Dobrovo Castle

Dobrovo Castle stands at the centre of the village of Dobrovo, in Goriška Brda, the wine-growing hills in the far west of Slovenia, a few kilometres from the Italian border. The building is a Renaissance residence, with a square plan, corner towers and a courtyard surrounded by arcades, and it dominates the village in the way that a manor house traditionally dominated its estate. It was built in the sixteenth century for a local noble family and later passed into the hands of other families who held lands in Brda, which was then part of the County of Gorizia and, after that, the Habsburg lands. Today it is the main cultural monument of the region.

Inside, the castle houses several collections. One of the best known is the permanent exhibition of graphic works by Zoran Mušič, the painter born in the nearby borderland who became one of the major Slovene artists of the twentieth century, known for his haunting drawings from the Second World War and for the landscapes of Dalmatia, Siena and Venice. His prints and drawings are shown in rooms of the castle, and the exhibition gives a sense of how closely the art of the region is linked to its landscape. Other rooms present the history of the area and the life of the families who once lived in the house, with furniture, portraits and household objects, and the larger rooms, including the Knights' Hall, are used for concerts, exhibitions and festivals.

The castle is also a good gateway to the region's wine culture. Klet Brda, the large cooperative cellar, is located in Dobrovo and is one of the biggest in Slovenia, offering guided tours and tastings of its wines, in particular the Rebula for which the area is known. The village has restaurants and wine shops, and its cherry festival in early summer celebrates the fruit that covers the hills, which ripens in May and June. The surrounding countryside, with its terraced vineyards and views toward the Julian Alps and the plains of Friuli, is excellent for walking and cycling.

Dobrovo Castle fits well into a day of exploring Brda. Villa Vipolže, Movia, Ščurek, the Viewing Tower in Gonjače and the Vineyards of Goriška Brda are all within easy reach, and Krčnik and Kotline offer quieter stops. Opening hours and admission arrangements change with the season, so it is wise to check before visiting. A visit to the castle takes an hour or two, and it combines naturally with lunch in the village.