Rajhenburg Castle

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Grad Rajhenburg

Cesta izgnancev 3, Sl-8280 Brestanica, Slovenia,

http://ww.brestanica.com/slo/okraju-grad.html

uprava@muzej-nz.si

Phone386 (0) 1 300 9610

ProprietorBrestanica Muncipality

First described in 895, Rajhenburg Castle is the oldest documented castle in Slovenia. The original structure was demolished at the beginning of the 10th century, but Bishop Konrad of Salzburg had it renovated between 1131 and 1147. The most prominent owners of the castle were the Rajhenburgs, the noble Moscons, the Knights Gradeneck, the Barons Gall Galenstein and the Counts Attems.

After 1884 Trappist monks moved into the castle, where they produced chocolate and liqueur. Then in April 1941 the Germans transformed the castle into the central camp for deporting Slovenes; during the course of World War II around 45,000 Slovenes were sent into exile from here. After World War II the castle continued to function as a prison, but in 1968 it became the home of the Museum of Political Prisoners, Internees and Deportees, Brestanica.

The Romanesque perimeter, built in the 12th century, is noteworthy for the structure and construction of the walls. The castle chapel retains its original Romanesque portal, although the two-storey building itself was sturdily reconstructed in the 16th century.

Within the castle are several profiled timberwork ceilings and terraced walls. A unique feature is the architectural decoration of the inner facades. On the first floor is an almost hidden secular Renaissance fresco by the Master from Marija Gradec (1530).