Kostel Castle
Encyclopedia
Kostel Castle is a castle above the settlement of Kostel
in southeastern Slovenia
. It is located on a steep hill above the river Kolpa, not far from the Croatia
n border.
, vassals of the Patriarchate of Aquileia
. First mentioned in 1336 as castrum Grafenwarth, its current name is first recorded in 1449 as Costel, a corruption of the Latin
castrum, "fortress." After the extinction of the Counts Ortenburg on 28 April 1418, the Counts of Celje
inherited their area holdings, expanding the castle into a formidable fortress and renaming it Schloss Grauenwarth, though the surrounding settlement retained the slavicised
-Latin
name Kostel.
The castle and settlement were both surrounded by a high, two meter thick wall featuring five defence towers, built by order of Frederik II of Celje. The castle's purpose was the defence of the house's landholdings in Carniola
; it also housed a local judiciary
, and had its own dedicated execution site about 1 km away.
After the death of prince Ulrich II of Celje
in 1456 and the extinction of the house, the castle fell to the Habsburg
s, who eventually granted the settlement market rights
, giving rise to a new colloquial name, Trg ("market").
During the 15th and 16th centuries the castle was an important strategic fortification against Turkish invasion. With many of the countries of southeastern Europe occupied or tributaries of the Turkish Ottoman empire, Slovenia became exposed to further Turkish inroads into Europe. The castle, standing along one of the Ottoman Turks' common incursion routes into Slovenia, came under attack several times. Only in 1578 did the castle fall, when the garrison accepted supposed refugees of the Turks, but who that night opened the door to the Turks who killed and captured the inhabitants of the castle and its village and the surrounding region. The depopulated area was then settled by numerous Uskoci.
Kostel
Kostel is a settlement and a municipality in southern Slovenia. It located on the left bank of the Kolpa River next to the border with Croatia. It is part of the traditional region of Lower Carniola and is now included in the Southeast Slovenia statistical region.Its main landmark from which the...
in southeastern Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
. It is located on a steep hill above the river Kolpa, not far from the Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n border.
History
The site was originally occupied by a lesser fort, which was expanded into a castle between 1247 and 1325 by the Counts of OrtenburgGrafschaft Ortenburg
The Ortenburger were a medieval noble family in the Duchy of Carinthia, with roots in Bavarian nobility. An affiliation with the Counts of Ortenburg-Neuortenburg, a branch line of the Rhenish Franconian House of Sponheim, is not established. Little is known about their reasons for settlement in...
, vassals of the Patriarchate of Aquileia
Patriarchate of Aquileia (State)
The Patriarchate of Aquileia was an Imperial State in the Friulian region of Northeastern Italy under the control of the Patriarchs of Aquileia.- Foundation :...
. First mentioned in 1336 as castrum Grafenwarth, its current name is first recorded in 1449 as Costel, a corruption of the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
castrum, "fortress." After the extinction of the Counts Ortenburg on 28 April 1418, the Counts of Celje
Counts of Celje
The Counts of Cilli or Celje represent the most important medieval aristocratic and ruling house with roots and territory in present-day Slovenia....
inherited their area holdings, expanding the castle into a formidable fortress and renaming it Schloss Grauenwarth, though the surrounding settlement retained the slavicised
Slavic languages
The Slavic languages , a group of closely related languages of the Slavic peoples and a subgroup of Indo-European languages, have speakers in most of Eastern Europe, in much of the Balkans, in parts of Central Europe, and in the northern part of Asia.-Branches:Scholars traditionally divide Slavic...
-Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
name Kostel.
The castle and settlement were both surrounded by a high, two meter thick wall featuring five defence towers, built by order of Frederik II of Celje. The castle's purpose was the defence of the house's landholdings in Carniola
Carniola
Carniola was a historical region that comprised parts of what is now Slovenia. As part of Austria-Hungary, the region was a crown land officially known as the Duchy of Carniola until 1918. In 1849, the region was subdivided into Upper Carniola, Lower Carniola, and Inner Carniola...
; it also housed a local judiciary
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
, and had its own dedicated execution site about 1 km away.
After the death of prince Ulrich II of Celje
Ulrich II of Celje
Ulrich II , also known as Ulrich Cillei, was the last Princely Count of Celje.Ulrich II. was the son of Count Frederick II of Celje and his wife Elizabeth, a scion of the Croatian House of Frankopan. Little is known of his youth...
in 1456 and the extinction of the house, the castle fell to the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
s, who eventually granted the settlement market rights
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
, giving rise to a new colloquial name, Trg ("market").
During the 15th and 16th centuries the castle was an important strategic fortification against Turkish invasion. With many of the countries of southeastern Europe occupied or tributaries of the Turkish Ottoman empire, Slovenia became exposed to further Turkish inroads into Europe. The castle, standing along one of the Ottoman Turks' common incursion routes into Slovenia, came under attack several times. Only in 1578 did the castle fall, when the garrison accepted supposed refugees of the Turks, but who that night opened the door to the Turks who killed and captured the inhabitants of the castle and its village and the surrounding region. The depopulated area was then settled by numerous Uskoci.