Cetin Castle

About

The fortress of Cetin is situated 5 kilometres (3 mi) south of Cetingrad above the village of Podcetin, in Croatia. The castle and its immediate surrounding represent a monument of great value for Croatian national history because on this place in 1527 Croatian nobility elected Ferdinand I Habsburg a king of Croatia. From that moment on, Croatia remained a part of Habsburg Monarchy until the end of World War I.

Etymology: According to Croatian historian Radoslav Lopašić, the name Cetin means: " a place covered with dense and dark forest".

History: The moment when Cetin castle was built is unknown. There are some indications that a settlement existed there in the times of the Roman Empire. The Parish of All Saints, in which the fortress is situated, was first mentioned in 1334. In 1387, king Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, donated Cetin to Ivan of Krk, hence the castle became the property of the Frankopan family. The Middle Ages were the golden era of Cetin. In the 15th century, the Cetinski branch of Frankopan family was formed. It only lasted a hundred years. Ivan Frankopan of Cetin died in the Battle of Krbava field. His brother Grgur and son Franjo Frankopan became archbishops...