Rihemberk Castle, the fortress above Branik

Eight centuries of history

The hill held traces of a prehistoric fortress, and the castle went up in the late 12th century. The great Gothic tower, the bergfried that dominates the complex and is crowned by its battlements, was built in the 13th century, and later two sections of curtain wall and several towers were added. The Lanthieri family bought it in the mid-17th century and gave it its final look, and according to the castle’s website they owned it longer than anyone. In Vipava, the same family’s Baroque manor still presides over the square.

The Second World War left it in flames. It then lay derelict for a long time until work began, and in 2017 a first phase of the reconstruction of the complex was completed.

What to see at Rihemberk

The visit revolves around the tower, which the castle’s website presents as the tallest castle tower in Slovenia, with a panoramic view over the Branica valley and the surrounding hills. The grounds invite you to wander the walls, learn about life in the castle and listen to the sounds of the nature around it, and the website suggests rounding off the visit with the landscapes, flavours and farms of the area.

Tours, hours and activities

The castle runs experiences for groups and families. There’s a role-play game about Rihemberk’s heyday for groups, a tour where children dress up as the castle’s nobility, a treasure hunt through the castle for families and a route, The Lord of Paradise, through the castles, waters, homesteads and vineyards of the valley. The Slovenian Tourist Board highlights discovering paradise with Eleonora of Rihemberk. Hours change with the season and are in the table, and the website warns that it may close in bad weather even on an opening day.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Nova Gorica for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.

Getting to Branik

The castle stands above Branik, in the municipality of Nova Gorica, in the lower Vipava Valley. From Nova Gorica it’s a short drive, and it combines well with the rest of the valley or with the Karst. If fortresses are your thing, there are many more in castles in Slovenia.

Castles and manor houses once dotted the whole Vipava Valley, the valley’s tourist board recalls, and some still stand and tell their own stories. Rihemberk is one of the survivors, and the Slovenian Tourist Board presents its restored rooms as a starting point for exploring the villages and farms of the area, tasting local food along the way.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Nova Gorica for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.