatia.

Today, the Pazin Castle houses the Ethnographic Museum with exhibits of the life of the Istrian peninsula inhabitants.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Gorazd Majcen (6 months ago)
Historical scenic place with a museum

Andrea Zamboni Radić (11 months ago)
It's not a huge castle, but it's well organised as museum, you can learn everything from the history of Pazin to particular istrian cultural curiosities

dalia matijević (12 months ago)
Spectacular facility and service. Quality historical interpretation with so many enchanting details waiting to be discovered by careful visitor. In return, gaining profound sense of time and place.

Елена Фомичева (12 months ago)
Great castle but almost empty interior, no same age interior as castle, new age exhibition of 20 century conflicts. Not a place to see old history, ticket price is too high for such small exhibition

Zeljka T (2 years ago)
Extraordinarily well designed museum inside, interactive and interesting. The exterior beautiful as well, and the drop below stunning.

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