Samobor Castle is a ruined castle atop of Tepec hill in
Samobor
Samobor () is a town in Zagreb County, Croatia. It is part of the Zagreb metropolitan area. Administratively it is a part of Zagreb County.
Geography
Samobor is located west of Zagreb, between the eastern slopes of the Samobor hills (), the eas ...
,
Croatia
Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
. It lies only a 10-minute walk away from the city centre. Remains of the old castle moat are still visible, as well as the massive entrance and most of the walls.
History
The castle was built on a hill above the crossroads of then important routes in the northwestern corner of the Sava valley, above the
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...
market town of
Samobor
Samobor () is a town in Zagreb County, Croatia. It is part of the Zagreb metropolitan area. Administratively it is a part of Zagreb County.
Geography
Samobor is located west of Zagreb, between the eastern slopes of the Samobor hills (), the eas ...
. The castle was erected by the supporters of
Czech
Czech may refer to:
* Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe
** Czech language
** Czechs, the people of the area
** Czech culture
** Czech cuisine
* One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus
*Czech (surnam ...
king,
Ottokar II of Bohemia
Ottokar II (; , in Městec Králové, Bohemia – 26 August 1278, in Dürnkrut, Austria, Dürnkrut, Lower Austria), the Iron and Golden King, was a member of the Přemyslid dynasty who reigned as King of Bohemia from 1253 until his death in 1278 ...
, between 1260 and 1264, who was then in a war with Hungarian king
Stephen V Stephen V may refer to:
*Pope Stephen IV, aka Stephen V, Pope from 816 to 817
*Pope Stephen V (885–891)
*Stephen V of Hungary (born before 1239 – 1272), King of Hungary and Croatia, Duke of Styria
*Stephen V Báthory (1430–1493), Hungarian co ...
.
[Stari grad Samobor, from site Ing-grad (Retrieved: September 27, 2010)](_blank)
Croatian-Hungarian forces under command of duke of
Okić
Okić is a village in Croatia
Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Ser ...
soon retook the castle, for which he was granted the city of
Samobor
Samobor () is a town in Zagreb County, Croatia. It is part of the Zagreb metropolitan area. Administratively it is a part of Zagreb County.
Geography
Samobor is located west of Zagreb, between the eastern slopes of the Samobor hills (), the eas ...
, as well as the privilege to collect local taxes.
The fortification was originally a stone fortress built on solid rock - in an irregular and indented layout, which consists of three parts, out of which the central core represents the oldest part of the castle. In the southeastern part of the core there was a high
guard tower
A watchtower or guardtower (also spelt watch tower, guard tower) is a type of military/paramilitary or policiary tower used for guarding an area. Sometimes fortified, and armed with heavy weaponry, especially historically, the structures are ...
(nowadays in ruins), which is the only remaining original part of Ottokar castle. Just next to the guard tower lies a semicircular tower with a small
gothic chapel of St. Ana which is estimated to be built in third decade of the 16th century.

In the third decade of the 16th century, reshaping of the castle began, which was done by a gradual expansion of the core towards the north. The fortification thus became an elongated trapezoidal courtyard surrounded by a strong defensive wall and with a pentagonal tower on its ends. Throughout 17th and 18th century, the castle was upgraded and reconstructed. The last building inside the fortress was a three-storey house on its southern side, which along with castle's upper parts forms a courtyard. Its facades are divided by
Tuscan columned porches, and its interior is rich with the equipment. This move transformed a castle from its original fortificational function into a countryside
baroque
The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
styled castle. Last residents left the castle in the end of the 18th century,
which triggered the gradual castle's decadence into a shape that it is today.
Rulers and owners
The first known owners of the castle were family of
Babonić,
after who, Samobor Castle came under ownership of Hungarian-Croatian kings. During the 15th century the castle became property of
Counts of Celje
The Counts of Celje () or the Counts of Cilli (; ) were the most influential late medieval noble dynasty on the territory of present-day Slovenia. Risen as vassals of the Habsburg dukes of Styria in the early 14th century, they ruled the County ...
. At the beginning of the 16th century, Castle came into a possession of feudal family
Frankopan
The House of Frankopan (, , , ) was a Croatian noble family, whose members were among the great landowner magnates and high officers of the Kingdom of Croatia in union with Hungary.
The Frankopans, along with the Zrinskis, are among the mos ...
.
After that, the castle changed many owners, Counts; Tržac, Tahy, Auersperg, Kiepach. The last owners of the castle, who actually lived in it, were Counts of ''
Erdödy-Kulmer''. Samobor's municipal government decided to purchase the castle from its previous owner - Montecuccoli family in 1902. From that point on, the castle with its surrounding served as a local picnic place.
Restoration
Nowadays, Samobor Castle is just a picturesque ruin above Vugrinščak creek in Samobor city centre. Even though a project of castle restoration exists, only the chapel walls were renovated so far. In its restoration, the stones of the ruined castle parts, cement and slaked lime were used.
Restoration of Samobor Castle, from site Svi za sve (Retrieved: September 27, 2010)
/ref>
Gallery
Samobor castle VP 01.jpg, Exploring ruins
Samobor castle VP 02.jpg, Impressive ruins
Samobor castle VP 03.jpg, Overgrown
References
External links
Tourist Board of Zagreb County, through County
{{Castles in Croatia
Buildings and structures completed in 1264
Castles in Croatia
Buildings and structures in Zagreb County
Tourist attractions in Zagreb County