The castle of Trakošćan was built in the second half of the 13th century. At the beginning of the 19th century, Juraj Drašković rebuilt it into a residential castle. Today, it has a special value, because of its preserved authentic rooms.Read more

Trakoscan was built in the 13th c. within Croatia's northwestern fortification system, as a rather small observation fortress for monitoring the road from Ptuj to Bednja Valley. The toponym was first mentioned in written records in 1334. It is not known who its owners were in the first years of its existence. As of the end of the 14th c., it was owned by the Counts of Celje, who were in charge of the entire Zagorje County. The family soon became extinct, and Trakoscan shared the fate of their other burgs and estates that were divided and kept changing owners. In these divisions, Trakoscan was, as a whole, first owned by an army leader by the name of Jan Vitovac, then by Ivanis Korvin, who gave it to his deputy warden Ivan Gyulay. The family kept the castle throughout three generations, and became extinct in 1566, after which the ownership was taken over by the state. King Maximilian gave the estate to Juraj Draskovic (1525-1587) for services rendered, first personally, and then as family heritage. This was how, in 1584, the Draskovic family finally came into possession of Trakoscan. In the second half of the 18th c., when the building of manors was flourishing in Hrvatsko Zagorje, Trakoscan was abandoned. Neglected, it started dilapidating rapidly. It was only towards the middle of the 19th c. that the family became interested once again in its estate, in the Romanticist spirit of return to nature and family traditions. In this spirit, the deputy marshal Juraj V. Draskovic turned the castle into a residential manor-house, while the surrounding park was turned into Romanticist pleasure grounds. The generations that followed were staying at the castle from time to time all the way until 1944 when they immigrated to Austria. Soon after that, the castle became nationalized. The Museum with collections on permanent display was established in 1953. The castle is today owned by the Republic of Croatia.

In the middle of the sixteenth century Varaždin Castle went through a radical transformation that turned it from a late Gothic fortress into a Renaissance moated castle. The previously unfortified suburbs got stone Renaissance fortifications of rectRead more

The name of Varaždin was mentioned for the first time in 1181 in a document of King Bela III in 1181, determining the borders between the estates owned by Kaptol (Zagreb) in Varaždinske Toplice and those owned by the Governor of Varaždin. The Varaždin tribal governors lived in an old fortress (castrum comitis), a Romanesque structure partly built of stone that already have existed at the beginning of the twelfth. During the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, a town developed beside the old fortress. In old documents the town is called Garestin. In 1209 the King of Hungary and Croatia, Andreas II, issued a royal charter to the citizens of the town in the suburbs of Varaždin, creating it a royal free city. It was the first royal city in northern Croatia.
By the end of the sixteenth century Varaždin Castle had changed many owners.
In the middle of the sixteenth century Varaždin Castle went through a radical transformation that turned it from a late Gothic fortress into a Renaissance moated castle. The previously unfortified suburbs got stone Renaissance fortifications of rectangular ground plan with walls and trenches. The Renaissance reconstruction and renewal of the castle was begun in about 1544 by the Styrian Baron Ivan Ungnad, at that time the owner of the castle. Work was carried out by the famous Italian fortificational architect Domenico dell'Allio who built the fortress in Graz. Varaždin Castle got round Renaissance corner towers, so-called rondele, in front of which rose high earthen embankments surrounded by a moat with water diverted from the Drava. The earlier medieval parts were partly reconstructed, and partly fitted into the new Renaissance appearance of the castle.
After 1608, Varaždin developed as the centre of the Varaždin District. In the period from 1756 to 1776 it was the capital of Croatia, until the catastrophic fire when the Ban, administration and aristocracy moved back to Zagreb.
The last restoration was completed in 1705. Since 1925 it houses the art collections of the Gradski muzej Varaždin

In 1320, a citadel was built here which was later turned into the castle that gained today’s look in the 18th century.Read more

In 1320,a citadel was built here which was later turned into the castle that gained today’s look in the 18th century.

The castle Klenovnik is the worldwide cultural heritage monument. The castle was built by the Vice-Roy Ivan II Drašković. In the 17th century, the Croatian Parliament held sessions here. Today, it is a hospital.Read more

The castle Klenovnik is one of the biggest and most representative castles in the north-western part of Croatia.

The castle in Veliki Bukovec was built in the period between 1745 to 1755 by the Count Josip Kazimir Drašković. The castle is one of the biggest castles in the north-western part of Croatia.Read more

The castle in Veliki Bukovec was built in the period between 1745 to 1755 by the Count Josip Kazimir Drašković. The castle is one of the biggest castles in the north-western part of Croatia.

The castle in Novi Marof – from the Late Baroque-Classicist period, belonged to the Erdödy family – a family branch in Novi Marof from the beginning of the 18th century, in protected park from the end of the 18th century. Today, there is a hospiRead more

The castle in Novi Marof – from the Late Baroque – Classicist period, belonged to the Erdödy family – a family branch in Novi Marof from the beginning of the 18th century, in protected park from the end of the 18th century, covering the area of 13.7 hectares. Today, there is a hospital here.

The castle Maruševec was mentioned for the first time in 1547, as the property of the Vragović family.
It is the worldwide cultural heritage monument. Today, it is owned by the Pongratz family.Read more

The castle Maruševec was mentioned for the first time in 1547, as the property of the Vragović family. Throughout centuries, the castle had numerous owners. The Count Schlippenbach added new wing to the castle and gave it today’s shape. The park around the castle is only a remnant of the huge English garden as it was before the Wolrd War II. It is the worldwide cultural heritage monument. Today, it is owned by the Pongratz family.

The castle in Opeka was built in the 17th century. What makes Opeka interesting is the arboretum, with a park consisting of many exotic plants from all areas of the northern hemisphere.Today, it is the park monument of the highest category.Read more

The castle in Opeka was built in the 17th century, around 1647. What makes Opeka interesting is the arboretum, with a park consisting of many exotic plants from all areas of the northern hemisphere, which were brought by the Count Marko Bombelles from his numerous travels. The park was protected in 1947, thanks to the extrordinary art, dendrologic, scientific, educational, cultural, historic and other values. Today, it is the park monument of the highest category.

For the castle Martijanec, we do not know the time when it was built, but it is known that it existed already in the 18th century.Read more

The castle for which we do not know when it was built, but it is known that it existed already in the 18th century.