Tuštanj Castle, Castle in Zgornji Tuštanj, Slovenia

Tuštanj Castle stands between Spodnji and Zgornji Tuštanj in the Municipality of Moravče. It has a rectangular Renaissance plan with two storeys, corner towers and arcaded walkways enclosing a square courtyard; the courtyard arcades were originally wooden and were rebuilt in 1993. The upper floor holds furnished living rooms with original equipment and portraits of former owners. A chapel of St John of Nepomuk with paintings by Franc Jelovšek stands beside the castle.

A 1490 completion date rests only on a plaque found during restoration, with no other written record. Ownership is documented from 1610, and the present building was erected between 1667 and 1671 by Franc Bernard Lichtenberg, a Carniolan ducal stable master. His family held it until 1800, when Count Franc Ksaverij Lichtenberg sold it to Ignac Scharija; through inheritance and marriage it reached gardener Luka Pirnat in 1854, whose descendants own it today.

Inside you can see furniture, porcelain and decorated stoves that show how noble families lived in this region over centuries. Walking through the rooms gives you a sense of aristocratic daily life.

You can visit the castle grounds on weekends to explore at your own pace, while weekday visits require advance arrangement for guided tours. Check opening times before heading there, as access can vary depending on the season.

At the castle entrance stand two ancient trees: a linden over 400 years old and a plane tree around 300 years old. These two have silently witnessed centuries of the place's story.