Castle & fortressCentral Croatia

Okić Castle: the hilltop ruin in the Samobor Hills

Okić Castle (Okić-grad) is a medieval fortification in the Samobor Hills in Zagreb County, close to the town of Samobor. First recorded in 1193, it passed through the hands of noble families and was destroyed in 1616. Its high-standing walls and the traces of a Romanesque chapel make it a rewarding stop for walkers.

Okić gave its name to a whole string of villages: Podokićki, Okićko, Okićka. Yet the castle that lent them the name was destroyed in 1616, after the Ottomans repeatedly ravaged the area.

WhereSamobor Hills, near Samobor, Zagreb County, northern Croatia

TypeMedieval hilltop fortification in ruins, destroyed in 1616

Best forWalkers, castle ruin lovers, history fans, hidden-gems seekers

Getting thereNear Samobor, about 6 km from Samobor Castle; the castle lies beside the Jaska hiking trail

The history of Okić Castle

The first written mention of Okić dates from 1193. In 1217 a certain Jaroslav (Irislav) of Okić is named as its first known lord. From 1293 to 1327 the castle belonged to the Babonić princes, and after that it came under royal authority.

In 1393 King Sigismund of Luxembourg sold Okić to Toma Benvenjud (de Okych), who held it until 1416, when it was taken over by the Frankopan family. In the second half of the 15th century King Matthias Corvinus placed it in the care of Ivan Horvat of Sag, who sold it in 1493 to the Erdődy family. The castle was also the scene of a battle during the Peasants' Revolt.

In 1598, when the fortification of Ivanić was being strengthened, Okić was required to send four carts and ten labourers. The castle was destroyed in 1616, after the Ottomans had repeatedly devastated the Okić district. From then on it was a ruin, but it stayed a landmark: in the 19th century the composer Ferdo Livadić wrote a song about it, titled Okić grad.

The surviving walls show how the castle grew. The oldest masonry is only 77 centimetres thick and dates from the Romanesque period, while later thickening followed in the 15th and 16th centuries. The compound has two parts: the upper one, of elongated plan, was the main residential area and had no distinct defensive tower, while the lower one, at a much lower level, held the entrance and the service area with storerooms and stables.

Curiosities about Okić Castle

Many villages around the castle carry its name as part of theirs, including Dolec Podokićki, Drežnik Podokićki, Novo Selo Okićko, Orešje Okićko, Podgrađe Podokićko, Poljanica Okićka and Sveti Martin pod Okićem.
The 19th-century composer Ferdo Livadić wrote a song about the castle called Okić grad.
For the fortification of Ivanić in 1598, Okić had to supply four carts and ten labourers.
A Croatian mountaineering journal article published in 2003 recalls the climb to Okić made by Dragojla Jarnević some 160 years earlier.
Inside the thickness of the walls you can still find windows, a staircase, gun loops and even a toilet.
The castle is registered as a protected cultural property under the number Z-3835, classified as a military and defensive building.

Tours near Okić Castle

Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:

Private experience of Rastoke and Plitvice Lakes from Zagreb

★ 5 (143 reviews) · 10 h

See details ›

2 hour Private Walking Tour of Zagreb

★ 5 (64 reviews) · 2 h

See details ›

Baroque Varaždin and Trakošćan Castle Private Tour from Zagreb

★ 5 (58 reviews) · 9 h

See details ›

Authentic Croatian Food & Heritage Walk in a Small Group

★ 5 (46 reviews) · 3 h

See details ›

Visiting Okić Castle

The ruins lie beside the Jaska hiking trail in the Samobor Hills, so expect a walk rather than a roadside stop.
Look for the Romanesque chapel by the entrance of the upper part and the water reservoir beside it.
Notice the surviving details built into the wall thickness: windows, a staircase, gun loops and a toilet. Most of the walling stands high.
The lower area, at a much lower level, was the entrance and service zone, with storerooms and stables.
Samobor Castle (about 6 km) and Susedgrad (about 13 km) make natural companions on the same trip.

Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.

Map: where Okić Castle is

Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors

Photos of Okić Castle

Okić, the castle site in the Samobor Hills — Photo: Marko Skozrit, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Questions

Where is Okić Castle?

Okić Castle stands in the Samobor Hills, in Zagreb County, close to the town of Samobor.

When was Okić Castle first mentioned?

The first written mention dates from 1193. In 1217 a lord named Jaroslav (Irislav) of Okić is recorded as its first known owner.

What happened to Okić Castle?

It was destroyed in 1616, after the Ottomans repeatedly devastated the Okić district.

Who owned Okić Castle?

Owners included the Babonić princes from 1293 to 1327, Toma Benvenjud from 1393, the Frankopans from 1416 and, from 1493, the Erdődy family.

What remains of Okić Castle?

Much of the walling still stands high. It preserves windows, a staircase, gun loops, a toilet in the wall thickness, and a Romanesque chapel beside the entrance.

What else can you see near Okić Castle?

Samobor Castle lies about 6 km away and Susedgrad about 13 km.