Pietrapelosa Castle, Buzet, Croatia

Pietrapelosa is a castle in the Croatian part of Istria, now ruined. In the medieval period a family took their name from the castle. 'Pietrapelosa' comes from the Italian words meaning 'hairy stone' after the moss that has always grown on the walls of the castle. It is one of the best-preserved of the Istrian castles.

History

Pietrapelosa is a few kilometers west of Buzet in a strategic location at the head of the Bračana valley. It is first mentioned in a document of 965 AD. in a deed recording its gift by Rodaold, patriarch of Aquileia to the bishopric of Poreč. In the 13th century it was given to a family of German knights who assumed the name of the castle, 'de Pietrapelosa'. The castle was the seat of the Aquileian lieutenant governor of Istria. The Venetian commander Taddeo d'Este conquered the castle and abolished the secular rule of the patriarchs of Aquileia in 1421, with Istria being divided between the Republic of Venice and the Habsburg County of Pazin. The Venetian Council of Tengranted the castle to the nobleman Nicolò Gravisi in 1440, giving him the title if Marquis of Pietrapelosa. He renovated the castle for use as a summer residence. In 1635 a fire destroyed the interior of the castle, but it was restored and inhabited until the 18th century. The Gravis family owned the castle until the final abolition of the feudal system in 1869. They were the only aristocratic family in Koper to own such an estate.

Building

The castle was surrounded by three-story walls, which are still intact. It included a main four-story polygonal watchtower, sometimes also used as a residence. There was also a house and a palace chapel of St. Mary Magdalene dating from the 12th century. The chapel is built in the classic Istrian style with one nave and a bell tower. A residential area was built on a crag beside the castle with no walls. The castle avoided destruction throughout the many wars that ravaged Istria. However, it fell into ruin after being abandoned, and has only recently been restored. From the castle there is a dramatic view of Northern Istria.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Drew Bunting (8 months ago)
Amazing ruins with a self guided tour , hidden gem!

Goran Perger (10 months ago)
Nice castle ruin with some interactive stuff. Perfect for family trip :)

Wanderers Compass Travel Blog (2 years ago)
This is a fantastic hidden gem. Petrapilosa Castle is magnificent but it was much more than the castle that impressed us. Isolated in farm lands down a mostly single lane road we spotted it in the distance high on the hillside. The drive was easy and the parking is right out front and free. As we approached the size impressed us, this was no small ruin. To our surprise there was an auto station for entry to the castle.. They took cards and it generated a ticket that then we put in a scanner to open the turnstile. It is truly on an honor system. There was a state of the art interactive audio visual display before entering to learn more about the castle. As you entered, the chapel came first, which had several more audio visual displays detailing castle life, court entertainment, battles etc. From there you enter the castle itself and the wonder continues. There is scaffolding throughout to allow you the explore multiple levels and enjoy stunning views. At one point you enter a room and are welcomed, in your language, by a life size mechanical knight in body armor. That was a fun surprise. There is so much to explore and then you also have stunning views of the countryside.

Patrik Marcan (2 years ago)
This castle looks amazing from every corner, and you can learn a lot of history there, recommend!

Dajana Grgurić (2 years ago)
Fantastic! I really didn't expect it to be so huge! The ruins are majestic, the view is beautiful, and you can also learn something. Definitely worth the visit, you won't be disappointed!

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Zvonimir Hrvoj

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