Things to see and do Ptuj

The oldest part of this extensive castle dates from the ^10th or ^11th century, in particular the west tower. Owned by the bishops of Salzburg at the end of the ^11th century, the building passed to the lords of Pettau (Ptuj) in 1132, who ruled for three centuries until the death of the last descendant, Friedrich IX, in 1438. The complex underwent major transformations. Among the many occupants were the Scottish Leslie family, who bought the castle from the destitute Jesuits from 1656 to 1802, and the von Herberstein family, who owned it privately for the last time from 1873 to 1945, acquiring it at auction.

The entrance portal, named the Peruzzi portal after the architect who renovated the castle until 1572, is surmounted by an attic featuring lions framing the Leslie family coat of arms, three belt buckles. The courtyard is bordered by fine arcades on three levels, with pillars on the first floor and Tuscan columns on the upper floors. Friedrich IX's Salzburg red marble tombstone is one of the most famous of the Gothic period.

The museum boasts a remarkable collection of ^18th- and ^19th-century musical instruments on the first floor (processional organ with bellows, harp, lute, clavichord, Bosendorfer piano). In front of each display case, you can listen to a short musical moment recorded on the instrument of your choice. The Salle des Chevaliers houses a collection of ^17th-century Flemish and French tapestries, furniture, a collection of weapons dating from the ^14th to the ^19th century and, above all, one of the most important collections of Oriental portraits on the Old Continent. Under the brushstrokes of anonymous ^17th-century painters, European monarchs take on the appearance of their Turkish counterparts. The Leslie family coat of arms bears the motto: Grip fast, meaning "hold fast". Walter Leslie was awarded the Order of the Golden Fleece for his victories in the Thirty Years' War and his career as a diplomat in the service of the Emperor.

Curiosities include the ^17th-century chapel with its off-axis altar, the Herberstein family clock collection, a secretary with marble and semi-precious stone marquetry, and the room lined with "chinoiseries". With carnival masks and kurent, the visit takes on an ethnographic profile. The museum also features works by France Mihelič (1907-1998).

The cult of Mithras was never a religion recognized by Rome. Therefore, these sacred places were outside the city. From the middle of the 3rd century, some temples crossed the boundaries of Ptuj. Sanctuaries I and II can be seen respectively at Spodnja Hajdina, about 4 km west of the town, and at Zgornji Breg. Contact the Regional Museum for a visit or ask for the key from your neighbour.

Mithra I. Spodnja Hajdina. To get there, take the direction of Maribor. On leaving Ptuj, turn left before the intersection of the roads leading to Ljubljana and Maribor. After 300 m, turn left at the sign. Park below and follow a small path between fir trees and corn crops. To obtain the key, you have to go to n° 40 (family Župančič). Built in the middle of the 2nd century A.D. by officials of the customs administration which had its seat in Ptuj. This set, discovered in 1898-1899, was covered in 1910.

Mithra II. Zgornji Breg. Beforehand take the direction of Maribor. At the sign indicating the sanctuary, turn right. The key's in number three. This sanctuary was founded in the second half of the 3rd century AD by soldiers of the 13th Germina and Macedonia legions, who settled in Ptuj. The site was revealed in 1913. The temple was built a year later to protect it.

The sites are remarkably well preserved and clearly worth the trip if you are staying in the Ptuj area.

Ten kilometers east of Ptuj. The main building was baroque in 1700. It was commissioned by the Sauer and Attems families. Around 1740, it underwent a second transformation, again in the Baroque style. A formal garden completes this masterpiece. Superb trompe-l'oeil in the main hall. At the time, the park was the largest in Slovenia, stretching over 1.5 km. Today, the manor houses a psychiatric care center.

Built at the end of the 14th century, it has one of the most beautiful works of art in the country, a Mercy carved in a single block of stone (1410-1415). The Virgin shelters under a mantle, unfurled by seven angels, 81 characters. It is a veritable portrait gallery where the Emperor Sigismund and the Counts of Celje can be identified. The old tympanum of the portal, placed above the altar, was commissioned by Bernard III of Ptuj to celebrate the baptism of Elizabeth, daughter of the emperor. The whole, very pure, is very expressive and lively. It was the Prague Speaking Workshop that worked on the building of the church founded by Bernard III. Destroyed by the Turks, it was completed during its renovation with four defence towers, only one of which remains on the south side. In the 16th century the church became Protestant and in 1615 the Jesuits took it over again until 1774. It has been in the hands of the Friars Minor since 1937. The three-nave church, a fine example of Slovenian Gothic, also contains the altar of the Counts of Celje designed in 1400 in the southern apse in the "soft style" and the bas-reliefs depicting the death of the Virgin, the Magi, and the angels with coats of arms. The work The Death of the Virgin was created in 1415 by the author of Mercy, who remained unknown. This church is one of the most beautiful in Slovenia, with an impressively rich interior and documentation that helps to get a better idea of what it means to pilgrims.

Mathilde, widow of Frederick III, donated the land to the Dominicans in 1230. Originally from Carinthia, they settled on the castle grounds a year later. The monastery was then only partially completed. Two renovations change its appearance. The first, in the mid-fourteenth century, following the fire of 1302. In the cloister, the fresco of the Dominicans at prayer dates from this period. The second renovation, a century later, gives the cloister its final appearance. The order was dissolved by Emperor Joseph II in 1786. The former monastery escaped its conversion into a textile factory. In 1928, this former museum installed its archaeological collections there.

In the crypt, the reconstruction of a shrine dedicated to Mithra, discovered at Spodnja Hajdina in 1901, allows you to become familiar with this religion originating in Persia, which was widespread in the first centuries of Christianity among the Romans and was introduced by soldiers on European soil. The initiation cult was reserved exclusively for men. The lapidary occupies the ground floor of the old church. Funerary stelae are attributed to soldiers and veterans of the Roman legions who were stationed in Ptuj (Poetivo). The bas-reliefs of the 2nd and 3rd centuries depicting the Nurse are of great beauty. The Nutrices Augustae was revered by the women and children she was supposed to protect. The Celts were already practicing this cult. On the first floor were gathered Roman pieces (jewellery, glassware, pottery...) as well as Slavic pottery.

The artificial lake of Ptuj was created by the dam designed to generate hydropower from the Drava River. It is the largest lake in Slovenia (346 ha) which in summer allows you to kayak on 9 km long, to rent small sailing boats, scooters on the water, to relax on the beach, to fish too... A beautiful promenade has been built all around this stretch of water. Many enthusiasts meet here to observe the avian biodiversity with its lot of cormorants, terns and gulls.