BLACKSMITH`S CASTLE (WOLFFSPERG)

Municipality: Crnomelj
 Author:  Johann Weichard Valvasor

Historical region Carniola
Author: Hugo Gerard Ströhl 1890

LOCATION
Country: Slovenia
Historical region: Lower Carniola 
Municipality: Crnomelj
Settlement: Blacksmith`s castle (Kovacji grad)
GPS: 45°26'14,7" N 15°13'40,91" E

View of rocky pier where the castle once stood

HISTORY:
Above the steep rocky slope of the river Colpa once stood the Blacksmith castle protected with wall of towers, which is also mentioned in the book Die Ehre dess Hertzogthums Crain in 1689. The old name of the castle was Wolffsperg which means wolf fortress. The near by village is called Vukovci (wolf village) after the castle. According to the testimony of local villagers the abandoned castle was destroyed by the earthquake, and it collapsed in the river Colpa. Castle forge survived the earthquake and continued to operate. Eventually it transferred the name to the castle hence Blacksmith castle. The remains of the castle were destroyed when the new road was build through ruins. Today in a thick bush you can see only a few stone walls. The castle also had a secret karst cave, the location of which is unknown. In 1895, Anton Hribar published a poem entitled Blacksmith`s daugter.

Castle ruins in 2010

 MAPS:

 

Military map of castle ruines and settlement Blacksmith` castle (1763-1787)
Source: http://mapire.eu/en/