Difference between revisions 724787013 and 748824197 on enwiki

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[[image:El Castillo de Predjama.JPG|thumb|right|350px|Predjama Castle]]
'''Predjama Castle''' ({{lang-sl|Predjamski grad}} or {{lang|sl|''grad Predjama''}}, {{lang-de|Höhlenburg Lueg}}, {{lang-it|Castel Lueghi}}) is a [[Renaissance]] castle built within a [[cave]] mouth in south-central [[Slovenia]], in the historical region of [[Inner Carniola]]. It is located in the village of [[Predjama]], approximately 11 kilometres from the town of [[Postojna]] and 9 kilometres from [[Postojna Cave]].<ref name="Predjamski grad">{{cite web|title=Predjamski grad|url=http://www.postojnska-jama.eu/en/other-sites/predjama-castle/|publisher=Postonjska jama|accessdate=18 August 2013}}</ref>

==History of the castle==
[[File:Das Schloss Prediama in Crein XII Stund.jpg|thumbnail|left|1816 [[lithography]] of the castle by [[Karl Friedrich Schinkel]]]]
The castle was first mentioned in the year 1274 with the [[German language|German]] name Luegg, when the [[Patriarch of Aquileia]] built the castle in [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] style. The castle was built under a natural rocky arch high in the stone wall to make access to it difficult. It was later acquired and expanded by the Luegg noble family, also known as the Knights of Adelsberg (the German name of [[Postojna]]).

===Legend of Erazem of Predjama ===
[[File:Predjama Castle cave.jpg|thumb|Cave of Predjama Castle]]⏎
The castle became known as the seat of the knight [[Erazem Lueger]] (or Luegger), lord of the castle in the 15th century and a renowned [[robber baron]].  He was the son of the Imperial Governor of [[Trieste]], Nikolaj Lueger.

According to legend, Erazem came into conflict with the [[Habsburg]]s when he killed the commander of the Imperial army, Marshall Pappenheim, who had offended the honour of Erazem's deceased friend, Andrej Baumkircher of [[Vipava, Slovenia|Vipava]].  Fleeing the vengeance of the [[Holy Roman Emperor]], [[Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick III]], Erazem reached in the family fortress of Predjama.  From there, he allied himself with King [[Matthias Corvinus]] and began to attack Habsburg estates and towns in [[Carniola]].  The emperor commissioned the governor of Trieste, Andrej Ravbar, with the capture or killing of Erazem.⏎
⏎
For a year and a day, Erazem was besieged in his fortress.  He taunted the attacking soldiers by pelting them with cherries:  Erazem knew of a secret tunnel leading from the castle, which allowed him to travel to the nearby village of Vipava and collect supplies, including hoards of fresh cherries when in season.

[[File:Predjama Castle cave.jpg|thumb||250px|Cave of Predjama Castle]]
The besiegers bribed one of Erazem's servants to reveal when his master was in attendance at the privy; the toilet, situated on the top floor and at the very edge of the castle, was the one place that was not impregnable.  When the moment came, the servant placed a candle at the window, and, with a single cannonball, the besieging army killed ErazemErazem was killed after a long siege. Erazem was betrayed by one of his men and was killed by a shot from a cannon.<ref name="Erazem Predjamski">{{cite web|title=Erazem Predjamski|url=http://skerazem.org/Erazem-Predjamski.html|publisher=SK Erazem|accessdate=18 August 2013}}</ref>

=== After the reconstruction ===
(contracted; show full){{Castles in Slovenia}}
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[[Category:Castles in Inner Carniola]]
[[Category:Cultural monuments of Slovenia]]
[[Category:Municipality of Postojna]]
[[Category:Cave castles]]
[[Category:Renaissance architecture in Slovenia]]