 Jan 17 2024 - Nov 3 2024

 Ljubljana

An exhibition at the Metelkova wing of the National Museum will look at the fate of Gutenwerd, a thriving Medieval town that was destroyed by the Turks in 1437 and then forgotten until it was uncovered 500 years on by archaeologists.

Located in SE Slovenia, the town was likely established in the 12th century and thrived for two centuries. Its power started dwindling in the 14th century with the establishment of the nearby Rudolfswerd, the present-time Novo Mesto.

Then, in the summer of 1473 it was destroyed by the Turks, as described in detail by the Freising Prince Bishop John IV Tulbeck in a letter to Sigismund, the Duke of Tyrol. Its ruins overgrown, the town was forgotten. The only thing that remained was a church and legends of a treasure.

While its physical existence was nearly erased, the town and its residents were mentioned in a number of documents, and archaeologists went to work to find its location. Extensive excavations, lasting between 1967 and 1984, produced thousands of artefacts which are kept by the National Museum.