Hidden under the tree-leaves on 636 meters high steep hill named Stari grad
at Loka at Tabor lie humble ruins of once imposing castle Ojstrica (Osterwitz).
Fortification was in ownership of free lords of Žovnek. Supposedly it was later
also a place for a prison of Celje in which also Friderik II. of Celje was
imprisoned. It is also supposed that in 1428 his second wife Veronika of Desenice
was murdered here. It is told that she was drowned but according to another legend
she was thrown from rocky cliff from neighbouring hill Krvavica. Legend continues that
Veronika of Desenice was returning on the rocky cliff, where she was murdered,
every moon-lit night and cry.
First mentioning of the castle in sources is from 1280 as castrum Ostirwitz,
in 1308 as haus Osterwitz, in 1362 as schloss Osterwitz,
and then in 1372 as (geschloss Ostrawicz), in 1423 (vest osterwitz),
in 1459 (gesloss Osterwitz) and in 1484 gesloss Osterbicz.
Castle was managed by castellans of Žovnek-Celje which were in 14th century
named after the castle (in 1320 knight Ushalk, in 1330 Mertl and in 1352 Eberhard).
Pavel Luegel from Žalec (mentioned in 1417) and Jurij Minndorfer(1432) were also
castellans from Celje. After the year 1452 castle was ruled by provincial-prince
caretakers, first among them was Hans Eckelheimer, followed by deputy of provincial-prince
Jurij Apprecher (mentioned in 1459), Hansen Apprecher (1478), Krištof Obračan (1484), Tomaž
Gradenecker (1494), between 1501 and 1530 Leonhard Raumschüssl and his sons and from 1535
Jošt Limbarski. In 1542 Friderik von Rechberg was mentioned, Hans Wagen in 1546 and
in 1556 it was handed to Maksimilijan Schrottenbach as bet-posession, which abolished
the castle and build a mansion at the foot of a hill. Castle was almost totally ruined
allready at the beginning of the 17th century.
On the top of the hill the original castle core with imposing keep (bergfried) was standing,
build from big carved blocks. Poor remains of ruins tistify of than and underneath at a
steep hillside other castle and auxilliary buildings were located, protected by three moats
chisled in the rocky crest. A few walls, few meters high, of these abjects are still preserved.
A castle-chapel of "Our dear lady" was also on Ojstrica.
Also these remarks were found: Chronicles of Cilli (Celje) reports in
chapter XXXVIII. that widow of Ulrik of Celje, Katarina, well-protected
castles Žovnek, Ojstrica and others; in 1635 among other castles Ojstrica
was attacked by peasant resistance.
Terrain, where the ruins are located, is dissicultly passable, the vegetation
has completely overgrown and roots of the trees have starting to grow over ruins
and are destroying them with their strength. Interior is filled-up with soil, leaves
but mustly with heavily knitted tree-roots. It is diffucult to establish parts of
the castle from ruins. For some ruins it is possible to conclude at the beginning if
it is part of castle core or wall/defence wall at the moats. A scratch from Vischer could be
used but as it is known that they were never very accurate. So the descriptions of
photos will be limited.
For those who wish to visit the ruins I offer a brief guide on hot to get
to location.
On the Vransko-Celje road turn left towards Tabor. From here you driver
through village Loke and immediatelly after the end of the village you'll find
an intersection, which is shown oh photo no.1.
You take the macadam road towards hill Krvavica (a sing/table will be visible). Continue
driving till sand-pit, where you can park your car or any other vehicle. Photo no.2.
From here you take the macadam road back (to north) for approximatelly 30 meters. Aforest
way will be visible on your left along with signpost for Ojstrica (photo no.3 and 4). Path
is continued by steep hillside to the castle ruins.
13-03-2005
According to someone from plate Tabor a tunnel once existed from the castle
to mansion, but it has allready collapsed (maybe not completely). In this tunnel
one local farmer more than 30 years ago (most likely at the time of demolition
of the mansion) supposedly found very well preserved medieval sword, which he later
exchanged (presumably with a doctor) for a fishing rod. Nowadays Ojstrica is still
very interesting location, where noses of metall-detectors like to sniff. Excavation
of the ruins is forbidden, but if we find something it's not ours to keep.
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Literature: |
Kralj, Franc: "Žovnek in Žovneški", Kulturno zgodovinsko društvo Žovnek
Braslovče, 2000
Jakič, Ivan: "Vsi slovenski gradovi", DZS, 1999, ISBN 86-341-2325-1
Stopar, Ivan, Dr.: "Razvoj srednjeveške grajske arhitekture na
slovenskem štajerskem", Slovenska matica Ljubljana, 1977
Koropec, Jože: "MI SMO TU: Veliki punt na Slovenskem v letu 1635",
Založba Obzorja Maribor, 1985
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Eastern hillside
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Eastern hillside
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Eastern defence wall
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Rocks which falls and rolls down
the steepnes
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Northern wall covered with
leaves and vegetation
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Ruin on the north side
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West wall with modern grafitti
mentioning Veronika of Desenice
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West wall, most preserved of all
but filled-up to the top on the other side
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First visible ruins on south side
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First visible ruins on south side
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Georg Matthäus
Vischer: Topographia ducatus Stiriae, 1681;
Visible ruins of the castle Ojstrica on the right, under the hill
newly build mansion
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Panorama of Savinja valley
from neighbouring hill; simmilar view was once enjoyed from castele Ojstrica
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Schloss Osterwitz, St. Georgen am Tabor, Ojstricia - J.F.Kaiser Lithografirte Ansichten der Steiermark (1830)
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