Ptuj Castle

Ptuj Castle sits on a hill above the Drava river and the red-tiled roofs of Ptuj, the town that has a reasonable claim to being the oldest in Slovenia. The Romans founded the settlement of Poetovio down in the valley, and the castle hill above had been occupied long before and continued to be a fortified site through the medieval centuries. Few places in the country show so many layers of history in a single view, which makes it one of Slovenia’s richest historic sites.

In the Middle Ages the area belonged to the archbishops of Salzburg, who controlled much of the surrounding territory, and the castle served as a stronghold under their rule. Later it was held by the Lords of Ptuj, a powerful family that governed the town and lands around it. Over the centuries the buildings were repeatedly rebuilt and extended, and the present complex reflects Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque phases of work. In the seventeenth century the castle passed to the Leslies, a family of Scottish origin, and in the nineteenth century it belonged to the Herbersteins, who held it until it was nationalised after the Second World War in 1945.

Today it houses the Regional Museum Ptuj-Ormož, and the collections are the main reason to visit. Rooms of period furniture give a sense of how noble families lived in the castle. Collections of historical weapons and armour, musical instruments, paintings and tapestries fill the halls, and one of the most popular parts of the display is the section on the Kurent, the fur-clad, bell-wearing figure at the centre of Ptuj's winter carnival traditions, with masks and costumes on show. Temporary exhibitions are held in the galleries during the year, so the displays change from season to season.

The grounds and terraces repay attention too. From the walls you can look over the river, the old town and the surrounding wine hills, and the courtyard with its arcades is a pleasant place to sit. Guided tours are offered, often in more than one language, and they are a good way to understand the sequence of owners and buildings. Admission arrangements, tour times and seasonal opening can differ from year to year, so confirm them before you go.

Ptuj is small enough to see on foot. After the castle, walk down to the Minorite Monastery, the Orpheus Monument and the town's Roman sites, including the Mithraeum remains, to complete the picture of a place with two thousand years of continuous life.