The Old Castle of Celje
| Region | Savinja Statistical Region |
| Starting point | Castle entrance parking lot (Address: Cesta na grad 78) |
| Route length | It depends |
| route duration | 1-2 h |
| Best time to visit | All year |
| Appropriate for | Baby Carriers , 1-3 years of age , 3-6 years of age , 6+ years of age |
| Level of difficulty | Easy route |
Route Description
The beautiful Old Castle towers over the city of Celje and is admired by all passers-by. This location is a must-see for all tourists, so stop by when you are in the area. It was built centuries ago and once you visit it, it stays in your memory forever.
This large fortress with its residential core, protruding tower and defensive walls from the 14th and 15th centuries protects the entire area below. The original design only included a TRomanesque palace and the walls. It was given its modern appearance by the Counts of Celje, the most renowned and notable noble dynasty seated in the area of present-day Slovenia. The first Count of Celje to move to the Celje Old Castle with his wife and four children was Friderik I. After moving in, he refurbished the castle into a more comfortable dwelling.
The last residents left the site in 1795. In 1803, the local farmer Andrej Gorišek bought the fortress and began to use it as a quarry.
The castle hosts quite a number of interesting events each year. One of the most interesting ones is the summer program LIVE HISTORY, which offers an immersive experience as the visitors can take part in sword fights with knights, they can shoot with bows, flirt with the princesses, unleash their creativity in medieval workshops, etc.
You can visit the Old Castle of Celje every day of the year, so no more excuses! Come and see it! :)
Interesting Facts
The castle used to have four underground corridors, which ran to different corners of the surrounding area. The first corridor connected the Old Castle with Bežigrad. This tunnel was
apparently so high that a rider could ride a horse upright without having to bend down in between. The second corridor ran to the Celje city center, and the third corridor to the Celje
Water Tower. The fourth corridor stretched under the Vipota Hill towards the town of Laško.
Map
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Nearby Restaurants
Picerija Verona
This pizza place whips up any delicious LCHF dish you desire. The friendly staff is one of the most attentive we encountered and their meals come in huge portions (which are gobbled with the greatest satisfaction, trust us). If you order a child’s menu, you get a little gift on the side :) They also have a basket of toys for all the impatient children to busy themselves. Hey parents, this place really knows how to occupy and feed your kids.
Opekarniška cesta 9
3000 Celje
070 409 510
Vita, Olja and Juna Recommend
A walk through the corridors where princesses (well, more likely countesses) once glided by makes for a most interesting experience. Do check out the castle’s calendar of summer events, as they usually perform in their annual theater. In the castle tower, an eloquent virtual knight presents the history of the castle and the Counts of Celje.
