A dozen kilometers from the town of Postojna in Slovenia, there is the Predjama Castle, which, in full accordance with its name, stands right in front of a huge pit. It covers the entrance to the same huge cave, so the name of the castle is literally translated from the Slovenian language as "Pre-cave". It is the national symbol of Slovenia. And all because the legendary Baron Erasmus once lived here.
Predjama Castle is so skillfully built into the rock that one gets the impression that this rock has overgrown the castle around. It is even difficult to imagine how and with what equipment this object of architectural art was created in the 12th century. At different times, the castle had several owners. But it was Baron Erasmus Luegg (Yamsky) who truly glorified him. He owned the castle in the second half of the 15th century.
The name of Baron Erasmus is familiar even to the younger generation of Slovenia. He was the leader of the local bandits, an outstanding military leader of his time and a national hero of Slovenia. Local legends tell how Erasmus distributed the loot of his bandits among the poor people.
There is a legend about how Erasmus killed the Austrian marshal in a duel because he insulted the memory of Erasmus's friend. This was the reason for the unleashed war. But for a whole year, the Hungarian army unsuccessfully besieged the castle. And only, as the legend says, after the traitor lit the lamp in the baron's room, the Hungarians fired a volley and killed the knight. According to another version, Erasmus found himself under artillery fire when he left for provisions in the underground passage of the castle. The baron's girlfriend planted a linden tree on his grave in memory of her lover. The tree still grows in this place - its size is impressive.
The castle changed hands several times, was robbed, rebuilt and once suffered from a strong earthquake. The last major restoration of the castle took place in the early 90s. last century. Now everything here tells about the lifestyle of the Erasmus gang. There is a prison, a court room, a torture chamber, living quarters, and a small chapel. To enhance the feeling of that time, wax figures of people in clothes of that period were placed here. Naturally, as befits any old castle, this one has its own ghosts. The spirits that the locals tell about are the souls of the fearless soldiers of Erasmus who died here. Although no one has complained of any disturbance from the ghosts, some visitors still hear mysterious sounds and footsteps.
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In addition to the castle itself, tourists should definitely explore its surroundings: a turbulent mountain river and a drawbridge across it, an underground dungeon. And from the observation deck in the rock, you can admire the breathtaking views of the open spaces. The museum is open from 9:00 to 18:00. The underground galleries, which are located under the castle, are also open to the public, but not completely - only 900 meters. You can get into them only from May to September and certainly with cavers. In the winter season, the underground caves are closed due to the large colony of bats hibernating here.
To get to Predjama Castle, take the A1 highway from Koper or Trieste. On the way there will be a turn to Postojnu town. You can also get here by intercity buses from many settlements in Slovenia.
