Okić, Castle ruin at Klake Samobor, Croatia
Okić is a castle ruin perched on a conical cliff at 498 meters elevation near Samobor. The remaining stone walls frame views of the surrounding valleys and distant hill ranges.
Okić was first mentioned in writing in 1193 in a charter of Bishop Kalán of Pécs. Its first known lord was Jaroslav (Irislav) Okićki, recorded in 1217. The Babonić princes held it from 1293 to 1327, then it passed to royal hands; Sigismund of Luxembourg sold it to Toma Benvenjud in 1393, and the Frankapani took it in 1416. Ivan Horvat of Ság sold it to the Erdődy family in 1493, and it was destroyed in 1616 after Ottoman raids.
The ruin lies on the Jaskanski hiking trail, a marked route through the Samobor hills. The fortress was the site of a battle during the Peasants' Revolt, and its name appears in medieval charters in many forms, including Okych, Oclych and Ochyz. The Erdődy family acquired it in 1493.
The path starts at the Dr. Maks Plotnik mountain lodge and takes about ten minutes to reach the ruins. The climb is possible year-round, though the stones can become slippery after rain.
On clear days, several regions are visible from the peak, including Zagreb, the Posavina plains, and the Medvednica mountains. This wide vista reveals why the location was so valuable as a military outpost.
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