Škrljevo Castle

The first surviving mention of the castle dates to 1043. Valvasor attributed the castle’s founding to St. Hemma.

The Jesuit Bautscher, a contemporary of Valvasor, left a message in Latin, which placed St. Hemma, among other goods, also brought the Grailach rule into the marriage: "[...] dotem attulit comitatum Peilnstein, castra Vizel, Landsberg, Weitenstein, Andernacum, Nassenfues, Grailach, Erkhenstein, ac alia praedia in Carniola sita [...]. "^{[clarification needed]}

According to Hemma's donation (1043), these goods belonged to the Benedictine monastery she founded on the Gurk in Carinthia until 1072 and then to the Gurk diocese, which the Grailach lordship gave it as a 17th century fief.^{[clarification needed]}

In the 1043 document, it was mentioned as Chrilouva. As an estate, Škrljevo was first mentioned in 1130 as the predium Chrilowe. From 1072 until the 17th century, the castle hosted the head of the Krka diocese.

The castle was originally built as a towering court. Its estate was later granted to Count William II, Breže-Selško, and after his death his wife Hemma of Gurk donated the property to the Krško diocese. The court was first written about indirectly in 1163, when a document mentions the knight of Škrljevo and the minister of Aquileia, Majnhard Škrljevski (purchrauiis Megnardo de Crilog). The direct connection with Hemma of Gurk, whom Valvasor claimed owned the castle in the 10th century, remains unexplored.

In 1541, Škrljevo Castle came into the possession of the Auerspergs and in 1585 a document appeared which named Janez Baltazar Wernegk as the owner.

The castle is Romanesque in its core, It was extended in the Renaissance and became a fortified mansion. Later in the Gothic period it was partially rebuilt. In the Baroque period —a façade was added, which is still visible today.