In the centuries-old manor house on the top of the tuff hill, surrounded by centuries-old trees, guests or just visitors will find a special experience.
Four completely renovated and modernly furnished family rooms offer a pleasant stay in the Goričko nature park. To explore the surroundings, guests can use the free tracking bikes, explore the castle with the convenient audio guides or visit the natural and cultural monuments of Goričko.
Krajinski park Goričko History
Grad Castle, located above the village of the same name, stands on the top of a steep green hill. The estate around the castle was included by King Bela III in the Kingdom of Hungary and in 1183 donated to the newly founded Cistercian monastery in Szentgotthárd. The estate, called Lyndwa, is first mentioned in documents from 1208, while the first records of the castle's existence date back to the year 1275. Archaeological excavations have proven its existence as early as the 11th century. According to legend, the castle was founded by the Knights Templar.
The castle got its present size in the 16th and 17th centuries, while in 1700 the castle underwent extensive renovations. In 1751, a bell tower with a castle chapel was added to the castle tower. The bell tower, built to plans by architect Josef Hueber, was also the final act of Baroque reconstruction.
The castle was owned for centuries by different families, such as Szechy, Batthyany, Nádasdy, Dietrichstein and Szecheny. Between the two world wars, the castle was owned by the industrialist Geza Hartner of Murska Sobota and later by his stepson Ferdinand Hartner. In 1945, the castle was occupied by the Russian army.
After World War II, the castle was nationalized by the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. In 1952, the castle and the village were renamed from Upper Gornja Lendava "Upper Lendava" to Grad "Castle". The castle complex was used by municipal offices and as an agricultural cooperative. Between 1960 and 1995 the castle was abandoned and began to decay. Since 1999 the castle is protected as a cultural heritage of state importance and is owned by the state. Since 2004, the castle has been managed by the Public Institute of Goričko Nature Park. Since 1995, the castle has been undergoing renovation.
The castle is surrounded by a park, designed like an English garden, with some of the largest trees in Slovenia. The canopies of the locust and oak trees give a sense of magnificence.