Near by
The surrounding area offers plenty of opportunities for active holidays: walking tours and walks in the woods, picking mushrooms and forest fruits, cycling.
Nearby is the famous town of Varaždinske Toplice, known for the oldest thermal spa in Croatia, which in its center preserves one of the most important continental archaeological complexes, excavations of the Roman thermal baths that served its purpose for four centuries. If you want to refresh yourself in natural healing water, be sure to visit the Spa.
The neighboring municipality of Kneginec, about 10 minutes away by car, is known for its many old vineyards and many rich gastronomic offer. Awaken the adventurer in you and discover the many beauties and hidden localities of our region. Your host will help you choose.
"GOMILA", Jalžabet (2 km)
An imposing burial mound, 65 meters long and 8 meters high, from the Early Iron Age, more precisely from the first half of the 6th century BC. It is one of the largest burial mounds in Europe. However, it is only the most prominent part of the extremely significant Hallstatt site, which includes the necropolis on the eastern side of the Bistrichak stream and the exceptionally well-preserved Hallstatt settlement west of Bistrichak at the Tsarev Jarek site. The locality belongs to the eastern Hallstatt cultural group Martijanec – Kaptol.
In 2017, it was established that Gomila was robbed and severely damaged. In order to prevent further devastation of this precious archaeological site, archaeological research was carried out. The mound is open 30 meters wide and 40 meters long. At the bottom of the Mound, a square burial chamber measuring 12 x 12 meters was discovered, which was located on a stone plateau with a diameter of about 30 meters and was surrounded by a dry wall cornice of large stone slabs. The interior of the burial chamber was paved with carefully cut sandstone slabs and covered with wooden paneling. A thick layer of burnt bones was found in the chamber. These are the bones of a large number of sacrificed animals, but also the human bones of a deceased person from the very top of the Hallstatt society of this region. In addition, a part of grave goods, parts of warriors' equipment, fragments of ceramics, but also jewelry made of amber and gold were found. However, it is very likely that it is only a small part of the grave goods, because the grave was robbed. What was really inside it we will probably never know.
SOMOGY CASTLE – BEDEKOVIĆ, JALŽABET (1.5 km)
The castle is a baroque building from the middle of the 18th century. The shape of the castle shows the late-Renaissance tradition of designing noble palaces with a closed four-wing floor plan with an inner courtyard, which is surrounded by arcaded corridors.
The most beautiful architectural element of the castle is the baroque stone portal on the main, northern facade. It is composed of a finely carved rounded jamb placed inside an almost square frame above which, above the horizontal beam, one cone is placed on each side, while in the middle is a baroque cartouche with a chronogram according to which the palace was built in 1744. Koloman Bedeković, Croatian ban in 1871-1872, was born in the castle. Mr., and the first minister for Croatia in the joint Hungarian-Croatian government formed after the Croatian-Hungarian settlement in 1868.
In the castle grounds there is also a protected plane tree, whose age is estimated to be more than 400 years old, and since it is much older than today's castle, it may have stood next to the former "castrum Suhodol", which is mentioned in written sources in the 16th century.
PARISH CHURCH OF SAINT ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY, JALŽABET (1.5 km)
Although the parish of St. Elizabeth is mentioned in the oldest list of parishes of the Zagreb Diocese from 1334, today's parish church dates from the middle of the 18th century. The baroque church was built by spouses Helena Rozalija Somogy and Baltazar Bedeković, owners of Jalžabet noble estate and patrons of the parish. The church is a single-nave building with slightly prominent side chapels and a square sanctuary. Above the main facade is a two-story tower with a bulbous roof. In the niche on the front side of the tower is a stone statue of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, who gives gifts to beggars. The main altar is dedicated to Saint Elizabeth and is architecturally designed. In the central niche of the main altar there is a statue of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, and on the side are statues of St. Ladislaus and St. Catherine, and on the other side of St. Barbara and St. Emeric.
The side altars are dedicated to Saint Lawrence and Saint Roch (right), and Saint Anthony of Padua and Saint Helena (left). The central painting on the altar of St. Jelena Križarica is particularly interesting, which is depicted in the grand costume of the 18th century. It is assumed that Helena Rozalija Somogy is actually painted in the picture.
In the church, the richly decorated baroque pulpit from the second half of the 18th century also stands out for its beauty.
