Exhibition Opening: “Viticulture and Winemaking in the Croatian Zagorje” at Veliki Tabor Castle

On Friday, 6 November 2026, at 12 p.m., Veliki Tabor Castle will host the opening of a joint exhibition organised by the constituent museums of the Museums of the Croatian Zagorje, entitled Viticulture and Winemaking in the Croatian Zagorje.

The exhibition explores viticulture and winemaking as important factors in the natural, economic, social and cultural development of the Croatian Zagorje. Through historical sources, objects of material culture and works of art, it presents the natural conditions that have shaped grape cultivation, the development of local viticultural traditions, challenges such as vine diseases and pests, and changes in wine production during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Particular emphasis is placed on traditional tools and crafts associated with viticulture, customs linked to the annual cycle of vineyard activities, the symbolism of wine and its role in everyday life and special occasions. The exhibition also explores the artistic dimension of the subject, the story of Sokol, an indigenous grape variety from Klanjec, and efforts to revive its cultivation, as well as vinorel, a painting technique that uses wine as a medium.

Bringing together natural history, historical, ethnological and artistic perspectives, the exhibition highlights viticulture and winemaking as an integral part of the cultural heritage and identity of the Croatian Zagorje.

The exhibition was prepared by curators from the Peasants’ Revolts Museum, the “Old Village” Museum in Kumrovec, Veliki Tabor Castle, the Krapina Neanderthal Museum and the Antun Augustinčić Gallery. The exhibition curator and coordinator is Paul Lekaj, Head of Veliki Tabor Castle.

 
The exhibition will be open until 28 November 2027.