2013
Grad Rajhenburg -s temeljito obnovo v novo tisočletje
V soboto, 1. decembra 2012, se je grad Rajhenburg po dvoletni prenovi znova predstavil javnosti. Grajska stavba, ki že devet stoletij kraljuje na strmem skalnem pomolu nad izlivom potoka Brestanica v reko Savo, je dobila novo podobo in s tem zagotovilo, da jo bomo ohranili za naslednje rodove. Rajhenburg je imel v tem pogledu srečo. V njegovem primeru so se združili volja lokalne skupnosti in zadostna finančna sredstva, kar je omogočilo relativno hitro in celostno prenovo. Mnoge druge grajske stavbe na Slovenskem te sreče nimajo in razpadajo tako rekoč pred našimi očmi. Le upamo lahko, da bo primer Rajhenburga vzor še kakšni prenovi gradu v prihodnosti.
Pri Kroniki smo ponosni, da smo z izdajo tematske številke o gradu Rajhenburg postali del njegove dolge in pisane zgodovine. Z novo in temeljito osvetlitvijo grajske zgodovine Rajhenburg v zavesti Slovencev ne bo ostal povezan le s temačnim obdobjem med drugo svetovno vojno in po njej, ko je imel funkcijo zapora. Objavljeni prispevki kažejo, da je imel tudi ta grad zanimivo zgodovino, čeprav ne tako burno kot ostali bližnji gradovi (npr. Sevnica, Srajbarski turn, Brežice), saj je — čeprav med njimi najstarejši — živel v njihovi senci in je pogosto služil le v gospodarske namene in ne za razkošno plemiško rezidenco.
Kronika, posvečena gradu Rajhenburg, je zastavljena izrazito interdisciplinarno, kakršno bi na sploh moralo biti raziskovanje gradov. Svoje izsledke so prispevali tako zgodovinarji in umetnostni zgodovinarji kot tudi arheologi, arhitekti, etnologi in mnogi drugi raziskovalci. Čeprav smo se trudili, da bi s prispevki osvetlili vse ali vsaj čim več časovnih obdobij in področij, je na koncu nekaj tematik zaradi višje sile izostalo. Med njimi npr. kratko, a pomembno obdobje druge svetovne vojne, ko je srednjeveški grad postal središče nemške okupacijske oblasti za izgon Slovencev, ali pa novejša zgodovina spodnjega dvorca Turn, ki je bil dolgo časa in je v določenem pogledu še danes neločljivo povezan s svojim starejšim »bratom« na skali.
Ugotovitve raziskovalcev so prinesle številne novosti. Med njimi je morda najodmevnejša ta, da grad pravzaprav ne datira v 9. stoletje, kot se je to mislilo do sedaj, ampak je šele produkt gradbene
vneme salzburškega nadškofa Konrada I. iz prve polovice 12. stoletja. Nova so tudi spoznanja o številnih lastnikih, ki so se skozi stoletja menjavali na gradu in bili med seboj skorajda vsi tako ali drugače povezani. Veliko novosti so odkrila arheološka izkopavanja v gradu in okoli njega ter razkrivanje grajskega ogrodja ob prenavljanju. Stavbna zgodovina Rajhenburga je sedaj veliko bolj jasna, analiza izsledkov pa je pokazala zanimive analogije z grajsko in cerkveno arhitekturo v širšem srednjeevropskem prostoru.
Čeprav je Rajhenburg izgubil status najstarejšega gradu na Slovenskem, se mu s tem vrednost ni prav nič zmanjšala, saj ga še vedno štejemo med najstarejše pričevalce zgodovine v današnjem slovenskem prostoru. Ni veliko gradov, ki bi se lahko pohvalili, da po devetstotih let še vedno stojijo in imajo poleg tega še uporabno funkcijo. Rajhenburg je med njimi.
Morda lahko obžalujemo le to, da temeljita raziskava grajske zgodovine ni bila izvedena pred obnovo. Predhodni znanstveni in strokovni izsledki bi nedvomno olajšali načrtovanje obnove in pri določenih konservatorsko-restavratorskih posegih omogočili iskanje boljših in primernejših rešitev. Stroka — tako kot pri mnogih drugih primerih — tudi pri obnovi Rajhenburga nima enotnega stališča, a s predhodnimi raziskavami bi se tovrstna nesoglasja zagotovo zmanjšala. Priporočilo o nujnosti predhodnih temeljitih in interdisciplinarnih raziskav naj tako velja tudi za vse prihodnje prenove grajskih kompleksov.
