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castle
Janković (Jankovich) Castle situated in Islam Grčki is an exceptional
and rare example of the combined fortification/residence complex built in medieval
time. It was especially important in 17 century, when it become part of the
borderline between Venecian Republic (and hence the most-western border of the
Cristian West) and then expanding Otoman empire. The complex has a rectangular
form, aprox. 80 by 60 m, enclosed partly by buildings (residential, store-houses,
stables, etc.) partly by high walls. The main residential building and tower
divide the inner space into two courts. Just outside the walls, but belonging
to the complex, there is a medieval, Romanesque church. Underneath the main
tower is a dungeon and a secret room with a hidden entrance. The complex is
located on the hillside, surrounded by a beautiful park of rare vegetation and
trees hundreds of years old. It has its own spring of fresh water and fish-basin.
The object is officially registered Monument of culture of Croatia, ranked in
the First category. The complex has been owned by Janković-Desnica family for
almost four centuries. In the castle there were valuable and important collections
of icons (16-18 c.), XIX - century pictures, valuable sacral objects, collection
of medieval weapons, objects of fine-arts, ethnographic collection, archeological
collection, library with cca 6.000 books collected over centuries, many of them
in foreign languages (primarily in Italian and French), furniture, geographic
maps etc. The object is also rich in history, ranging from the 17th century
folk hero, cavaliere Stojan Janković till the eminent novelist Vladan Desnica,
who often lived and wrote there, and chose it as his final resting place.
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