Grad Rakičan

In the past, the royal road passed through the settlement of Rakičan. According to documents from 1431, a fortified medieval outpost was built along the road to defend against attacks by the Turks. And so began the history of today's villa.

In the seventeenth century the fort was transformed into an economic and commercial center. Wines were the most traded products, but also fruits, crystals, fabrics and other goods were imported from Italy. During this period the castle was further fortified, many fundamental changes were made and it slowly acquired the image of a rural baroque residence, which has been preserved until today.

In addition to the residential part, the manor also had 1,200 hectares of land - woods and crops, as well as a castle park on a scale of about 10 hectares. The park still retains some important tree species, the most important of which are the black walnut, once used for making gun clogs, and the tulip tree. There are still wild rabbits living in the park, and many paths through the magical forest lead to the chapel and tomb, built in the late 18th century.

Life in the palace was varied, the counts lived in the eastern section, with which the maids also lived. At the end of the 19th century, the owner of the palace was Countess Georgina Batthanyi, who towards the end of the 19th century married the Austrian Count St. Julien Wallsee. They had two children, Helena and Albert, who each inherited half of the property after their mother's death. Helena became a widow at a very early age; she entered a convent and became a nun. Her brother Albert married a countess, Rose Marie Wartenburg of a town near Salzburg. After Albert's death, Countess Helena inherited his share. Since she had always lived in Austria, the estate was cared for by janitors. The last of them was Frederick Wallsee.

After hearing the stories of their ancestors, the elders reminisced about the owners, especially Countess Bathanyi, who was supposed to be a nice lady. Every day she went to Mass in Murska Sobota. The count was an academic painter, and some say he had something to do with witchcraft. Part of his magic still remains in the mansion as his good ghost still appears to the chosen ones. After the countess' death, the family moved to Wartenburg Castle near Salzburg. They visited Rakičan at Christmas and stayed here for a couple of weeks. It is known that when they arrived they always brought gifts for the children, whose parents worked on the estate.

After the war, there was a retirement home in the mansion. The first real hope for a possible renovation and solution of the mansion was brought by the establishment of the Rakičan Equestrian Club. In 1980, the renovation of the park began, and in 1990, the rebuilding of the roof. The renovation of the arcade corridor, where educational activities take place, brought 3 classrooms, a computer room, a multimedia room that accommodates about 50 participants and where there is a possibility of simultaneous translation in 2 foreign languages, a room and a library in the south tower. With the renovation, the mansion has also obtained 29 beds in various types of rooms, which in their interior, despite the adequate and today required comfort, have retained many of the original elements.

Today, the Rakičan mansion is an important part of Pomurje tourism, as last year it reached the 3rd place after overnight stays in the municipality of Murska Sobota. Every year, the palace is visited by about 40,000 visitors, who participate in various events or simply relax in the pleasant environment of the Rakičan Mansion Café and the castle park. Today the mansion offers accommodation, it is suitable for both individual guests and larger groups.

By 2020, we have managed, through various European projects, to successfully renovate most of the rooms in the castle. The latest acquisition is the Živa Hall and two new castle halls in the tower, which will offer guests a five-star experience in Pomurje.