The ruin of Ekenštajn Castle

Ekenštajn Castle (German Eggenstein, Ekkenstein) or Gorica Castle was a medieval castle that stood on a rise above the Velenje settlement of Šalek (Veterski hrib) near the other Šalek Castle. The once mighty castle, of which a few walls survive in today's ruins, was already abandoned by the end of the 17th century.

Ekenštajn Castle (Eggenstein) or Gorica was built by the bishops of Krka in the mid-13th century. The castle is first mentioned in a document from 1282 as the tower »turre Ekkenstein«, when Ortolf of Kraigh sold it to Count Ulrik of Vovbre. Thus the Counts of Vovbre held the castle and the lordship of Ekenštajn in fief until their extinction in 1322. The castle is explicitly mentioned only in 1329 as the fortress »fest ze Ekenstein«.

After the extinction of the Vovbre line, Ekenštajn Castle (Ekenstein), as a Krka fief, was inherited by the Žovnek lords, namely Friderik of Žovnek. It was granted to him in fief only in 1334. The Ekenštajn lordship had the following offices: Prelska, Spodnja Pirešica, Zgornja Pirešica, Gorica, Veternik, sv. Ožbolt and Plešivec.

The castle and lordship were administered or held in sub-fief by the knights of Ekenštajn, who were vassals of the Vovbre and later the Counts of Celje. Sources indicate that the knightly family at the castle changed after 1314, since the brothers Ulrik and Oto Mörtinger named themselves after Ekenštajn Castle after 1326. In 1314 Oto of Ekenštajn bought the neighbouring Šalek Castle, but later we no longer find new owners who would name themselves after the new castle. The Mörtinger brothers, who held the Žitenberg manor near the market town of Velenje, became involved in the disputes over the Vovbre inheritance and tried to gain independence, and in 1329 they received Ekenštajn Castle directly in fief from the bishop of Krka.

Source: Wikipedia