Dobrovo Castle
History
The Colloredo Counts were the first owners, followed at the end of the 18th century by the de Catterini-Erzberg family from Gorica. The following owners were the marquises of the Montecuccoli family and in 1872 the Baguer family inherited the property.
The castle walls are believed to have been built during the Second Venetian War (1615–1617) and after the war, the walls were rearranged into a corridor with arcades. One tower was changed into a chapel dedicated to Saint Anthony from Padua.
Premises
This square-shaped three-storey castle with symmetrically set four towers was built in the style of a type of Venetian villa of the 17th century. It is surrounded by walls with two cylindrical towers.
On the ground floor, there is a central entrance hall, while the first floor houses the Knights Hall where different musical and other events are held. Some parts of the frescos in the Hunters' Room and along the staircase have been preserved, as well as some original items of furnishing. Painted by the artist Clement Del Neri in 1894, the paintings depict the properties of the count. In front of the castle, there are remnants of a former historical park.
Along with the Goriška Museum branch, the castle houses a restaurant on the ground floor and a wine cellar with wines from Goriška Brda. The castle is also used for temporary exhibitions in the gallery as well as other cultural events in the castle yard.
Exhibitions
The exhibitions Castle Collection in Dobrovo – Attempt of Reconstruction and Ad sanctos. Archaeological research at the Church of St Leonard in Dolnje Cerovo are on permanent display. The chapel houses a permanent exhibition of Gothic frescoes – originals and copies taken from other churches of the North Primorska region.
On the first floor, next to the Knights Hall, a 19th-century cultural history collection is displayed with photographs, original objects, and works of art. Also displayed there is a 17th-century fresco depicting the scene of the naval attack of the city and the coats-of-arms of former owners. Morever, a part of the collection of paintings of the last owner, Count Bagueri, is also on display in the castle.
Zoran Mušič collection
The second floor exhibits a collection of 134 prints by world-famous artist Zoran Mušič (1909–2005), dating from 1949 onwards. The artworks are emotionally related to Dalmatia, Istria, Karst, Umbria and the Venetian lagoon. The cycle We Are Not the Last (Nismo poslednji) is marked by the artist's experience in a Nazi camp. The collection was donated to the Municipality of Nova Gorica by the artist in 1991.