Ozalj Castle, known locally as Stari grad Ozalj, rises above the Kupa River in central Croatia. It is not a single-period fortress: the complex grew through centuries of ownership, rebuilding and changing use. The town’s official history says archaeological finds point to settlement here before the place-name first appeared in a written record in 1244. The castle’s position on a limestone rise above the river helps explain why the site became a focus of power and why its silhouette remains the defining landmark of Ozalj.
The town identifies the Babonić, Frankopan and Zrinski families among the castle’s major medieval owners. The Frankopans held it from 1398, and the Zrinskis took possession through family ties in 1550. Nikola Šubić Zrinski commissioned the palace that bears his family’s name in 1556. In the 17th century, Petar Zrinski resided here as ban, or viceroy, and the municipality describes Ozalj as an unofficial Croatian capital during that period. The phrase captures the town’s political importance, though it should not be confused with a formal capital designation.
