Dreznik Castle

Dreznik Grad sits on a limestone spur above a bend of the Korana, first recorded in 1185 and held from 1321 by the Frankopans, then taken by the Ottomans in 1592 and held until 1788, when Austria retook it after a two-day siege and garrisoned it as part of the military frontier before being left to fall. What stands is walls, a tower and gate on the rock, unroofed and open, with the river below. It sits on the road to Plitvice and takes a short detour.

History

Drežnik is first mentioned in 1185. It passed through several lords - the Nelipić family from 1253, the Güssing and Babonić families from 1278 - and from 1321 belonged to the princes of Krk, later the Frankopans, through their Tržac branch. Under constant Ottoman pressure in the 16th century it fell in 1592 and became an Ottoman stronghold until the Austro-Turkish War, when Habsburg troops under Colonel Daniel Peharnik-Hotković took it after a two-day siege, between 10 and 12 February 1788. A drawing of 1830 shows it in good condition as the seat of the Drežnik company. It stayed under military administration until 1866, when it was sold to a merchant who slowly pulled it down and sold the stone to local people; on 17 April 1917 the Croatian Parliament entrusted what was left to the Drežnik municipality (Wikipedia, Drežnik Castle).

What to look for

• A castle on a rock over the Korana - first recorded in 1185.
• Held by three powers in turn - Frankopan, Ottoman, then Austrian frontier.
• Walls, tower and gate - unroofed and open to walk.
• On the road to Plitvice - a short detour from the lakes route.

When to go

April to October. Two hours.

Practical notes

There is no interpretation on site and the ruin is unfenced above drops. The path up is rough. Some ground off the marked routes has never been formally cleared - staying on paths matters here.

Nearby

The Plitvice lakes lie south along the Korana; Slunj is upstream to the north.

Key facts