MEDIEVAL CAMP AT THE XIII. FESTIVAL OF MILITARY HISTORY IN PIVKA BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 13 AND 15 2019 (MerlinCV)

The Festival of Military History, which will take place this year between September 13 and 15, is an important event organized by the Park of Military History in Pivka, where military camps are one of the main attractions. Every year, different staging groups set up their military camps from different historical periods, offering visitors a unique insight into military life and habits on different battlefields. So far, camps of the Roman Legion, the US Military, the SS combat units, and camps of the Partisan, German, and Soviet armies were presented.

Knights, their weapon, equipment, and thus the medieval period were presented at the last year’s Festival by the association Kašča from Predjama. The members organize demonstrations of medieval life – life of knights and medieval ladies. During summer months, Predjama, near the Predjama castle, hosts events related to the castle and life in it, and for many years now participants from the Festival of Military History have been active there – demonstrating the duels and catapults from the turbulent period of the Middle Ages.

At their camps, guests can get to know the traditional costume of knights, medieval ladies and servants, and see typical pieces of weapons from that period. The atmosphere is liven up also by the medieval music and dance, which the performers are particularly fond of presenting.

The medieval military camp will play a particularly important role during this year’s festival of Military History, since one of the festival days will be dedicated to the Middle Ages, of which period are also Ravne and Šilentabor castles. The Municipality of Pivka is working on the revitalisation of the two castles under the framework of the MerlinCV project. The Ravne Castle dates back to year 1313 and consists of two large buildings – residence for the nobility and castle granary. The Raunach family, owners of the castle, built an anti-Turkish fort in Šilentabor in the 15th century and this way permanently connected both places. History and development of the Ravne castle and the Šilentabor castle will be presented in detail in a study and at an exhibition organized by the Municipality of Pivka under the framework of the MerlinCV project.