Postojna, Slovenia (Castle) ... June 26-27, 2009

Just ten kilometers from the caves is the Predjama Castle, which is built into the side of the mountain. This castle has had many different versions and addendums over the years, with the first known reference of it in the 13th century. Around the 15th century, the original castle was destroyed after Erazam Lueger, the original owner of the castle, decided that he was going to pillage the Habsburg empire, and was subsequently attacked by their establishment and killed. The castle was rebuilt and added onto over the next couple of centuries, passing a few different owners, with the Windischgraetz family taking ownership until the end of WWII. After that, the Yugoslav communist authorities nationalized the castle and turned it into a museum. It is very well preserved and one can pass through the different rooms that still maintain a semblence of the functions of their past. There is also a secret passage that Erazam had enlarged that leads into the Postrojna caves, so strategically it has served the different owners of the castle very well.