Susedgrad
On the southwest slopes of Mount Medvednica, not far from the confluence of the rivers Krapina and Sava, a splendid fortified stronghold Susedgrad was erected in the 14th century, and at its foot, alongside the barracks of its garrison, developed the village Podsused, now one of the districts of Zagreb. Thanks to its excellent geographic position, the castle soon became the seat of Susedgrad-Stubica manor, and the “target” of many lords who competed for the possession of it. Among its numerous owners, who were taking it over mostly by various marital combinations, the memory of Franjo Tahi looms large – the hated enemy of peasants in the Great Peasant Revolt. After Tahi succeeded to usurp Susedgrad by force, the deposed noble family Hening complained to all instances up to the court at Wienna. When even the authority of the kings court failed to help them repossess Susedgrad, they turned for help to the peasants. As Tahi treated his serfs very brutally, it was not difficult to persuade them to revolt, and thus in 1573 started the Great Revolt, which ended with a terrible defeat and massacre of the unfortunate peasants. But Franjo Tahi did not enjoy his victory for long. He died in the following year, shortly after the execution of the peasant “king” Matija Gubec. As for Susedgrad, the peasants took their revenge some hundred years later, when they succeeded to take it, completely devastate and burn it down, so that the mighty Susedgrad was never able to recover again.
Now its romantic ruin surrounded by a lovely park can be reached by educational trail from the centre of Podsused. The educational boards along the trail offer a lot of interesting information on the old castle, as well as on “the town under the Sused” and their rich history.
Susedgrad
Na jugozapadnim obroncima Medvednice, u blizini utoka rijeke Krapine u Savu, u 14. je stoljeću sazidan blistavi utvrđeni grad Susedgrad, a u njegovu se podgrađu, uz zgrade vojne posade, razvilo današnje zagrebačko naselje Podsused. Zahvaljujući svom izvrsnom geografskom položaju, Susedgrad je ubrzo postao središtem Susedgradsko-stubičkog vlastelinstva, te je bio „metom“ brojnih srednjovjekovnih plemenitaša, koji su se otimali za vlasništvo nad njime. Od brojnih vlasnika koji su ga preuzimali uglavnom raznim ženidbenim kombinacijama, zasigurno je najveći trag u njegovoj povijesti ostavio Franjo Tahi – omraženi neprijatelj seljaka u Velikoj seljačkoj buni. Nakon što je Tahi silom preoteo Susedgrad plemićkoj obitelji Hening, oni su se žalili i bunili sve do Beča. Kada im svojim autoritetom nije uspio pomoći niti kraljev dvor, ogorčeni plemenitaši su se okrenuli drugoj strani – seljacima. Kako se Tahi naročito zvjerski ponašao prema svojim kmetovima, nije ih bilo teško nagovoriti na pobunu i tako je 1573. godine došlo do Velike seljačke bune, koja je završila teškim porazom i stradanjem mnogih nesretnih seljaka. No Franjo Tahi nije dugo uživao u svojoj pobjedi. Umro je sljedeće godine, nedugo nakon smaknuća seljačkoga “kralja” Matije Gupca. Što se Susedgrada tiče, seljaci su došli na svoje tek stotinjak godina kasnije, kada su uspjeli zauzeti zidine, ući u grad, spaliti ga i potpuno opustošiti, nakon čega se moćni Susedgrad više nikada nije oporavio.
Danas su njegove romantične ruševine okružene lijepo uređenim parkom, do kojega vodi poučna staza iz samog središta Podsuseda. Na pločama staze možete pročitati brojne zanimljivosti, kako o drevnoj utvrdi, tako i o „gradu pod Susedom“ i njegovoj bogatoj povijesti.
