Velenje Castle is one of the ten medieval castles in Slovenia, a stronghold of the Salek Valley in the past and the principal magnet of tourism in the present. The pentagonal fortification was erected in 1264. Its construction took many centuries, and it frequently changed owners and even belonged to the famous Liechtenstein family. As a result of the earthquake in the 16th century, the castle was severely damaged, and it was rebuilt only in the mid-17th century. They chose a new style for it, the Renaissance. In this form, it has survived to this day.
The castle was always more than just its owners' residence: it regularly served as a well-fortified fortress of strategic importance. A triangular defensive tower protected it from the northeast, and in the southeast, there were living areas with tunnels and basements extending far below the surface. Thanks to the incredibly thick for those times walls, the soldiers of the Ottoman Empire failed to conquer the castle in the 17th century. Since then, various families have owned the castle, and most of the interior decoration has fallen into disrepair. Nevertheless, the collection of African art and ancient weapons is perfectly preserved. The number of masks, puppets and wooden sculptures, furniture, and musical instruments will impress you. There are many artifacts from the Roman Empire to the Baroque era. But the treasures of the castle-museum do not end there. Some halls are dedicated to the post-socialist period of the city until the 1960s, while others host sculptures and photos by contemporary Slovenian artists.
In addition to the main building, the castle complex houses several separate units. One of them displays church artworks, but the exhibits of the second will surprise even the pickiest tourist. It contains the locally found remains of the ancestors of modern elephants, mastodons. It is hard to argue that any other castle in Europe can boast of such a find.