Strmol Castle

The castle on the slopes of Dvorjan Hill near Cerklje in Gorenjska was recorded as the home of the Knights of Strmol as early as the 13th century, and the oldest parts of the present building are said to date back to the 15th century. The castle was once protected from Turkish invasions by a moat with a drawbridge, and is still partially surrounded by an artificial lake. Strmol Castle is one of the few castles in Slovenia that still boasts its original furnishings. In 1936, the castle and estate were purchased by the wealthy Ljubljana industrialist, patron and cosmopolitan, Rado Hribar. He and his wife, Ksenija Hribar, renovated the castle, but then lived there only until 1944, when they became victims of the liquidation of the secret Communist intelligence and security organisation VOS. After the war, the castle became public property and it is currently used mainly for protocol purposes. A table from the original collection of Ivan Skušek Jr. is preserved in the castle.