Velika Nedelja Castle

Just a few steps from the parish church in Velika Nedelja stands a mighty castle whose more than eight-hundred-year history still impresses visitors today. Its beginnings date back to around the year 1200, when Friderik of Ptuj, a ministerialis of the Salzburg Archbishopric, took control of the area together with the Teutonic Order. The castle is first mentioned in writing in 1273, but its oldest core is of even earlier origin. Preserved in the southwestern part of the present building, it testifies to the castle’s medieval defensive role.

In the 16th century, as the threat of Turkish raids grew, the castle was thoroughly fortified. A defensive moat, a new ring of walls, and several cylindrical towers—still a defining feature of the castle’s appearance—were built. In the northwest corner, a main entrance was added, accessible via a wooden drawbridge. At the same time, the north and south wings around the courtyard were renovated.

A new chapter in the castle’s development began between 1612 and 1619, when Commander Markvard Baron von Egkh-Hungersbach carried out a major renovation. The northern wing was extended to the west, incorporating a heraldic plaque with an inscription and the date 1612, crafted by the Italian Renaissance sculptor Philiberto Pacobello. The main tower portal was rebuilt, fitted with a groove for the drawbridge, and inscribed with the year 1619 on the keystone.

Around 1675, at the same time as the renovation of the parish church, the eastern wing was added, featuring an arcaded loggia on the ground floor. The castle well was restored and given a new stone crown topped with an elaborate wrought-iron structure.

The castle gained its Baroque splendour between 1723 and 1730, when the higher defensive parapets were removed and the heights of all wings were unified. The courtyard arcades were remodelled, the building received new windows and doors, and the eastern wing was emphasised with a triangular gable. Inside the northern wing, a grand staircase with a balustrade was constructed.

Posebna pozornost je bila namenjena grajski kapeli, ki ima korenine v poznoromanski dobi. Kapela je bila popolnoma prenovljena – dobila je novo galerijo, štukiran strop in pilastre, ki razgibajo stene. Prostore drugega nadstropja so obogatili s štukiranimi okvirji, lesenimi podi in pečmi, kar je gradu dalo podobo razkošne baročne rezidence.