Location: Jesenice, Brežice Map
Constructed: 1444
Tel. +3867 457 4240, +3867 493 6700
Email: mokrice@terme-catez.si
Mokrice Castle is a medieval fortress situated near Jesenice, Brežice region of South- Eastern Slovenia on the border with Croatia. Mokrice Castle was erected in 1444 in the Gorjanci hills overlooking Sava river valley. Wetlands around the river gave the castle its name. In Slovenian language the name comes from a term that means "wet" or "moist". Current medieval structure was erected on a site of much older Ancient Roman fort called Romulus. Its remains were uncovered during archaeological digs that were made on the grounds of the citadel. The coat of arms that you will see here has a crow with its neck pierced by an arrow. The legend claims that during Turkish invasion a black bird was scared by the advancing Turkish armies. It started to circle around the defenders in the central courtyard until it was shot by one of the Turkish archers.
The owner of Mokrice Castle reconstructed the stronghold into a private residence in the 16th century. After World War II the castle was nationalized by the Communist government and turned into a hotel and a restaurant. In 1988 grounds around Mokrice Castle were transformed into a golf course under a name of Mokrice Castle Golf Hotel. The same year video "Heart" by Pet Shop Boys were made here.
Chapel of Saint Anne
History
Mokrice Castle was first mentioned in 1444, and the basic features
of the Renaissance castle were given to Mokrice in the 16th century.
The history of the castle is marked by finds from the Roman Empire
and from the Turkish invasions.
It is 8 km away from Brezice and also has a turbulent past. At the
place where the castle stands today, there was a Romulus fort in the
Roman period.
The castle was built there for centuries as we see it today. He,
too, passed from one owner to another. The last nobles who owned it
were von Gagerni, who, due to financial distress, was forced to sell
the property before World War II, when the castle was occupied by
the Germans and nationalized after the war. Since 1952, the
hospitality industry has started in it. Now the castle has been
transformed into a four-star hotel. There is an 18-hole golf course
on 70 ha of land. The castle bridge is also beautifully preserved,
one of the few in Europe that still has a drawbridge.
Many stories have been preserved about the life itself and the
inhabitants of the castle. To name but two: one that tells of a crow
in the coat of arms and another - of the Countess Barbara.
At the time of the Turkish incursions into Slovenia, large flocks of
crows remained on the banks of the Sava River, disturbed by the
horse's heat; of course, they fled, and the Turks fired at them with
arrows. With their screaming flight (even towards the castle) they
warned of impending danger. Legend has it that one of the crows shot
by the Turks fell into the castle courtyard with an arrow in his
neck, so the lord gave her a place of honor in the coat of arms.
The second story tells of the unhappy love of the Countess Barbara,
who sadly threw herself from one of the towers into the deep. Of
course, she passed away, and her spirit was supposed to wander
around the castle for a long time. Even the large Turkish cannon
ball, sometimes driven in front of the castle entrance, driven by
the spirit of the unhappy Barbara, was supposed to roll three times
around the fountain of St. Barbara.