Mirna Castle, Medieval castle in Mirna Municipality, Slovenia

Mirna Castle sits on a hillside at the edge of the Upper Hill plateau and overlooks the plain where the town of Mirna lies below. The site shows visible stone walls and structural remains that reveal its medieval layout.

A medieval castle probably begun in the late 11th century, Mirna Castle first appears in written sources in 1165. In 1339 it was bought by the Counts of Celje, who enlarged the Romanesque house into a Gothic palace. After 1456 it became a Habsburg fief, and in 1646 Count Rafael Caraduzzi rebuilt it as a Renaissance residence. Burned by partisans in December 1942, it was later mined and almost destroyed.

The castle takes its name from the Mirna river and the noble Mirnski family, ministerials who first appear in written records in 1165. In 1646 Count Rafael Caraduzzi rebuilt the medieval fortress as a Renaissance country residence with arcaded systems in the Italian style. The castle chapel, added in the mid-18th century for the Gall family, likely followed designs from the circle of Baroque architect Candido Zulliani.

The castle stands at the confluence of the Mirna and Vejarščica rivers, on a ridge of Gorenjska gora at 263 m. It is reached from the town of Mirna below. The ruin was stabilised and partly restored after 1965, so some areas may be closed; check locally before setting out.

After the 1942 fire, the ruin was leased in 1962 for 99 years and in 1965 received a restoration permit. Marko Marin led and largely financed the rebuilding until his death, and the castle now stands as a restored medieval monument.