Ptuj Castle

Ptuj Castle (Ptujski grad) is a castle complex with a regional museum on a hill above the town of Ptuj on the Drava River in north-eastern Slovenia. Ptuj is considered one of the oldest towns in the country and goes back to the Roman settlement of Petovia.

The castle was completed in the first half of the 12th century, and records mention a fortification on the site as early as the 9th century. Its last owners were the Counts of Herberstein, who renovated it in 1912; after nationalisation in 1945 it became the Ptuj-Ormož Regional Museum. You can see historic musical instruments, medieval weapons, furnished rooms and Gothic and Baroque paintings. An exhibition of regional carnival masks and costumes also shows the Kurent, the shaggy figure of the Kurentovanje carnival; the Kurent custom has been on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage since 2017.

For your visit: the usual route up the hill is a staircase, but step-free access is also available. Even without visiting the museum you can walk around the castle and stop at the café in the courtyard. Opening hours and admission change with the season, so please check ahead.