Žužemberk is the largest settlement and the municipality centre in the region of Suha krajina. The castle in the centre of the settlement is situated above the waterfalls of Krka River. The area is part of the historical region of Lower Carniola. The municipality is now included in the Southeast Slovenia Statistical Region. Žužemberk is situated in the southern part of Carniola on the left bank of the Krka River and is dominated by a medieval castle.
The Romans built a road through the region. Žužemberk was first mentioned in written documents dating to 1246. In 1399 it was granted market rights. The castle is believed to date back to around 1000, and the castle chapel dedicated to St. Ulrich was built in 1046. The village that grew around the castle was located at an intersection, and most of its inhabitants were craftsmen or peasants who traded their goods and held fairs.
Žužemberk Castle, home of the Auerspergs
Between 1526 and 1533, the prince bishop Christophorus Rauber fortified the castle and added seven defence towers or bastilles. As a result of its new strength, the brothers Jurij and Wolf Auersperg from Turjak bought the castle in 1538, and for centuries the castle and town were in the possession of the leading noble Auersperg family. One of its most esteemed owners was Johann Weikhard of Auersperg, the tutor of the emperor Ferdinand III, who was court councillor and the first minister in the Habsburg monarchy, and who obtained family rights to prevent the castle's sale.
In the 16th century the town suffered repeated attacks. In 1559, the castle was conquered by Gregor, an illegitimate son of Georg von Auersperg with eighteen soldiers, but this conquest was quickly suppressed, and the castle was recaptured by Herbard VIII von Auersperg. In 1575, Countess Ana von Eck from Brdo Castle was killed by a tame bear in the castle courtyard.
In 1615 Johann Weikhard of Auersperg was born in Žužemberk. He became a prince and first minister in the Habsburg monarchy, and a cardinal in 1669. The Auersperg family established a notable ironworks in the town (blast furnace installed in 1763). However, by 1891, the industry faced excessive competition and ceased operating. A number of sawmills and water mills also developed, and Žužemberk has one of the oldest paper mills in Slovenia.
In 1775, Empress Maria Theresa gave consent to a guild of seventeen tanners. During the Second World War, the castle was heavily damaged by Allied bombers in February 1945. Restoration work began in the 1960s. Today, the municipality has 54 recognized cultural monuments.
Cultural Heritage
Žužemberk Castle is a prominent medieval fortress rising above the Krka River. Saint Nicholas' Church is the oldest surviving church in the area (13th century). Saints Hermagoras and Fortunatus Church was completed in 1769, burned down in 1945, and renovated in the late 20th century. There are also several graves and a monument to the Second World War on Tumplac Hill (305 meters), created by sculptor Marjan Tepine in 1961.
Literature:
Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia; History and Tourist sights, Občina Žužemberk (2008); 550 let župnije Žužemberk (2013).