Kostel Castle

[1] The site was originally occupied by a smaller fortification, which was expanded into a castle between 1247 and 1325 by the Counts of Ortenburg, vassals of the Patriarchate of Aquileia.

After the extinction of the Counts Ortenburg on 28 April 1418, the Counts of Celje inherited their area holdings, expanding the castle into a formidable fortress and renaming it Schloss Grauenwarth, although the surrounding settlement retained the Slavicised Latin name Kostel.

The castle and settlement were both surrounded by a high, two meter thick wall featuring five defence towers, built by order of Frederick II, Count of Celje.

After the death of prince Ulrich II of Celje in 1456 and the extinction of the house, the castle was taken over by the Habsburgs, who eventually granted the settlement market rights, giving rise to a new colloquial name, Trg 'market town'.

The castle, standing along one of the Ottomans' common incursion routes into Slovenia, came under attack several times.