Grad Castle

Route Description

Stroll around the large tulip trees park and check out Grad Castle. This magnificent mansion is located in the town of Grad in Goričko. It is the largest castle complex in Slovenia and it allegedly 365 rooms, huge cellars and even dungeons. An English-stlye park, full of large tulip trees (one of the oldest in Slovenia), red beeches, oaks, sophoras, etc., stretches all around the castle. In winter, the Grad Castle is closed, but we still took a walk around, peeked into the castle courtyard and strolled across the park. Many legends whisper about the castle’s past. Perhaps the most famous one is about a lord that desired a golden crown belonging to an actual dragon. Another story tells of the lord’s son and the gardener’s daughter forbidden love; however, the ending is not a happy one. According to the oral tradition, Knights Templar built this mansion. Today, a part of the premises is open to visitors: there is a wedding hall, pottery, blacksmith and wheelweight’s trade workshops as well as ethnological collections for viewing.