Castle Studies Kaštelologija

148 PROSTOR 1[61] 29[2021] Book Review Marin Duić Castle Studies Publishers: UPI-2M PLUS and the Faculty of Architecture, Anti-Turkish Castles in Banovina University of Zagreb, Zagreb, 2020 th at the End of the 15 and the Beginning 181 pages, preface, catalogue, literature, th about the author of the 16 Century [26´21 cm, b/w, paperback, Croatian] Kaštelologija Reviewers: Zlatko Karač, Milan Kruhek, Ariana Štulhofer Editor: Ariana Štulhofer Protuturski kašteli na Banovini Design: Saša Stubičar krajem 15. i početkom 16. stoljeća Proofreader: Mira Pavlica-Stojčević ISBN 978-953-7703-48-6 Zorislav Horvat CIP 001065766 [NSK Zagreb] At the end of the 15th century, due to the ap- number of fortifications were built and im- purposes of this publication. In those seven pearance of gunpowder and artillery, the pre- proved. Those fortifications are mostly ne- chapters, the author thematically deals with vious ways of warfare with cold weapons glected today, but they still convey the iden- individual sites (such as Hrastovica and cas- were abandoned. New types of fortifications, tity of previously mentioned border areas. tles on the northern slopes of Zrinska gora or th now designed for active defence against in- All these changes in fortification buildings castles of the Zrinski family in the late 15 th vaders, were built. The fall of the Kingdom of are described in Zorislav Horvat’s new book and 16 centuries in the Pounje region), peo- Bosnia in 1463, and the impending Ottoman called “Castle studies - Anti-Turkish Castles ple (such as the fortifications of Bernardin aggression on Croatian lands coincided with in Banovina at the End of the 15th and the Be- Frankopan), or types of building (such as new fortification needs and constructions, ginning of the 16th Century”. This book is the pseudo-castles). In the last chapter, a cata- especially between Velebit, Una and Kupa. sixth authors’ book and can be seen as a di- logue of twelve castles not mentioned in ear- The Hundred Year’s Croatian-Ottoman War, rect temporal continuation of the previous lier chapters is given. The castles of the au- beginning with the defeat in the Battle of “Burg Studies” (2014) in which the author thor’s interest are located in the areas of Ba- Krbava Field in 1493 and ending with the vic- analysed a period from the 13th to the end of novina, Kordun, Pokuplje and Lika. Each tory at the Battle of Sisak in 1593, marked a the 15th century, i.e. the period of cold weap- chapter is well equipped with historical maps, period when the Croatian nobility was build- ons and the construction of burgs. “Castle field photographs and architectural drawings ing a series of new or remodelling old fortifi- Studies”, as well as its literary predecessor, (which sums up to the total of 191 illustra- cations to defend their estates. The lower makes systematic presentation of the theme tions in the book). The author’s decades-long nobility built numerous lost wooden castles of fortification architecture, only this time field research of the presented sites is of ex- or masonry pseudo-castles intended primari- from the end of the 15th and the beginning of ceptional value, which is reflected in the au- ly for defence against smaller martolos troops, the 16th century and, once again, provides ex- thor’s architectural documentation present- while the higher nobility built larger and bet- cellent graphic design and presentation of ed in the book. ter-equipped castles or improved older burgs the theme thanks to designer Saša Stubičar “Castle Studies”, like the author’s previous (medieval noble towns) to protect and de- and editor Ariana Štulhofer. fend from major Ottoman attacks. In the mid- publications, shows an immense architectur- dle of the 16th century, the Military Frontier The introductory chapter of “Castle Studies” al erudition based on a lifelong study of the defence system was consolidated. The War provides a synthetic insight into the peculiari- feudal fortification architecture of the Middle Council in Graz sent Captain Ivan Lenković on ties of castles. An overview of architectural Ages and the early Renaissance. The defen- a tour of the new castles and old burgs in the models in Italy and Central Europe, and an sive structures presented in the book provide Croatian Military Frontier. Based on military overview of the first appearances in Croatian a view of the materialization of ideas from an logic, Lenković concluded that some smaller regions are provided. Defense specifics, important part of Croatian history when Croa- burgs and castles should be abandoned and which now place emphasis on active defence tia was the Antemurale Christianitatis. Cas- demolished in order not to fall into Ottoman with the development of long-range combat tles and other fortifications are a testament hands and be used in further warfare. The and the defence of the building from the secu- to the spirit and perseverance of builders and new fortifications had to be built in strategi- rity of towers and walls, are thoroughly anal- defenders on the border between the two cally important places and be large enough ysed. Defenders from the safety of the castle worlds. The book targets, not only architects, for the concentration of military force. That is secure the surrounding terrain with cross- but also art historians, archaeologists, gen- why, for example, the renaissance fortifica- bows or firearms so that each point of the sur- eral historians, conservators, and also stu- tions of Sisak and Karlovac were built. The rounding terrain is defended from at least two dents and the general cultural public. Croatian Parliament opposed the abandon- openings of the castle. An overview of the Castle Studies makes an exceptional contri- ment and destruction of smaller fortifications building elements of the castle is given, and a bution to the potential reconstruction of the because that would leave the local popula- typological classification is provided. Banovina region which was hit by the recent tion without any protection. The foundation of the book lays in the follow- earthquake. Numerous castles analysed in All these circumstances led to the dynamic ing seven chapters, which are structured ac- the book have been rapidly deteriorating architectural changes in the Croatian border cording to the previously published scientific even though they represent an immeasur- areas facing the Ottoman Empire. In a rela- articles by the same author. The articles were able cultural, economic and tourist develop- tively short period of time, from the end of published continuously from 1993 to 2014, ment potential. May this book lead the light the 15th and during the 16th century, a large and were supplemented and adapted for the to uncover their full potential..

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