Medieval buildings in Slovenia: Castle Poljane (Pölland, Pollant, Poelan)

Author: Valvasor, Janez Vajkard, 1641-1693

Source: Geopedija topografia

COUNTRY: Slovenia
HISTORICAL REGION: Lower Carniola
MUNICIPALITY: Kocevje (Gottschee, Kočevje k.o.)
SETTLEMENT: Predgrad (Vornschloss, Predgrad, k.o.)
BUILDING:Castle Poljane (Pölland, Pollant, Poelan)
FORMATION: first written mention in 1336 as a vest Pollan
PRESERVATION: ruins

*The village Predgrad had established parish in 1221
* Castle was probably built in the 13th century
* At the time of Turkish invasions, at the foot of the castle was built a large fortified camp in which by the testimony of Valvasor had 40 houses and were in peacetime uninhabited
* In the 16th century the camp develop a new market. Name of the place in the slope of the church is still preserved as market
*Gallows were placed on steljnik in Deskova village. There was in the 19th century hung robber leader Rosa (Roša)
* For minor offenses you were chained to a 2m large stone pillar and mocked
*In 1805 was to the pillar chained falsely accused 20-year old Mary Majetić. She was accused of stealing the lamb because she refused marriage proposal by executor of the judiciary Kovačič . For the punishment, around her neck were hung intestines of slaughtered lamb. Some time later her innocence was discoverd and she was cleared of her wrong doing
* In 1809 the castle was burned down by the French army, because the Poljane settlers attacked Napoleon's soldiers when they collect tax