The Castle in the Cave Mouth
A castle in Slovenia is built into the mouth of a cave in a sheer cliff. Its rebel lord held out for a year under siege, thanks to a secret passage through the mountain.
What was reported
Predjama Castle sits in the mouth of a huge cave, halfway up a 120-metre cliff, its walls merging with the rock. Behind it, the cave system runs deep into the mountain.
Legend tells of Erazem of Predjama, a 15th-century knight who defied the emperor and was besieged in the castle for over a year. The besiegers couldn't understand how he survived, until it was revealed that he used a secret tunnel through the cave to bring in food. He even mocked them by throwing fresh cherries down from the walls. In the end, a servant betrayed him, and he fell.
Explanations offered
The castle is real and has been rebuilt over the centuries. Erazem was a historical figure, though the colourful details of his story come from legend. The caves behind it are home to bats and can be visited.
- When
- Built from the 1200s
- Where
- Predjama, Inner Carniola, Slovenia
- Witnesses
- Slovenian history and legend
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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