The Brdo Park and Castle near Kranj

The estate—today known as the Brdo Park—was conceived in the spirit of the Enlightenment and unfolds as an exceptionally harmonious composition of natural and designed spaces. Its development was initiated in the 18th century by Žiga Zois and his brother Karel, who followed contemporary European principles of landscape design, emphasizing the harmony between nature and human creation. Their rural estate at Brdo became a place of subtle transitions between gardens, ponds, woodland edges, and meadows, where natural features were not merely a backdrop but a key element in shaping a productive, aesthetically rich, and experientially engaging landscape. This carefully planned spatial organization, rooted in the principles of the English landscape garden and the aesthetic design of agricultural estates—ferme ornée—continues to retain its cultural and artistic value today.

Brdo Castle near Kranj, together with the park, is a cultural monument of national importance. The building is more than architecture; each space tells its own story. This narrative spans over half a millennium of history, bridging the late Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the architectural efforts of the twentieth century. The representative character of the residence is further enhanced by the selected furnishings, primarily artworks by Slovenian painters and sculptors, and the hand of architect Vinko Glanz, a key figure in protocol buildings. The castle is more than the residence of the Egkh, Zois, and Karađorđević families, or a retreat for Josip Broz Tito or Janez Drnovšek. It is a crossroads of Slovenian culture, from the Reformation to the present day. The park grounds serve as an extension of the castle, with the Congress Centre, designed by Bevk Perović Arhitekti, adding a contemporary architectural layer.

As part of the thematic weekend Spaces of the State, we will organize a guided tour on Sunday, May 18, in cooperation with the public institution JGZ Brdo. Together with art historian Gojko Zupan and landscape architect Dr. Ana Kučan, we will explore the park and castle, discovering their unique features through a walk across space and history.