When one tries to conjure up the image of a castle, more often than not the picture that emerges is of a fortified structure atop a strategically located hill with thick defensive walls and a fortified tower. Tiny Podsreda Castle, in a remote corner of east Slovenia, fits this picture almost to a tee.

Built in the first half of the 12th century and mentioned for the first time in written sources in 1213, Podsreda Castle is one of the best preserved examples of Romanesque architecture in Slovenia, and one of only a handful from that period.

It is often referred to as the most castle-like of Slovenian castles, or sometimes the most royal castle in the country - and for good reason.

There have been many alterations to the original design, but most were done in the earliest decades of its existence, so its medieval core has remained more or less intact in the centuries since, and to this day it radiates a fairy tale-like energy.

The lack of visible change however belies a dynamic history. The first written mention in 1213, a record of the knight Ortolfus de Munparis bequeathing the property on his wife, Geburga, is just the first of many times the castle changed hands.

For much of the first centuries of its existence, it was in the hands of the various families of the Counts of Celje, then the most powerful noble house in Slovenian lands, but when the Celje lineage died out in the mid 15th century, it became property of the mighty House of Habsburg.

The last royal owners were the House of Windischgrätz, a Slovenian-Austrian aristocratic family serving the House of Habsburg, which took possession of Podsreda in 1848 and held onto it until the end of World War II.

After the war, Podsreda Castle suffered the fate of many Slovenian noble properties and was nationalised. It was left to ruin by the Communist authorities until 1983, when the Kozje Municipality took ownership of the property and started a decades-long restoration that continues to this day.

Lively castle life

Many castles become stodgy museum pieces, but not Podsreda Castle. It boasts a dynamic castle life despite a notable absence of tourist crowds. In fact, even many Slovenians barely know it exists.

The castle is managed by the Kozjansko Park, which combines biodiversity protection in an area that stretches over 206 square kilometres with the promotion of sustainable tourism and agriculture. One part of the castle is thus a park visitor area dedicated to presenting the park's activities, another showcases the area's biodiversity.

There are also permanent exhibitions on historic glass, a large exhibition of works by the modernist painter France Slana (1926-2022), and rooms telling the story of the castle's history, including a well preserved open-fire kitchen.

Saint Hemma of Gurk gets pride of place as well. A late 10th and early 11th century noblewoman believed to have been born in nearby Pilštanj whose family owned large swathes of present-day Štajerska, she is revered as the first Slovenian saint and Podsreda is part of the expansive Austrian-Slovenian Hemma Pilgrimage Route, which spans 690 kilometres in Slovenia alone.

Perhaps the biggest surprise awaits visitors in the castle attic, which is home to a thriving colony of lesser horseshoe bats and an exhibition dedicated to shedding light on the species and conservation efforts.

In the summer, the castle becomes an event venue, hosting classical music concerts and even the occasional rock band, as well as workshops and festivals for children.

Confusing name

The name Podsreda is somewhat confusing for Slovenians, because it literally translates as "under Wednesday," but there is a simple explanation for that.

Much like in nearby Podčetrtek (under Thursday), it denotes the most important day of the week for the castle and the tiny settlement of the same name which it overlooks: Wednesday was market day and court day, the day when all official business was conducted.

The castle's original name, however, was Hörberg (also spelled as Herberch), a reference to an old German word for shelter because it used to serve as a sanctuary for soldiers when they were in danger.