Built by the Archbishop of Salzburg in the 12C, the castle defended the left bank of the Sava from the vantage point of its spur. The town of Brežice ("Little Riverbank") was founded at the foot of this imposing building - a fortress, then an administrative centre and princes' residence; it was renovated in the mid-14C, again destroyed during the 1515 Peasant Revolt and restored in the 17C-18C. Ignaz Maria Attems (1652-1732), patron of the arts, rebuilt the east wing and its so-called Knights' Hall, with magnificent frescoes.