Veliki Tabor Castle

Soon, a particularly fine baroque tabernacle and a painting featuring Jesus Delivering keys to St. Peter will be added, both donated by His Eminency the Bishop of Zagreb, Dr. Franjo Kuharić. Further attractions include a collection of old-timer vehicles, a rich ethnographic collection, a presentation of the first hand-manufacture of medical drugs, a presentation of fencing, musketeers and the suit of armor of the "melancholic knight", a rich collection of paintings, and an exceptionally valuable collection of interest is the ?uro Prejac collection, with numerous exhibits and archive documents illustrating the life and work of the great poet and musician. Very important is the regional antifascist collection, which is not on the exhibit at the moment. Activities are on the way for the compilation of a Patriotic War collection. However, the major event has been the first show of the exhibition entitled THE RATKAYS OF VELIKI TABOR IN CROATIA'S HISTORY AND CULTURE. A part of this exceptional exhibition shall become a permanent exhibition on the Ratkay family. From among the most prominent owners and occupants of the Castle let us mention the Counts of Celje, the Ratkay Counts, the Count of Tuguth, the Grunvald Brothers, merchants from Zagreb, Banovina Savska, the famous Croatia's painter Oton Ivekovia ("Arrival of Croats at the Sea", "Parting of Katarina Zrinska from Peter", " King Dimitar Zvonimir III", "Old towns of Northen Croatia"), sisters of mercy of the Franciscan order, Independent State of Croatia, Popular Republic of Croatia, Municipality of Pregrada, Republic of Croatia through the Museums of Hrvatsko Zagorje, with special privileges conceded to the Veliki Tabor Castle Societty as legal successor to the former regional museum in Veliki Tabor. It is worth mentioning that the nuns fostered in the Castle 80 children who lost their families in the war.

	Veliki Tabor, a fortified castle located on a beautiful hill near the locality of Desinića, dominating the southwestenmost part of Hrvatsko Zagorje, counts among historical monuments of utmost category according to UNESCO classification. Đuro Szabo, Croatian conservator and museologist did not guard his words in describing the beauty of Veliki Tabor, nor did Andre Mohorovieia, academican and bard of Croatian building culture, who joined the commendation. Indeed, the outstanding architectural and picturesque appel of the Castle shall be returning to it for ever more. Hight of 334 meters above sea level enables full insolation and freshness of atmosphere, while the thick walls store confortable cool in summer months. In winter though, the snow blankeet ads to the Castle's grace and romance. There is a theory that the Castle stands on top of an island of what was once the Panonian Sea. Another theory suggests that where the Castle stands today there was a Roman fortress in the 2nd century. The fact is that the pentagonal tower was built in the 12th century, while the semicircular towers, which render complete the beauty of the Castle, where built in the 15th and 16th centuries. The present entrance door and the whole admission area, were built round 1820. It is worth mentioning that the Castle occupies around 3340 m2.
Twelve different roofings add particular relief to the property. The interior of the Castle is enrichen by galleries decorated with colonnades which look magical at night when the pillars cast their shadow in the moonlight. The big well is of particular interest for its architecture and also its depth of 31 meters. The former wine cellar with a big wine-press is a place where one can, by a glass of wine, enjoy pleasant freshness in the summer and relative cosiness in the winter. The Big "Rustical Hall" as we named it, is by all means the most beautiful room of the Castle. At present it is decorated with halberds. The first floor houses the Catle's Chapel, which stores the scull of Veronika of Desinić.

	Soon, a particularly fine baroque tabernacle and a painting featuring Jesus Delivering keys to St. Peter will be added, both donated by His Eminency the Bishop of Zagreb, Dr. Franjo Kuharić. Further attractions include a collection of old-timer vehicles, a rich ethnographic collection, a presentation of the first hand-manufacture of medical drugs, a presentation of fencing, musketeers and the suit of armor of the "melancholic knight", a rich collection of paintings, and an exceptionally valuable collection of interest is the ?uro Prejac collection, with numerous exhibits and archive documents illustrating the life and work of the great poet and musician. Very important is the regional antifascist collection, which is not on the exhibit at the moment. Activities are on the way for the compilation of a Patriotic War collection. However, the major event has been the first show of the exhibition entitled THE RATKAYS OF VELIKI TABOR IN CROATIA'S HISTORY AND CULTURE. A part of this exceptional exhibition shall become a permanent exhibition on the Ratkay family. From among the most prominent owners and occupants of the Castle let us mention the Counts of Celje, the Ratkay Counts, the Count of Tuguth, the Grunvald Brothers, merchants from Zagreb, Banovina Savska, the famous Croatia's painter Oton Ivekovia ("Arrival of Croats at the Sea", "Parting of Katarina Zrinska from Peter", " King Dimitar Zvonimir III", "Old towns of Northen Croatia"), sisters of mercy of the Franciscan order, Independent State of Croatia, Popular Republic of Croatia, Municipality of Pregrada, Republic of Croatia through the Museums of Hrvatsko Zagorje, with special privileges conceded to the Veliki Tabor Castle Societty as legal successor to the former regional museum in Veliki Tabor. It is worth mentioning that the nuns fostered in the Castle 80 children who lost their families in the war.

Worthy of note is also the fact that the Veliki Tabor Society continues successfully the pioneer activates of the regional museum with a view to ensure for proper use of the castle and for realization of cultural, leisure and scientific events, such as concerts, fencing, congresses and others.