CHURCH OF SAINT KLEMENT, KELEMEN (2.4 km)
The church is a medieval Baroque building with a flat sanctuary and a strong square tower of defensive significance, which rests on the western facade of the church. Two Gothic windows on the eastern wall of the sanctuary and a Romanesque window on the southern facade have been preserved from the medieval architectural elements of the church. The main altar in the church is dedicated to Saint Clement, while the side altars are dedicated to Saint Rosalia and Saint Three Kings. In the center of the main altar is an oil painting on canvas depicting Pope Saint Clement.
The votive painting on the north wall of the church shows the appearance of the place in 1810.
CRKVA SVETOG JAKOBA, JAKOPOVEC (4,8 km)
Današnja crkva sagrađena je na osnovama srednjovjekovne crkve u prvoj polovici 19. stoljeća. Radi se o jednobrodnoj građevini pravokutnog tlocrta s nižom i užom, polukružno završenom apsidom i dvokatnim tornjem iznad glavnog, zapadnog pročelja. Posebnu vrijednost ove crkvice predstavlja činjenica da je cjelokupna unutrašnjost zidova i svodova ukrašena žbukorezom varaždinskog slikara Julije Merlića iz 1949. godine. U ovoj rijetkoj tehnici slikar je prikazao vegetabilne motive, motive anđela i anđeoskih glavica. Anđeli su prikazani kao žene obučene u rubaču ukrašenu čipkom, a imaju i lajbec ukrašen cvjetnim uzorkom i pojas, te kao nakit đunđ oko vrata.
ANDRIJE II'S TOWER, GORNJI KNEGINEC (7.9 km)
In Gornji Kneginac, right next to the parish church, there is a round tower where, according to tradition, 13th century imprisoned Slavonian prince, and from 1204 and the Hungarian-Croatian king Andrija II. It can be assumed that today's princely tower is the only remaining part of the fortress that was located on the site of today's church and rectory. The tower as part of the fortress certainly existed at the very beginning of the 13th century, which is confirmed by the record of Andrija's imprisonment. It is assumed that the princely fortress belonged to the quadrangular concept of the castle. However, it seems that already at the time of the Turkish threat, only the tower remained of the fortified city, which still exists today. This is supported by the record of visitors to the princely church from 1646. about how there was a guardhouse over the church at the time of the Turkish invasion.
BATTHYANY CASTLE, LUDBREG (13 km)
The baroque castle was created by the renovation and transformation of the old Ludbrek burg in the middle of the 18th century. It is a magnificent building with a four-wing floor plan built on four floors. The old chapel, which is a place of pilgrimage and veneration of the Precious Blood of Jesus, is integrated into the new, baroque castle. The dome and walls of the chapel are decorated with high-quality frescoes. Those in the dome are the work of an unknown master from the first decade of the 18th century, while the higher quality frescoes in the nave of the chapel are the work of Michael Peck from 1753.
Next to the castle, on the south side, two outbuildings were built, which housed the manor's granary, wheelhouse and stables. On the ground floor of the western building was the apartment of the city judge with a room decorated with high-quality wall paintings.
In the historical area of the chapel of the Holy Cross, the "Permanent display of sacred art" is available for viewing, which presents sacred exhibits collected from the parishes of Ludbreg, Donji Marijanec, Sveti Đurđ and Veliki Bukovec.
ŽUPNA CRKVA SV. TROJSTVA, LUDBREG (13 km)
Župna crkva Sv. Trojstva trobrodna je građevina koja današnji izgled najvećim dijelom dobiva sredinom i u drugoj polovici 17. stoljeća. Štovanje Predragocjene Krvi Isusove i pretvaranje Ludbrega u proštenište nametnulo je potrebu za proširenjem postojeće jednobrodne crkve te će dogradnjom dviju bočnih lađa, župna crkva Sv. Trojstva postati trobrodna, što je izuzetno rijetko na području sjeverozapadne Hrvatske.
Od crkvenog inventara u župnoj je crkvi do danas očuvana barokna propovjedaonica izvedena sredinom 18. stoljeća. Propovjedaonica je ukrašena reljefnim prikazima starozavjetnih tema.
Zidovi i svodovi crkve ukrašeni su velikim fresco ciklusom koji je 1940.g. izveo Mirko Rački. Zidne su slike vezane uz legendu Čudesne Presvete Krvi Isusove, a ovaj se rad ubraja među najvažnije radove modernog sakralnog slikarstva u sjevernoj Hrvatskoj .
