Ruzica grad

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Ružica grad
Ruzica.JPG
Creation time : 1357
Castle type : Hillside castle
Conservation status: ruin
Place: Orahovica
Geographical location 45 ° 30 '40.6 "  N , 17 ° 51' 29.3"  E Coordinates: 45 ° 30 '40.6 "  N , 17 ° 51' 29.3"  E
Height: 418  m. i. J.
Ruzica grad (Croatia)
Ruzica grad
Camp of the Order of the Knights of Ružica grad at an event in Koprivnica

Ružica grad is the largest preserved castle complex in Slavonia and one of the largest in Croatia .

location

Ružica grad is located on the northeast slope of Papuk at an altitude of 418  m. i. J. above the village of Duzluk, a few kilometers from the town of Orahovica . The location of the castle was of great strategic importance - a large part of the Slavonian Drau valley was controlled from above. The Kutjevo-Orahovica road, which connects the Drau valley with the Požega basin, passes in the immediate vicinity .

Surname

The origin of the name Ružica grad has not yet been fully explored. Some historians associate it with the name of the village Duzluk ("duzem" - Turkish flower decoration, wild rose - Ružica = rose) because the rose was then used as a girlish ornament. Others associate it with the medieval name of the town Orahovica ("Raholcza"), which owned the castle in the Middle Ages.

history

The first documentary mention of the Orahovica property is in 1228. The documentary mention of the castle complex itself dates from 1357 (as a royal property). Until 1543 Ružica grad was owned by various noblemen ( Nikola Kont , Lovro Iločki , Ladislav More , the Pomanicki brothers and others). Under the Turkish rule (1543–1687) the castle served as quarters for Turkish troops. At the beginning of the 18th century, medieval fortifications, including Ružica grad, lost their importance. From the 18th to the 20th century, the owners changed frequently (Baron Cordua, Baron Fleischmann, Count Pejačević, Dimitrije Mihalović , Baron Gutman and others).

Today's meaning

Nowadays the Ružica grad ruin is a popular destination for the local population, tourists and mountaineers. When the weather is nice, you can overlook a large part of the Pannonian Plain from a lookout point .

Legends about the origins of the castle

The legend about the princess Ružica

A long time ago a royal family lived in peace and quiet in the castle. The castle owner's daughter, Ružica, was famous everywhere for her beauty and good heart. One day huge francs attacked the Croatian country. Ružica's father and her three brothers had to go to battle . Some time later, Ružica and her mother received news of her death. The princess died of grief and Ružica found herself completely alone. The girl did not want to leave the castle to the enemy and firmly decided to hold a tournament to marry the bravest fighter. Her future husband was to become the new castle owner. Countless knights took part in the tournament, but almost all of them were young, inexperienced fighters, because the others, whom Ružica desired, had already fallen in the fight against Franconia. An unknown knight in black armor defeated all other participants in the tournament. He was called the "Black Knight" after the color of his armor. But when the brave fighter opened his visor and began to speak, Ružica stood as if thunderous. He was a Franconian who had been sent to defeat young, inexperienced knights and take possession of the beautiful Croatian castle. The desperate Ružica could not allow that. She decided to sacrifice her life to prevent the Franks' plan. From the top of the highest tower she plunged into the depths. The intention of the "Black Knight" failed and he returned defeated. The citizens elected a new prince among their own. Rose bushes bloomed around the castle , red like the blood of Ružica, and the castle was named after the brave girl, Ružica grad.

The fairy legend

A long time ago there was a fairy meeting place at the place of today's “Ružica-grad” . At night, fairies met there to chat, sing, dance and prepare drinks made from various herbs. But it was there, of all places, that a powerful aristocrat decided to have a castle built. At the next meeting, the fairies found trodden mud instead of the silky grass, giant stones instead of colorful flower bushes. Where a tree used to grow there was now a pile of boards; where the flowers rose there were pointy nails that threatened to prick her bare feet. By their magic they rolled the building material into the valley. The next morning the nobleman set out on the unsuccessful search for the perpetrator and had the castle rebuilt. But one morning he found the construction site destroyed again. It was repeated several times - what the construction workers had built during the day was destroyed by the fairies at night. The nobleman finally decided to set up the guard and found out the perpetrators in this way. He resolved to punish the fairies and he managed to capture the most beautiful fairy, Ružica. Her hair got caught in the net that the nobleman had set up around the construction site. He had them built into the foundation of the tower. The castle was successfully completed, but at the topping-out ceremony, when trumpets were blown, a stone slipped from the top of the tallest tower and smashed the nobleman. His name was forgotten and the castle was named after the beautiful fairy who was built into the foundation of the castle: Ružica grad.

The legend about the ox

A wanton nobleman had a castle built on top of the mountain. His servants and slaves were forced to clear forests, cut stones, burn lime and have the building material pulled up the sloping ascent by the ox. But what was built during the day was destroyed at night because it was a bad place to build. This was repeated for weeks, so that both humans and animals were fed up with it. Finally, an ox, completely exhausted, turned to a servant: "Tell our master not to torment us anymore. He will never build a castle here. He should have one built where you will find me tomorrow." Early in the morning, when the construction workers noticed that an ox was missing, the servant told his master what the ox had entrusted to him. The nobleman already sent his subjects to search for the ox. This was found lying quietly under a large walnut tree . All around the tree, wild roses grew in full bloom. The nobleman immediately ordered construction to begin at this point. Soon the castle was there, solid as a walnut tree, beautiful as a wild rose. The castle was called "Ružica grad Orahovica" (orah = walnut tree).

Views

  • Top view of part of the city of Orahovica

  • Part of the ruin

  • Inside of the ruin

Web links