Špitalič (mansion)
Neuthal

17th century

In 1228 margrave Henrik from Istria founded hospice of St.Anton under Kozjak in Tuhinj valley close to former constructed but probably younger valley blockade. After this hospice, similar to Žiče charterhouse in Styria, the village got its characteristic name Špitalič. Hospice was from the beginning and through the middle ages working under the patronage of Cistercian monastery from Vetrinje in Carinthia until it was sold in 1608 by abbot of Vetrinje, Jurij Reinprecht, with concensus of provincial prince and pope to Hans Thaller.
Not full three decades later, in 1635, it was attacked and robbed by rebelled peasants. One of Hans Thaller's heirs afterwards constructed a new Renaissance-Baroque building tha gave it a new, German name - Neuthall. Later owners of the mansion ant at the same time the dominion were Hohenwarts from the 1670 and followed by Auerspergs in 1693. Between 1713 the estate was again in the hands of Hohenwarts and then again Auerspergs, who added the state in 1771 to dominion Križ pri Kamniku. In 1796 the dominion was inherited by Apfaltrers who remained the owners until the last war when it was burned down in 1945 by partisans.

Dr. France Stele who visited the mansion before it was burned characterised the building as Baroque because the building was reconstructed after the fire on July 4th 1755 and by doing that most of its older Renaissance components were erased. Semicircular stone portal with buckwheat-grain cut edges was the sole witness that the mansion was built on older, mediaeval base even if it was possible at the time to deduct that by a location of a manor very close to old Romanesque hospital church. It should be also noted here of the remains of former counter-Turkish valley blockade (Klause - closing) in the near vicinity of the mansion, which already the literature in the 19th century marked with the characteristic »tabor« ("surrounded with defence wall").

Literature:
Stopar, Ivan, Dr.: "Grajske stavbe v osrednji Sloveniji - I. Gorenjska (Območje Kamnika in Kamniške Bistrice)", Viharnik, Ljubljana, 1997, ISBN 961-6057-12-X
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GPS coordinates:
N 46° 13.030' E 14° 50.670'

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From north-east
Outer, southern wall with visible window openings
Ruined southern wall is the only one that is preserved and is on its west side leaning against the cemetery wall
Cemetery between the church and the ruins; not yet noticeable on Valvasor's depiction
buttress on south-east corner of the ruins; not yet visible on Valvasor's depiction
Part of ruined eastern wall
Memorial plaque, drawling attention to the ruins of the mansion, embedded on the inside
Church of St.Anton from 13th century, which was for the first time reconstructed in Gothic era and then completely reconstructed in Baroque era has preserved till today; inside a quality Baroque equipment is located
Nicely shaped doors of the church with the year 1864
J. V. Valvasor, Špitalič mansion at the ancient Špitalič church
Desolated walls of burned manor from 1956; author of the footage is I. Komelj


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