Ptuj castle

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ptuj and its medieval castle offers an ideal destination if you are staying in Maribor for more than 2 days. It is really easy to get there. Basically, you don't even need a car, because of an excellent bus connection between Maribor and Ptuj (every 20 or 30 minutes) and the journey takes only  20-25 minutes.

I used to work in one of the primary schools in Ptuj and I took my pupils to the castle whenever possible. I was teaching art and the castle's art collection is an incredible source of inspiration. Kids absolutely loved it and we always had such a great time.

Ptuj is Slovenia’s oldest city. Besides the beautiful castle, it hosts the oldest wine cellar in Slovenia (wine tasting of some of the best white wines from Ptuj region is a must) and is surrounded by numerous tourist farms. The"tiny" city centre of Ptuj is absolutely charming dotted with cafes and eateries of all kind. 

The Ptuj castle is situated on a hill to the north of river Drava and it dominates the town. The castle has a long and rich history. Archaeological excavations show that the first settlers took the Castle Hill at the end of the Stone Age or the beginning of Copper Age. The hill was a strategically crucial Roman post and the city kept its strategic importance throughout the medieval period. The first castle was built in the 9th or 10th century but sadly only one tower survived to this day. In the 12th century Archbishop Kondrad of Salzburg (then Ptuj's feudal lord) ordered the construction of a new castle. Again, only one part of this construction remains today - darn, they were fighting all the time! Of course, the castle was subject to major reconstructions in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. 

Ptuj castle is a beautiful museum with rooms preserved to their original glory. On the ground floor it hosts a great collection of musical instruments used by wealthy Ptuj citizens. The first floor is a home to the most beautiful castle chambers with several magnificent collections of furniture, tapestries, paintings from the second half of 16th century and up until the 19th century.

The Festival Hall has a beautiful collection of Turqueries (these are paintings with Turkish motifs and date back to the 17th century).

The castle art gallery presents some of the most beautiful examples of Gothic and Baroque art in Slovenia.

Oh yes, there is another beautiful collection which will make your children happy! The collection of traditional carnival costumes and masquerade figures from Ptujsko polje, Dravsko polje, Haloze, and Slovenske Gorice is just perfect for kids' vivid imagination.

The castle opening times:

• from 15th October until 1st May every day from 9am to 5pm
• from 1st May until 15th October every day from 9am to 6pm
• Saturdays and Sundays in July and August from 9am to 8pm
• closed on  1st January, 1st November and 25th December