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Celje Castle (also known as Celje Upper Castle or Old Castle) (Slovene Celjski grad, Celjski zgornji grad or Stari grad) is a castle ruin in Celje, Slovenia, formerly the seat of the Counts of Celje. It stands on three hills to the southeast of Celje, where the river Savinja meanders into the Lako valley. Today, the castle is in the process of being restorated. It was once the largest fortification on Slovenian territory.
The Celje Castle from the banks of Savinja in Peovnik. A view towards the northeast.
Contents
1 History 1.1 Early history 1.2 Lords of Sanneck and Counts of Celje 1.3 Holy Roman Empire 1.4 19th and 20th centuries 1.5 21st century 2 References 3 Sources 4 External links
History
Early history
The earliest reference to the Celje Castle dates from 1322 and calls it purch Cylie. Later, the castle was known by various names, including vest Cili (1341), castrum Cilie (1451), gsloss Obercili (1468). It is noteworthy that the name Obercili - Upper Celje - only appears after the Counts of Celje had died out. Its original name was grad Celje (Celje Castle). The first fortified building on the site (a Romanesque palace) was built in the first half of the 13th century by the Counts of Heunburg from Carinthia on the stony outcrop on the western side of the ridge where the castle stands. It had five sides, or four plus the southern side, which was a natural defence. The first written records of The Celje Upper Castle the castle date back to between 1125 and 1137; it was probably built by Count Gunter. In the western section of the castle, there was a building with several floors. Remains of the walls of this palatium have survived. In the eastern section, there was an enclosed courtyard with large water reservoirs. The eastern wall,
section, there was an enclosed courtyard with large water reservoirs. The eastern wall, which protects the castle from its most exposed side, was around three metres thicker than the rest of the curtain wall. The wall was topped with a parapet and protected walkway. This was typical of Ministerialis castles of the time.
income generated by Rudolfswert (later Novo Mesto). Other caretakers followed, most of whom were at the same time vicedominus and the administrator of various taxes. The castles importance as a fortress rapidly gave way to its economic role. Celje Castle was not only the most important castle in Slovenia, but in the entire eastern Alps. It covered an area of almost 5500 m. From the ruins that remain and from depictions of the castle that have survived, it is possible to paint a detailed picture of how it once looked. Several new techniques were employed in the castles architectural development, which were the model for other castles in the region under Celjes influence. The castle began to fall into disrepair shortly after losing its strategic importance. Georg Matthus Vischers depiction of the castle from 1681 shows that Friderikov stolp no longer had a roof at the end of the 17th century. During the renovation of the lower castle (the section closest to the town) in 1748, the castles tiled roof was removed. When Count Gaisruck bought the castle in 1755, he removed the roof truss as well. The best stones were then re-used in the construction of the Novo Celje Mansion between Petrove and alec. From this time onward, it was no longer possible to live in the castle, and it slowly turned into a complete ruin. The last residents left the site in 1795. In 1803, the farmer Andrej Goriek bought the castle and began to use the site as a quarry.
21st century
The Celje tourist board holds an event entitled "Pod zvezdami Celjanov" ("Under the stars of Celje") at Celje Castle in late summer every year, which features performances and representations of life in the Middle Ages. Music concerts also take place in the castle. Celje Castle is an important Slovenian tourist attraction and is visited by approximately 60,000 people every year.[1] An annual cultural entertainment event, Veronikini veeri, which is named after the character Veronika in the Slovenian opera Veronika Desenika, also takes place in the castle.[2] The evening features various concerts, theatre performances and other entertainment, and each year the organiser, in collaboration with the municipality of Celje, awards the Veronikina nagrada (prize) for poetry and the Zlatnik poezije (gold medal for poetry). The Veronikini veeri event has been taking place since 1996 and the Veronikina nagrada has equally been awarded since then. The Zlatnik
References
1. ^ http://www.celje.si/sl/component/content/article/54-znamenitosti/158-starigradcelje 2. ^ http://www.veronikini-veceri.si/press_kit/veronikini_veceri.doc
Sources
Krones Franz (Gradec 1883). Die Freien von Saneck und ihre Chronik als Grafen von Cilli, 2. Teil, Die Cillier Chronik, (prevod Ludovik Modest Golia, Kronika grofov Celjskih, (Zaloba obzorja, Maribor 1972)), Celje: Kulturna skupnost v Celju. Oroen, Janko (1971). Zgodovina Celja in okolice, 1. del, v Celjski zbornik, Celje: Kulturna skupnost v Celju. Stopar, Ale (2006). Stari grad Celje, Staroitnosti: vodnik Pokrajinskega muzeja Celje; 2, Celje: Pokrajinski muzej. Stopar, Ivan (1972). Stari grad nad Celjem. Maribor: Zaloba Obzorja. Stopar, Ivan (1977). Razvoj srednjeveke grajske arhitekture na Slovenskem tajerskem. Ljubljana: Slovenska matica.
External links
Official site Celje Castle (http://www.grad-celje.com) Local Slovenian webpage with information about the castle (http://www.slovenia.info/en/Fort/Celje,-Celje-Old-Castle.htm? utrdba_arhitekturne=3550&lng=2) A video showing the Celje Castle (http://revver.com/video/353977/planet-cilli)
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