Old Castle in Smlednik

The Old Castle, also called the Smlednik Castle, is located on an elevation east of Lake Zbilje and west of the Šmarna gora hill. The castle ruins are of more than just local importance; they are counted among the most important in Slovenia.

The design and the construction development of the castle represent the most pure format of a medium sized medieval castle in central Slovenia. Today, the castle offers a nice panoramic view, and in the past it served as a watch tower against invaders. An important freight route is located nearby, from the Savinjska region towards Italy.

From the castle, you can see the Šmarna gora hill, the tops of Lubnik, Ratitovec and the Julian Alps with Triglav to the west, the Karawanks and the Kamnik – Savinje Alps to the north and the Polhov Gradec Dolomites to the southwest.

The castle was built in the Romanesque period to protect the area against invaders. At the time, it only had an independent defence tower and a moat. The castle was renovated and changed in the Gothic period and then again after the 1511 earthquake, when the renaissance-style living areas and defence towers were added. The castle was renovated up to the year 1610 and is a beautiful example of medieval castle development in central Slovenia.

The castle has had many owners: its first owner is believed to be Wdalricus de Fledinich (Ulrich Smledniški), and then it passed to the Counts of Celje and the House of Habsburg. Starting in 1695, it was owned by Janez Adam, nobleman of Pernburg, later the Baron of Flödnich, whose family was replaced by the Barons of Lazzarini in 1795.

There is a snack bar below the castle that serves food all week long, with a larger selection of meals on weekends. If the hike to the Old castle is not enough for you, you can continue toward the Church of St. Giles on the Repanje hill.

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