Grad Rajhenburg je prenovljen, zdaj rabi še nove vsebine. Veliko se v njem že dogaja, še več pa se bo, ko bodo v notranjih prostorih svoje mesto našli razstavni eksponati in drugi predmeti. Upamo, da bo k vrnitvi življenja v grad svoj delež prispevala tudi pričujoča številka Kronike.
Upamo pa lahko tudi, da bo obnove v bližnji prihodnosti deležen tudi spodnji dvorec Turn, ki skupaj s srednjeveškim Rajhenburgom že stoletja tvori slikovito veduto.
Miha Preinfalk
govorni ur
ednik Kronike
2013
Rajhenburg Castle -entering a new millennium completely renovated
On Saturday, 1 December 2012, the Rajhenburg (Reichenburg) Castle reintroduced itself to the public after a two-year renovation. The castle building, which has dominated the steep rocky cliff over the outflow of the Brestanica stream into the Sava River for more than nine centuries, is given a new appearance and, with it, an assurance that it will be preserved for many generations to come. In this respect, Rajhenburg is a confluence of fortunate circumstances, combining the will of the local community and adequate financial means to ensure a relatively rapid and overall renovation. Many other castle buildings in Slovenia do not share the same fortune, continuing to crumble before our very eyes. Therefore, we can only hope that Rajhenburg will serve as a shining example for other castle renovations in the future.
The authors at Kronika are proud to be part of its long and eventful history with the release of the thematic issue on the Rajhenburg Castle. Owing to the new and exhaustive presentation of the castle's history, Rajhenburg will not remain in Slovenian consciousness for its association with the dark period during and after the Second World War, when it served as a prison. The published papers demonstrate that this castle, too, has had an interesting history, even if not as tumultuous as other castles nearby (e.g. Sevnica (Liechtenwald), Šrajbarski turn (Thurn am Hart), Brežice (Rann)), since it has always stood — albeit the oldest — in their shadow and has mainly been used for economic purposes, rather than a luxurious noble residence.
The issue of Kronika dedicated to the Rajhen-burg Castle is explicitly interdisciplinary, as castle research in general should be. It features contributions from historians, art historians, as well as archaeologists, ethnologists and many other researchers. Despite our earnest desire to shed light on all or at least as many periods and fields as possible, some themes have not been dealt with due to force majeure. One of them is, for instance, the short but important period of the Second World War, during which the medieval castle became the centre of German occupation authorities for the expulsion of Slovenes, or the contemporary history of the lower mansion Turn, which has long been, and in a certain regard still is, inseparably linked to its older »brother« on the rocky cliff.
New knowledge has been gained from the researchers' findings, with the most important being,
perhaps, the discovery that the castle does not date back to the 9th century as has been generally believed so far, but rather that it was a result of the construction zeal of the Archbishop of Salzburg, Conrad I, of the first half of the 12th century. New discoveries have been made in relation to many owners that the castle has had through centuries and that were all connected in one way or another. A number of discoveries have also been made during the archaeological excavations in and around the castle, as well as by the uncovering of the castle's original layout during the restoration works. The architectural history of Rajhenburg is much clearer now, and the analysis of findings has shown interesting analogies to the castle and church architecture within the broader Central European area.
Even though Rajhenburg may have lost the status of the oldest castle in Slovenia, it has in no way depreciate in its value, as it is still regarded one of the oldest witnesses to the history of the Slovenian territory. Not many castles still stand after nine hundred years and, in addition to that, perform a useful function. Rajhenburg is one of them.
What we, perhaps, find regrettable is that no comprehensive research of the castle's history was done before the renovation. Prior research and technical findings would have undoubtedly facilitated the planning of the renovation, as well as provided a possibility to seek better and more appropriate solutions in relation to some restoration works. Given that scholarship is, just as in many other cases, also divided on the renovation of Rajhenburg, prior research would have resolved such disagreements as well. The recommendation on the necessity to conduct prior comprehensive and interdisciplinary research should therefore also apply to all future renovations of castle compounds.
The Rajhenburg Castle is renovated and ready to provide new contents. While it already offers much to the visitor, many more new opportunities will open when the exhibits and other artefacts find their place within its walls as well. We hope that the current issue of Kronika will contribute its share to restoring life to the castle.
Finally, we also hope that renovation works will soon follow on the lower mansion Turn, which has for centuries formed a charming skyline with the medieval Rajhenburg.
Miha Preinfalk Editor-in-ChiefofKronika