From the fortress to the castle

From its inception in the thirteenth century until the mid-nineteenth century, Trakošćan had functioned as a military fortress. In fear of the Turks, the owners, and especially the members of the Drašković family, strengthened their defenses and as military commanders maintained a larger or smaller armed military garrison in the fortress. For a while, Trakošćan also housed a detachment of Josip Kazimir Drašković's banderium.

Since the mid-nineteenth century, Trakošćan began to be renovated and transformed, in the spirit of historicism, into a castle. Romantic enthusiasm for history was also shown by collecting old weapons. Very skillfully made imitations of weapons from previous periods were also acquired. Rooms and walls in the castle were decorated with weapons as to highlight the military history of the Drašković family.