Bela Pec Castle
Encyclopedia
Bela Peč Castle is a castle ruin above the settlement of Bela Peč, near Rateče
in the extreme northwest corner of Slovenia
. The ruins are located almost exactly on the triple border between Slovenia, Austria
, and Italy
, lying just barely on the Italian
side of the border.
had controlled the area - a nexus of important trade routes between Friuli
, Carinthia
, and the Upper Sava Valley
- since 1418, having inherited it from the Counts of Ortenburg.
In addition to its primary function of defending the house's area landholdings, the castle served to protect the iron-ore mines and smelting furnaces of the upper Sava Valley, a sovereign possession of the Counts and a jealously guarded one because the industry was at the time normally a royal prerogative
.
After the extinction of the house of Celje in 1456, the castle and associated lordship were inherited by the Habsburgs, who managed the estate via a succession of ministeriales. During the 16th century, its owners were the Bucelleni family of Jesenice, also active in the iron industry. The castle's last owners were the Kos family, landlords of numerous area settlements, including Bela Peč, Rateče
, Podkoren
, Kranjska Gora
, Gozd Martuljek
, Dovje
, Hrušica
, Planina pod Golico
, Jesenice, Javornik
, Koroška Bela
, Potoki
and parts of Žirovnica
, Zabreznica
, and Doslovče
.
The castle was abandoned in the 18th century and left to decay. The impressive ruins are nonetheless indicative of its former might.
Ratece
-External links:** *...
in the extreme northwest corner of Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
. The ruins are located almost exactly on the triple border between Slovenia, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, lying just barely on the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
side of the border.
History
The castle was ordered built after 1431 by Frederik II of Celje, as a well-fortified stronghold atop a 1,120 m hill of the same name. The Counts of CeljeCounts of Celje
The Counts of Cilli or Celje represent the most important medieval aristocratic and ruling house with roots and territory in present-day Slovenia....
had controlled the area - a nexus of important trade routes between Friuli
Friuli
Friuli is an area of northeastern Italy with its own particular cultural and historical identity. It comprises the major part of the autonomous region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, i.e. the province of Udine, Pordenone, Gorizia, excluding Trieste...
, Carinthia
Carinthia (province)
Slovenian Carinthia or Slovene Carinthia, most commonly simply Carinthia is a traditional region in the north of Slovenia. It has no official status as an administrative unit within Slovenia, although the association with an informal province is still quite common.The region is referred to as...
, and the Upper Sava Valley
Upper Sava Valley
The Upper Sava Valley is an alpine valley in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia. The Sava Dolinka river flows along it. It begins in Rateče at an altitude of 870 m and ends at Moste at 560 m. It is the geographical border between the Julian Alps and the Karavanke Alps. It was created on a...
- since 1418, having inherited it from the Counts of Ortenburg.
In addition to its primary function of defending the house's area landholdings, the castle served to protect the iron-ore mines and smelting furnaces of the upper Sava Valley, a sovereign possession of the Counts and a jealously guarded one because the industry was at the time normally a royal prerogative
Royal Prerogative
The royal prerogative is a body of customary authority, privilege, and immunity, recognized in common law and, sometimes, in civil law jurisdictions possessing a monarchy as belonging to the sovereign alone. It is the means by which some of the executive powers of government, possessed by and...
.
After the extinction of the house of Celje in 1456, the castle and associated lordship were inherited by the Habsburgs, who managed the estate via a succession of ministeriales. During the 16th century, its owners were the Bucelleni family of Jesenice, also active in the iron industry. The castle's last owners were the Kos family, landlords of numerous area settlements, including Bela Peč, Rateče
Ratece
-External links:** *...
, Podkoren
Podkoren
Podkoren is a settlement in the Kranjska Gora municipality in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia. The village church is dedicated to Saint Andrew and is of late Gothic origin as are many houses in the village, but was largely refurbished in the Baroque style.Podkoren lies immediately below the...
, Kranjska Gora
Kranjska Gora
Kranjska Gora is a town and a municipality on the Sava Dolinka River in the Upper Carniola region of northwest Slovenia, close to the Austrian and Italian borders.Kranjska Gora is best known as a winter sports town, being situated in the Julian Alps...
, Gozd Martuljek
Gozd Martuljek
Gozd Martuljek is a settlement in the Kranjska Gora municipality in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia. The settlement was once called Rute, and is even today divided into Spodnje and Zgornje Rute....
, Dovje
Dovje
Dovje is a village in the municipality of Kranjska Gora in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia, located on the southern slopes of the Karavanke range at an elevation of 703 m. It has a rich history and rural tradition and is known as one of the sunniest villages in Slovenia...
, Hrušica
Hrušica (Jesenice)
Hrušica is a settlement 3 km west of Jesenice by the main road towards Kranjska Gora in the Jesenice municipality in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia....
, Planina pod Golico
Planina pod Golico
Planina pod Golico is a mountain village in the municipality of Jesenice, in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia.It lies at an altitude of 954 m in the Karavanke Alps, at the foot of mount Golica...
, Jesenice, Javornik
Slovenski Javornik
Slovenski Javornik is a settlement in the Municipality of Jesenice in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia. Commonly known simply as Javornik, the place name is derived from the Slovene word javor 'maple'....
, Koroška Bela
Koroška Bela
Koroška Bela is a settlement in the municipality of Jesenice in northwestern Slovenia. While its name refers to historic Carinthia, it has long been located in the Upper Carniolan region rather than in present-day Slovene Carinthia...
, Potoki
Potoki
Potoki may refer to the following places:*Potoki, Tomaszów Lubelski County in Lublin Voivodeship *Potoki, Włodawa County in Lublin Voivodeship *Potoki, Pomeranian Voivodeship...
and parts of Žirovnica
Žirovnica
Žirovnica is a municipality in Slovenia. It is located in the historic Upper Carniola region, on the southern slope of the Karavanke mountain range, close to the border with Austria...
, Zabreznica
Zabreznica
Zabreznica is one of ten villages in the municipality of Žirovnica in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia.It is the location of Žirovnica Primary School, which serves the primary education needs of all the villages in the municipality....
, and Doslovče
Doslovce
Doslovče is one of ten villages in the Žirovnica municipality in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia. It is best known as the birth place of the Slovene writer Fran Saleški Finžgar. His house has been a small museum since 1971.- External links :**...
.
The castle was abandoned in the 18th century and left to decay. The impressive ruins are nonetheless indicative of its former might.
Sources
- Jakič, Ivan: "All Slovene Castles" (Vsi slovenski gradovi), DZS, 1999, ISBN 86-341-2325-1