Hrvatsko Zagorje is situated in the north-western part of Croatia, and it the part of Varazdinska and Krapinsko-zagorska county. There are 51 castles in the counties, more than there are in the entire Croatia. Unfortunately, many castles are in poor condition, which, of course, doesn't mean one shouldn't pay them a visit. For you I prepared a little something about the five which are an absolute must see!

The castle Stari grad, Varaždin

The castle Stari grad (Old town) is located just beside the town center, which makes it a zero-category monument. It is assumed that the castle was built in the 12th century and is one of the benchmarks of the town. The castle was thoroughly renewed at the end of the 20th century and is a museum today. It also stages various plays, performances, shows and artistic exhibitions.

From the historical perspective, Varaždin is one of the oldest Croatian towns and its name was mentioned for the first time in 1181 in king Bela's charter, thus it was the first Croatian town with the status of a free royal borough. In order to defend from Turkish invasion, the people started building fortifications and palisades, and the very building was built onto until the end of the 17th century, thus is a fusion of many architectural styles – gothic, renaissance and baroque. It has been restored and represents a typical medieval fort.

Opeka

The arboretum Opeka is one of the most beautiful arboreta in this part of Europe, as there are flora species from almost the entire Northern hemisphere. Just this information is valuable, but the castle Bombelles, located at the entrance is even older. Although the very place is more known today for its park than the castle, it was built there during the 17th century. Works on the park began in the 19th century, mostly in order to make the life of noble families there representative. The owners at the time, the Draskovic family, were directly connected with the royal court through Bombelles, and the arboretum started gaining its first features in 1860. As the design was done after English castles, flora from all parts of the Northern hemisphere was imported. Thus, there are trees older than a hundred years in the park.

Arboretum, which at the time, used to be a garden within the castle, flourished when Marko Bombelles Jr. received it. He collected new plants, or bought ones that have already grown, planting them in his park. It is thanks to him that the arboretum is today one of the most diverse and richest in flora in the whole world. The castle was renewed also at his time, and done in Teutonic style.

Unfortunately, modern times made the castle and the arboretum lose all their beauty, as a result of uncaring for valuable heritage. Despite the condition, the castle and the arboretum deserve to be on the list.

Tabor

In the west, near the border, there is a zero-category monument – Veliki Tabor. One of the main features of the castle is its location on top of a hill, and the structure itself only magnifies its beauty. The walls of the castle are not straight, but mushroom-shaped, which makes the castle seem impenetrable and large. At this moment there are, at the castle and in its vicinity, archeological researches which discovered more walls, which rested under the ground until recently. The castle will regain its full brilliance when the research is done and when it's renewed entirely. But even in this state, it is close to Trakoščan, and each has its special features.

According to some, on the hill where Veliki Tabor stands, there was a Roman fort back in the 2nd century. The castle was built in the 14th century and the Counts of Celje ruled it at the time. The castle changed the owners frequently. Among them, there were the families Korvin and Ratkaj, and it was built on, which often changed its appearance. It was a fort, a residence, but also a prison in the First World War and a hospital in the Second. After the war it was an orphanage for about 60 children. The castle was often left to deteriorate, but a few years ago, archeological museum society decided to put an end to this. There are archeological researches in the very castle and around it, it is being conserved, i.e. renewed, so it could welcome visitors. This is all left for museum enthusiasts to do, who, apart from their jobs, also work in the area of tourism. For a few years now, there have been performances, shows, and even a manifestation, and the renovation of Veliki Tabor is partially financed from it.

Trakoščan

Trakoščan is probably the most famous Croatian castle. Its owners were the Drašković family, and it is located 40 km away from Varaždin. About 40.000 people visit the castle each year. Inside the castle there is a museum with a valuable collection of objects, mostly from the Baroque, and there is a gorgeous collection of weapons and armors. From the outside, the castle is surrounded by an artificial lake and a park forest. The big meadow is suitable for various manifestations.

A legend says that there was a fort back in the times of antique, where Thracians ruled. The castle was named after its owner from the early Medieval times, the Drachensteins. The first writing about the castle is from 1344. The Counts of Celje were rulers at the time, but when the family died out, the castle is taken over by the Korvins, and finally the Draškovićs. Their influence on the building of the castle was crucial through a few centuries. The castle went through many phases, even deterioration, but in the 19th century the king Juraj V. Drašković gave it its final structure by renewing it and arranging the area around the castle as well. The castle got a park in Romanic style and generations of families live at the castle from time to time. The year 1944 was of essence, as the last generation moved out of it, leaving for Austria. The castle was nationalized soon afterwards. Today it belongs to the Republic of Croatia, and luckily it avoided the destiny of other castles in Zagorje, which are deteriorating. Trakoščan has a permanent collection and is extremely well designed.

Lobor

In the heart of Krapinsko-zagorska county there is a town called Lobor, and the castle Lobograd is located in the very vicinity. Its structure is in the form of a square of big dimensions, with a yard in the middle. The chapel of St. Trinity is also located there. On the outside there is a fenced park/walking area, while forests are further away. It was built in the Baroque style, with an impressive decoration inside. Apart from the magnificent landscape and long history, this locality was chosen also due to a good condition of the castle.

The history of Lobor is 4.000 years old. This is when the first remains of human heritage were found. The area is a fusion of various cultures which lived there. Roman heritage made a great influence on it, and the area was, most probably, a stone-pit, which developed the economic prosperity of the area. Even today there are stone-pits which work. For the first time Lobor was mentioned in 1257. It is famous because the first Croatian Christian church was built there. Lobograd was known as a Medieval fort owned by the Keglević family. Today, there are only remains of the fort, and the family built a castle in the style of early Baroque for their needs. The castle was well known for its beauty, the beauty of the landscape ad the park which surrounded it. In 1905 the Keglevics sold the property, and the castle is owned by various people.

An interesting story about Lobograd and the family Keglević is that Barbara Keglević was Beethoven's student when her family lived in Vienna, and four pieces of Beethoven were dedicated to her.

See also

The main tourist destinations in Croatia

Tourism in Hrvasto Zagorje