Purger and Purgerica
The Secrets of Medvedgrad: Where History Meets Legend
The story of Medvedgrad begins in 1242, when the Mongols swept into Croatia, laying waste to the settlements of Gradec and Kaptol. King Béla IV of Hungary and Croatia narrowly escaped capture, and once the invaders had withdrawn, it became clear that Zagreb needed a powerful fortress to protect the bishop, Kaptol and the Church’s treasures from any future attacks.
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Construction of Medvedgrad began between 1249 and 1254 under the direction of Philip, Bishop of Zagreb, with the support of Pope Innocent IV and King Béla IV. Perched almost 600 metres above sea level on the slopes of Mount Medvednica, the fortress commanded the approaches to Zagreb as well as the important routes leading towards Slavonia and Turopolje.
Few medieval castles changed hands as often as Medvedgrad. Over the course of more than three centuries, it is believed to have had around 150 owners. Among them were the Bishops of Zagreb, King Béla IV, Sigismund of Luxembourg, Matthias Corvinus, and the powerful noble families of Babonić, Cilli (Celje), Zrinski and Erdődy.
These frequent transfers of ownership explain why Medvedgrad appears so regularly in medieval charters and political disputes.
The Legend of the Black Queen
No story about Medvedgrad is more famous than that of the Black Queen.
The legend is linked to Barbara of Cilli, the wife of Sigismund of Luxembourg. Yet there is no historical evidence that Barbara ever lived at Medvedgrad or that she was known as the Black Queen. The legendary figure emerged over centuries as the real queen became intertwined with local folklore passed down from generation to generation.
According to the legend, the Black Queen was extraordinarily wealthy, strikingly beautiful and notoriously cruel. The people living beneath Mount Medvednica feared her, believing she imposed crushing taxes and mercilessly punished anyone who challenged her authority. Stories claimed that she practised witchcraft, conversed with ravens and concealed immense riches in the underground chambers of Medvedgrad.
The best-known tale recounts her final escape. As enemy forces surrounded the fortress, the Black Queen refused to surrender either herself or her treasure. She ordered her riches to be loaded onto a great black raven—or, in another version of the story, into a black carriage drawn by devils. Just as she attempted to flee, the earth opened beneath her, swallowing both the Queen and her treasure.
To this day, many believe that the treasure still lies hidden somewhere beneath Medvedgrad.
Legend also says that on stormy nights her ghost walks along the ancient walls, accompanied by the rattling of chains and the harsh cries of ravens. Only someone with a completely pure heart, it is said, will ever be able to discover her hidden treasure.
The legend of the Black Queen has become inseparable from Medvedgrad itself and remains one of the fortress’s most enduring symbols.
The Decline and Revival of Medvedgrad
As the Ottoman threat intensified, Medvedgrad was strengthened and refortified in 1487 and again in 1574. However, the devastating earthquake of 1590 left the fortress badly damaged. Its owners eventually moved to a more comfortable residence in nearby Šestine, and Medvedgrad was gradually abandoned. By the seventeenth century, it was already being described as a ruin.
The fortress remained in private ownership until the end of the Second World War, when the Kulmer family lost possession and Medvedgrad became state property. Systematic archaeological excavations and restoration work began in 1979, transforming the site into one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in Croatia.
Medvedgrad Still Watches Over Zagreb
Just below the fortress’s southern defensive tower stands the Altar of the Homeland, created in 1994 by the Croatian sculptor Kuzma Kovačić.
The monument honours all Croatian defenders who gave their lives during the Croatian War of Independence. It is built from blocks of stone gathered from different parts of Croatia, symbolising the country’s diverse regions, while an eternal flame burns at its heart.
Its location is no coincidence. For almost eight centuries Medvedgrad has watched over Zagreb from its commanding position above the city. The monument therefore creates a powerful symbolic link between Croatia’s medieval heritage and the modern Croatian state.