Godine 1779. oko crkve je izgrađen reprezetativni cinktor koji zatvara prostor na kojem se okupljaju hodočasnici.
ARHEOLOŠKI PARK IOVIA, LUDBREG (13 km)
U antici će upravo na mjestu današnjeg Ludbrega Rimljani najprije podići vojnu utvrdu, koja će vrlo brzo prerasti u civilno urbano središte Iovia-Botivo. Počeci antičkog naselja datiraju se u I. stoljeće, a značajniji uspon Iovia će doživjeti krajem I. i u II. stoljeću, točnije u vrijeme careva Trajana i Hadrijana. Tada su izgrađeni obrambeni zidovi unutar kojih se zatim razvija antičko naselje sa stambenom zonom i javnim sadržajima od kojih se posebno ističe veliki termalni kompleks s tri bazena. Nakon što je stradala u vrijeme markomanskih ratova (166.-180.g.) Iovia će biti djelomično obnovljena, a najveći uspon dosiže u IV.st. kada je provedena temeljita urbanizacija. U ovom je razdoblju formirano i predgrađe tj. dio naselja izvan obrambenih zidina. U drugoj polovici IV.st. Iovia je vjerojatno i središte biskupa, budući da se u to vrijeme spominje biskup Amantinus iz Iovie.
Na istraženom dijelu antičkog grada Iovio-Botivo otvoren je Arheološki park u kojem kroz brojne eksponate i korištenjem multimedijskih tehnologija posjetitelji mogu doživjeti način života na ovim prostorima u rimsko doba.
ROMAN AQUAE LASAE COMPLEX, VARAŽDINSKE TOPLICE (10 km)
The Roman settlement was created between the 1st and 4th centuries AD, and consists of two urban units. On the upper plateau, where the strongest thermal spring was located, a representative Roman bathhouse was built. As the treatment is related to the cult, a forum with a nymphaeum and temples dedicated to the Capitoline Triad - Jupiter (central), Juno (eastern) and Minerva (western) were built on the same plateau. A monumental statue of the goddess Minerva and her pedestal with an inscription were discovered in Minerva's temple. The inscription mentions that the monument to Minerva was erected by Moderatus, and adds the attribute "Medica" to her. This part of the ancient settlement had a public and representative character.
Trade fair buildings were located in the southern lowland part of the settlement, while residential buildings with gardens were located on the terraced slopes.
TRAKOŠĆAN CASTLE (49 km)
The beginnings of the construction of the castle date back to the 13th century, and during the past 8 centuries it has undergone numerous additions and modifications, and has changed numerous owners. The most profound mark on Trakošćan is left by the famous Croatian noble family Drašković, who owned it for almost 4 centuries (from the second half of the 16th century to the middle of the 20th century). Count Juraj VI. Drašković renovated the castle in the 19th century in the neo-Gothic style, emphasizing the fortification character of the castle. A square defense tower rises above the entire building, while there are two massive cylindrical towers to the southwest. An entrance area with a high wall envelope and a neo-Gothic entrance with a movable bridge was added to the northwest facade. Instead of the former small windows, large Neo-Gothic windows with colored glass were installed in the castle. All defensive parts of the castle end with a toothed crown with terraces.
A lawn is being formed next to the castle, a spiral road to the castle is being arranged, and a lake is also being built.
Since 1954 the castle is designed as an ambient museum with preserved inventory from the 15th to 19th centuries.
On the hill below the castle there is also a castle chapel dedicated to St. Ivan. This chapel was probably built in the 17th century, and was renovated at the same time as the castle in the spirit of Neo-Gothic.
OPEKA CASTLE AND ARBORETUM, MARČAN (31 km)
Opeka Castle was built in several phases, starting in 1674. when the core of the castle was built by Nicholas III. Keglević, as evidenced by the inscription on the stone beam above the entrance to the castle. The main part of the castle dates from the second half of the 17th century.
In 1857, the castle came into the ownership of the Bombelles family, which is originally from France, through marriage. Then there was an extension and complete renovation of the castle in the spirit of historicism, and a complete redesign of the interior was carried out.
Next to the castle, there is a 52-hectare park, which is built by the Bombelles. Today, Perivoj is a unique example of garden architecture in continental Croatia, and the most diverse types of flora from all over the northern hemisphere are represented in it.
