Located in the capital city of Slovenia, the medieval castle of Ljubljana was first mentioned in the early 12th century. It was an important fortification kept mainly to defend the city from Ottoman invasion.

Ljubljana Castle History

In the 15th century almost the whole castle was demolished and rebuilt and today the castle has little resemblance to its medieval origins.

After the 18th century, the castle gradually lost its importance and because it was not the residence of any ruler it started a process of decay. It deteriorated so much that at the beginning of the 20th century, it was used as social housing by the poor of Ljubljana.

In the second half of the 20th century, the castle was restored and is now one of the main architectural attractions of the capital city. Nowadays there are daily guided tours of the castle in four languages.

Ljubljana Castle Location

In order to see Ljubljana castle you will either have to climb on top of a hill for about 15 minutes from Stari trg (Old square) or take a 3-minute funicular. The funicular runs every 10 minutes from Krekov trg.

Ljubljana Castle Map

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Located in one of the most scenic areas of Slovenia, 100 meters above Lake Bled, the Bled Castle is one of Slovenia’s most visited castles.

Bled Castle History

The castle was originally a Romanesque one, but only its tower is left intact as it was continually modified and restored in different styles including Renaissance and Baroque.

The castle dates back to the 11th century at least as it was first officially mentioned in 1011, when it was transferred to the Bishops of Brixen from Emperor Henry II. Two and a half centuries later the castle passed into the hands of the House of Habsburgs.

Inside the castle, there is a small chapel, as well as a museum of weaponry and furniture. From the castle, a visitor can overlook the mountains and the lake, and the island in the middle of the lake.

There is also a popular restaurant inside the walls.

Getting to Bled cannot be any easier. The A2 motorway passes next to Bled and the roads are well-signed. Once in Bled, it is impossible to miss the castle that sits atop a cliff.

Bled Castle Location

Bled Castle is located above Lake Bled in Slovenia. Follow the map to reach the address: Grajska cesta 61, 4260 Bled, Slovenia.

Bled Castle Map

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