The Slovenian Treasures

In regard to my previous post... I've had some good times as well this past months. We visited Grad  Snežnik (the castle of Snežnik) - it was on our "list" for ages! It was a spur of the moment thing really. We took one Friday off work and decided to enjoy ourselves and relax.

"The restoration of the castle has been completed in 2008 - the romantic state-owned castle is the only one in Slovenia with surviving authentic interiors. The lords of Snežnik (= The Snowy one) are first mentioned in the 13th century. The castle's successive owners were members of eminent Carniolan noble families. The medieval stronghold was repeatedly refurbished, with renaissance and baroque features. Its present appearance dates from the latter half of the 19th century. After the estate with its immense forests had been bought in 1853 by a princely Saxon family of Schönburg-Waldenburg, the castle was converted into a hunting and holiday residence. In 1867 Prince George backed the foundation in the grounds of the first Slovenian forestry school. Rare animals were not hunted and the steam saw spurred the development of woodworking industry in the valley – it also provided electricity to the castle. The expertly managed property offered a range of jobs to the locals until the end of the WWII when the last caretaker Leon Schauta saved the building from destruction. A stroll through the four floors of the castle evokes the atmosphere of more than a hundred years ago. Rooms are equipped with genuine furniture and other household objects from the latter half of the 19th century. The drawing rooms and bedrooms of Princes Herman and Ulrich, of Princess Anne and the guest rooms are handsomely and comfortably fitted out with originally upholstered historicist seating suites and ornamental stoves. Walls are hung with family portraits, old photos and prints. The piano, the billiard table and the theatre corner disclose the owners' pastimes. Temporary exhibitions are held in the stonefaced bailey area and a ground floor room is used for wedding ceremonies. Outside under the hanging wooden gangway is kept a dugout boat, such as were used by the locals to cross flooded grasslands. The imposing whitewashed castle, quietly reflected in the spring water of the pond alive with bleak, trout and ducks, is surrounded by a large, partly restored park with tree-lined walks and clearings. In the pleasant summer shade among the trees one might come across a statue of Diana. The countryside is breathtaking in any season, including in winter with enchanting mists dancing above frozen-over meadows. The landscape is also great for biking and horse-riding. From here woodlands spread out, to the south right up to the picturesque name-sake mountain of Snežnik and to the east to the ancient Kočevje forests, forming one of the last remaining European massive woodland regions. This unique natural environment is home to a plethora of flora and fauna, from bears, boars, wolves and lynxes, to wild fowl, small game and deer (source of the text: http://www.nms.si/english/15_other_locations/sneznik.html)"

Dining room

The library

Wouldn't you just love a desk like this? I certainly would:)

The hanging wooden gangway with a dugout boat