Special Property: Negova Castle

Executive summary

The Ministry of Culture wishes to grant lease of the historic Negova Castle situated in the Municipality of Gornja Radgona in the south-eastern part of Slovenia. The investor will have to complete the construction works and equip the castle to become a visitor attraction. The site will be open to the public and the investor is invited to find further use for the castle: hotel and restaurant business and as the venue for cultural activities.

The Negova Castle stands on the grounds of some 3000 m2 and it is one of the best preserved medieval buildings in Slovenia and it is listed as place with the heritage value for the Republic of Slovenia.

The castle was built toward the end of the 14th or early in the 15th century. Significant architectural changes were made in the 16th century, probably after 1542 when the Trautmannsdorf family bought the place. The castle was remodeled to bring Renaissance influences to its gothic style as clearly seen today in numerous architectural details. The estate is enclosed by the massive walls with towers at four corners. There is a bridge leading to the central courtyard. There are two terraced gardens along the walls at the eastern and the western side and the fish-ponds at the north at the foot of the slope leading to the castle.

The Negova Castle and the grounds comprise the old castle, the new castle and the cottages for tenants who worked the land. The landscaped gardens complement the pristine nature providing a breathtaking setting for leisure and recreational activities or simply a secluded spot for seminars and meetings.

In 2008, the renovation and refurbishment works of the cottages and of the new castle were completed and the new tenant will be the local public cultural institution with plans to carry out cultural events and cater for visitors in the newly restored buildings.

Intended function

The renovated new castle should become a visitor attraction complete with a restaurant and coffee shops, and equipped to host cultural events and conferences and provide accommodation to visitors. The old castle could become a high-end hotel with a couple of luxury suites or it could be turned into exhibition space: a museum or a gallery.

Total cost/budget

The value of the castle renovation works is in the range of 2 million euros. The amount of the investment necessary to develop visitor facilities will depend on the scope of the activities to be conducted on the site.

Advantages

The Negova Castle is positioned conveniently in the vicinity of Radenci, a popular resort and spa, and close to the border with Austria. It is easily reached by land (motorways and rail service) and by air (airports serving Ljubljana and Maribor).