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Knights of Konjice are mentioned for the first time in 1148 (according to other sources
this happens in 1164) and the castle is explicitly mentione for the first time in 1237 as
castrum Gonuvviz (in 1312 as havs Gonewitz and in 1362 as vest ze Gonwiz).
Between 1329 and 1385 the castle was in posession of Lords of Viltuz but it was
temporarily in posession of Counts of Celje in 1365 and in 1385 in posession
of lords of Devin by hereditary contract. They are followed by Walsee family in 1406 who
lost Konjice castle, like all others, in battle which was a result of dispute with
Leopold IV. and duke Ernest Železni. In 1417 they made truce and got the castle back.
By extinction of Walsee family the castle became property of emperor in 1466. Managers
and pawners: Adam Svetkovič in 1511, Ivan Khiessl in 1572, Žiga Tattenbach in 1592
and in the meantime archduke Ferdinand for a short period, in 1597 Tattenbach heirs which
were owners of Konjice until 1671, when Ivan Erazem was beheaded because of conspiracy.
Josip Jurčič dedicated two of his stories to these events, "Erazem Tattenbach" and
"Bojim se te" ("I'm afraid of you"). The castle was sold tu Charterhouse Žiče in 1692
which was inherited by religion fund in 1783 after Jožef's reforms. The castle was probably
already abandoned when owned by Carthusians.
Konjice castle by it present formation belongs to a type of so called pulled castles of
mature gothic era. It spreads out along stretched, rather steep hill and signs of many
reconstructions are visible at once which gradually shaped its physiognomy in various
periods. Castle core is formed from two parts and original solar is supposed to be located
on the eastern side.
It is visible on not so old photographs of the castle, how ruthless time is which slowly
destroys the walls. Until today a gothic tower was renewed which is visible with its white
facade from far away and a building in the west part of castle formation. Also visible are
evidences of other maintenance works, for instance on eastern circular tower. It is possible
to access the castle from the west side by car driving pass the cemetery but also marked
footpath pass the old quarry from the eastern direction.
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Literature: |
Stopar, Ivan, Dr.: "Grajske stavbe v vzhodni Sloveniji - Med Prekmurjem
in porečjem Dravinje", Založba Park, Ljubljana, 1991, ISBN /
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Contact details: |
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Municipality of Slovenske Konjice
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Shows and entertainment: |
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During the last few years some cultural events occured on the old castle above
Slovenske Konjice, celebrations, movie theater and theatrical plays. At the present
time an exhibition is held in a tower (opend on saturdays, sundays and holidays),
a place south under the castle is a puopular gathering place for all generations.
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View of a castle from a south side
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Larger rectangular building
(maybe outbuilding) in north-west part of the plan
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Inside of the building which in under
reconstruction; it has a new (concrete) neo-gothic portal embedded
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Remains of the wall of northern
residential wing
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Southern defence wall
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Round defence tower,
embedded into defence wall which runs from east towards west
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East from a tower a defence wall is alerady
destroyed
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Space between the walls in the south, which
was constructed in the renaissance era
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Outer wall of southern residential
wing
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Remains of romanesque construction
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Remains of tower-like building -
maybe original house (possibly original solar) and a pentagonal tower leaning on it
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Western tower wall
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Foundations of romanesque bergfried
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Sculpted stones, embedded into the wall
during renovation
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Internal wall of southern
residential wing
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Probably a gothic portal which
connected northern residential wing with courtyard
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Stairs
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Prolongated courtyard, a bit irregular
rectangular shaped, once surrounded by residential buildings and outbuildings;
a castle chapel was located in its eastern prolongation
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Broken in ceiling of castle cellar; entrance to
the cellar was from one of the buildings in southern residential wing
(portal is visible)
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Internal walls of northern wing,
outer wall is totally destroyed
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On the left probably remains of the entrance tower
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View of a castle from west direction
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Covered with vegetation semicircular
renaissance roundel, supposed to be constructed when the owner was Adam Svetkovič
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Window in roundel, walls are almost
2 meters thick at this place
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View from a castle towards north
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Konjice castle on
secundarily colored lithography from Reichert, from around 1860, detail;
graphic museum Rogaška Slatina
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G. M. Vischer,
Konjice castle, copper engraving from around 1681
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Konjice castle from 1905; source: Wikipedia
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Konjice borough from 1830,
castle visible in the background; source: Wikipedia
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