Altar of the Homeland | Medvedgrad Fortress

Type: Interesting

Description:
Built in 1254, after the catastrophic Tatar incursion that plundered these areas in a devastating raid and razed and burned the then Zagreb to the ground, which consisted of the citizens' Gradec and the bishop's Kaptol. Although built primarily for the protection of citizens, bishop, and church treasures, Medvedgrad was constantly at the center of property-political upheavals due to its perfect strategic position. In its history, it changed numerous lords who gained or lost it through various marriage alliances, sales, intrigues, or even conspiracies. Although fantastically fortified and always ready for battle, Medvedgrad was never attacked. On the contrary, Medvedgrad lords often filled their treasury and warehouses by plundering surrounding villages, and they knew how to attack Zagreb itself, either by political or armed force. The most notorious among them were the Counts of Celje, who exercised such terror over the city in the mid-15th century that many Gradec residents fled their homes. Even today, frightening stories circulate in the sub-Sljemeni villages about Countess Barbara of Celje – the notorious Black Queen.

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Video length: 03:24