Maribor Castle stands at the northeastern edge of the old town core and is one of the most beautiful and largest buildings in the whole city. It's not just a photogenic landmark - it's a genuine fortified residence that once guarded the town and today houses the Regional Museum of Maribor.

The castle rises above what was once the town moat, still traced today by the small Ribniški stream, which marks the boundary between the town and castle districts. It features two courtyards, one of which - once used as a riding school - is remarkably spacious. The clock tower, the large stone lion above the portal facing Grajski trg, and the long decorative corridor on the first floor all give the place a strong sense of history. In winter the thick fortress walls feel austere and defensive, while in summer the castle garden and the square below come alive with visitors.

• Maribor old town — walk from the city centre, approx. 10-15 minutes, easy route
• Access via Grajski trg — direct approach to the castle courtyard, easy route

• Houses the Pokrajinski muzej Maribor (Regional Museum)
• Built in stages starting in 1655, with the clock tower added in 1780
• The portal facing Grajski trg is decorated with a large freestanding stone lion

Local tradition holds that a secret underground passage once connected the castle's old bastion, which once withstood Ottoman cannon fire, with the Gornji grad.