Stafileo ordered its construction in 1508 to protect his lands and the Kozjak's peasants from the Ottomans pillaging.

[1] Parallel to the castle, there is a fortified renaissance house, where there is the Stafileo's family crest, engraved with a bunch of grapes.

The first owner, and builder, Stefano Štafileo arrived from Crete, Greece, and married a woman from Trogir.

Stefano's son Ivan Štafilić [hr] was Bishop of the diocese of Sibenik, Archdiacon in Trogir, a doctor in law, lecturer in Rome, the papal legate, diplomat, Croatian Latinist, and later, Polish nobility.

Ivan was a diplomat to Pope Leo X, handled the divorce of King Henry VIII of England, and Catherine of Aragon.