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Armed escorts, fresh horses and accommodation were available
for travellers and merchants who travelled through these dense and
dangerous forests.
The first mention of the castle in documents comes from the year
1269, and concerns one Majnard Snežniški. At the beginning of the
14th century the Snežniški family went into decline and by the end
of the century the castle was divided among many owners. In 1393
a quarter of the castle and some attached farms were inherited by
a relative of the Snežniški family, Viljem II Lamberg. His successors
managed to acquire the complete castle in the following century
and in the 16th century gave it a new, renaissance image we can
(although somewhat altered) admire to this day.
VALUABLE fURNITURE fROm ThE 19Th
CENTURy
Through marriage the castle again changed owners, and in the
17th century the estate was sold to the KoËevje count Auersperg.
sinfo 13 38
At the beginning of 18th century, a Lichtenberg family became the
owners, but they too had to sell up in 1847 due to pauperization.
The new owners, Mr. and Mrs. Karis of Vienna, soon went bankrupt
and the estate was bought at auction by a German duke, Oton
Viktor Schönburg-Waldenburg from Hermsdorf near Dresden. His
son Jurij inherited the estate and turned the castle into a summer
and hunting residence.
The architectural image of the building today is a product of many
reconstructions and improvements, but in general it has preserved
the image it had in the 16th century. The last owners added another
floor, two towers, a basement under the terrace, raised the fortified
walls and filled the interior with furniture and other equipment.
They also built several outbuildings in the vicinity and laid out a
park near the castle. Due to the fact that extensive woodlands were
part of the estate, Duke Jurij hired the best experts in woodland
management. He was also a patron of the first Slovene school
of forestry, which operated on his estate from 1869 to 1875.
He enabled the introduction of modern industry in the valley by
introducing a steam saw. He reintroduced deer into the forests,
trout into the streams, and also built numerous forest roads. He
was succeeded by his son Herman in 1902, who served in the
diplomatic corps. After the First World War the estate came under
control of two countries − part came under Italy and part under
the Kingdom of Serbs, Croatians and Slovenes, the later Yugoslavia.
Due to the fact that the owner was a German citizen, state control
(sequester) was proclaimed over the estate and revoked in 1924.
Duke Herman died in 1943 at his family castle at Hermsdorf near
Dresden. During the Second World War the custodian of the castle,
Leon Schauta, dexterously saved the castle from looters, making it
possible for us to admire most of the fixtures and artwork from the
times of Schoenburg dukes.
Castle Snežnik has served as a Slovene protocol venue for a number
of years and was completely renovated in 2008. Visitors can admire
interesting architecture as well as the rich internal decor, and each
floor and room can be enjoyed separately. Guides are available for
any additional information and can tell you interesting details about
the lives of former owners. There is a permanent exhibition of 19th
century furniture, with numerous valuable pieces, and a special
Egyptian room. Cultural events can be held in the castle, such as
concerts and fine arts exhibitions, as well as weddings. In the farm
nearby there is a hunting museum, explaining dormouse hunting, a
type of hunting that has survived only in this part of Slovenia.