Predjama Castle

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When planning a vacation in Slovenia, Postojna is definitely a place to go. The world famous Postojna Cave, the unique cave animals in Vivarium, and the idyllic Predjama Castle with amazing gardens are just some of the highlights of this amazing region.

Predjama Castle is perched up on a 123-meter high cliff and it is the Guinness World Record Holder as the largest cave castle in the world. It is simply stunning; it gives an impression of a harsh guardian, looking over the beautiful nature surroundings and it is clear that this mysterious castle holds many interesting stories.

Predjama Castle was built more than 700 years ago. The Castle itself is not as big as some Renaissance castles and mansions you can find in other Slovenian cities, but it is definitely one of the unique castles.

The truth is, this castle was never really the best place to live in as it was always cold, because of the chill breeze from the cave system under the castle. The system we are referring to measures more than 140 kilometers and is the second largest in Slovenia. Only 13 kilometers have been explored so far, among them Erazmov rov.

No wonder that only the most fearsome kings choose this castle to be their home. And one of the most famous rulers was the Erazem of Predjama, also known as the “robber baron”. He was a fearsome, greedy and harsh ruler with many enemies.

Legend has it, he was the one who made sure that the cave system leads to freedom as he always needed a secret passage to escape from the castle. And he did indeed manage to escape from many enemies thanks to the caves, but one day, he ran out of luck.

One of his trusted servants was bribed to give signs where the king was located to his opponents who were waiting outside the castle with a cannon. The servant was waiting for Erazem to be alone in one room to give the sign for the attack. The only place where the baron was alone was the toilet. And so, the servant gave a sign to attackers, which killed the baron while he was… well, you know.

Today, the castle is dedicated to the past life of the rulers who resided here. The rooms have been restored and hold different equipment, replicas and models, so be sure to take a walk through the Knights’ room, the dining room, and the Renaissance Hall. Braver visitors can head down to the cave system under the castle (open for visitors between May and September).

If you are planning a trip with kids, try to visit the Predjama Castle on special occasions such as The Night of Fire or Erazem’s Knight Tournament, which offer great activities for kids – from archery, medieval battles, horse riding to calligraphic workshops.