Castles & ruins 8: Possert, HR

 Utvrda Possert, Istra

Fort Possert (or St.Martin, or Shabez) first mentioned in written source of 1064 as a gift from emperor Henry IV to Urlich II Weimar-Orlamünde for his services. 

Due to the fort strategic location it was attacked and destroyed many times, and thanks to its strategic location every time it was repaired and fortified to serve yet another owner.

Last destruction was around 1610th  – since then the fort stayed in ruins until 2006, when gothic building was partially restored as close as possible to the original.

Because of the fort “militant” history and frequent change of owners (not just people but countries too: from Venice to Austria) there are no legends connected to it in particular, but lots of them are about the countless wars and battles of the region.

One though is about a smith (although I think I've heard variation of this in some other places too so most probably it is not even Istrian original one). Anyhow, one stormy night local smith had a visitor asking him to sharpen a scythe. It was late but smith agreed and tall thin figure gave him a scythe he had never seen before, there was something strange with it but he could not grasp what exactly. He looked at his visitor and understood that it was Death herself. 

The smith did not dare to refuse the job even though he was afraid that he is sharpening the scythe for himself. The Death shake her head gravely and said: “I am not the one who kills people you know. I only take them to their destination after life. People are the ones who kill each other. Once I was young beautiful woman caring about humans, guiding them further, but you people - you are cruel bloodthirsty murderers, all of you. I put up black clothes to hide the bloodstains, I put black hood to cover my withered haggard face which saw so many unnecessary killing, I am not the one you need to be afraid of.”

The smith gave her back sharp scythe and asked: “Well, I am sorry to think of you so. But why then you need this scythe?” And she said:  “Because the road to Heaven is all overgrown by weeds.”