SLOVENSKA BISTRICA CASTLE

Renovation of this elegant castle began in 1985 and was completed some twenty years later, when it was listed as a protected Slovenian national heritage site. A variety of exhibits can be found here, including a room giving an overview of the region's wines and, in an adjoining room, an exhibition of the region's minerals. The trompe-l'œil frescoes by Franz Flurer were created between 1717 and 1721. He worked in the Knights' Hall, the central staircase, the chapel and the rooms on the second floor. Greek mythology is ever-present, with deities such as Hercules, Poseidon, Zeus and Chronos, as well as the blue version of the 4 Seasons in medallions above the doors. Count Vettri had a French-style park laid out, whose reputation spread far beyond the borders of France. Today, only a quarter of it remains. The round tower with its polychrome Gothic vaults serves as a wedding hall. A collection of minerals and fossils, including some fine pieces, and prayer books were assembled by a local. 2 rooms are dedicated to the writer Anton Ingolič and Jože Tomačič, painter, writer, director and author of numerous tales and legends. More recent is the collection of dolls in traditional or folk costume. Opposite the collection of plates made in aid of Unicef is a blue-dressed doll donated by former Libyan leader Gaddafi. The upper part of the tower houses a fine collection of kerosene lamps. The ethnographic section includes pottery, ceramics and other everyday utensils of yesteryear. The chapel's altar is made of stone, which is not traditionally the case in the Štajerska region.