Mokrice is first mentioned by historical sources in 1444. The name comes from the word mokrota, meaning marshland and springs.
There is an interesting legend from the 17th century about the Countess Barbara Moscon and the towers of this castle. She was said to have thrown herself from the top of the tower after a tragic love affair. Supposedly, on every feast day of St. Barbara, an old Turkish cannonball, fired by the spirit of the unfortunate Countess, would roll around the castle courtyard three times! The cannonball lay in front of the castle entrance until the Second World War, when it was taken to the Historical Museum in Zagreb. There is a memorial plaque to Barbara Moscon on the retaining wall of the Chapel of St. Anne, pictured below....
The medieval Chapel of St. Anne, with its Baroque interior.
In 1941 the castle was occupied by the Germans. When they left in 1945, they took with them most of the valuable items from the Knights Hall, furniture, paintings and even the stoves and fireplaces.
Mokrice was nationalized after the war. It became a home for children orphaned by the war, then it was an old people's home. In 1952 it was turned into a restaurant. Today it is owned by the state and managed by a nearby spa complex. The castle is a 4 star hotel with 29 rooms, four of them in the tower and a beautiful restaurant with seating for 150 guests, stretching across three halls.
It was a thrill to walk across the drawbridge and into the castle courtyard. Our first castle experience - we can't wait to see more!
1 comment:
That would be a neat experience! The only castle I've been to was one in Toronto... Maybe one day we'll get stationed overseas and be able to see some cool sites. Your children are getting quite the education!!! Awesome!
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