Page 208 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Croatia

206  CRO A TIA AREA B Y AREA

1 Varaždin wear richly decorated blue
uniforms and bearskin hats.
Traces of occupation from the Neolithic age, the La Tene To the east of the square
civilization and the Roman period have been found around stands Drašković Palace (Palača
Varaždin castle. Despite this, the first mention of the town is Drašković), built in the late 17th
found in a document from 1181, when King Bela III confirmed century with a Rococo façade.
The Croat Parliament met here
the rights of the Zagreb Curia to the thermal spas in the area. in 1756–76. Opposite stands
In 1209, it was declared a free town by King Andrew II and it the Renaissance Ritz House,
began to develop as a trading centre. In the late 14th century one of the oldest in the town,
it passed into the hands of the counts of Celjski, followed by as evidenced by the date (1540)
the counts of Frankopan, Brandenburg and Erdödy. In 1446, it engraved on the doorway.
was destroyed in a fire and in 1527 the Turks attacked. In 1776 R Cathedral of the
another fire destroyed the houses, but the Baroque buildings Assumption
for which the town is famous were fortunately spared. Uznesenja Marijina
Pavlinska ulica 4. Tel (042) 210 688.
Open 9:30am–12:30pm, 4–7pm daily.
The Church of the Assumption
became a cathedral in 1997.
Both the church and the
annexed monastery were built
in the first half of the 17th
century by the Jesuits. Later,
the Pauline order moved in.
The cathedral’s tall façade is
enlivened by pillars. The interior
is a triumph of the Baroque. The
main altar occupies the width of
the central nave and has gilded
The splendid castle, today home to the Civic Museum columns, stuccoes and engrav-
ings. At the centre of the altar is
P Castle and Civic Museum E Gallery of Old and an Assumption of the Virgin,
Stari grad & Gradski muzej Modern Masters reminiscent of Titian’s work in
Strossmayerovo šetalište 7. Tel (042) Galerija starih i novih majstora Venice. Evenings of Baroque
658 754. Open 9am–5pm Tue–Fri, Stančićev trg 3. Tel (042) 214 172. music concerts are held here.
9am–1pm Sat & Sun. & 8 ^ Open 9am–5pm Tue–Fri, 9am–1pm
It is unknown when exactly this Sat & Sun. & 8 by appt. ^
castle was built, though some The gallery has a large
documents suggest it dates collection of works by artists
back to the 12th century. It was from all over Europe, particularly
built over the ruins of an landscapes by Flemish and
observation tower and, in the Italian artists, and portraits by
15th century, two round towers German and Dutch painters.
were added. The castle was
rebuilt in 1560 by the Italian P Tomislav Square
architect Domenico dell’Allio, Trg kralja Tomislava
who created a Renaissance Town Hall (Gradska vijećnica): Trg
structure on two floors kralja Tomislava 1. Tel (042) 402 508.
with arcades and corridors Open by appt. Drašković Palace Rich Baroque altar in the Cathedral of
facing courtyards. (Palača Drašković): Trg kralja the Assumption
The castle’s present look dates Tomislava 3. Closed to the public.
from the time of the Erdödy This square is the heart of the
counts, who added the bastions town. Facing the square is the P Church of St John
and a moat. It is now the Civic Town Hall (Gradska vijećnica), the Baptist
Museum, which has collections one of the oldest buildings in Sv. Ivan Krstitelj
of weapons, porcelain, furniture, Varaždin. Built in the Gothic Franjevački trg 8. Tel (042) 213
handicrafts, and a pharmacy style in the 15th century, it has 166. Open 8:30am–noon, 5:30–
from the 18th century. Remains since been altered and a clock 7pm daily.
of the wall and the Lisak tower, tower added. It has been the The church was built in 1650 in
to the east of the castle, are the Town Hall since 1523, when the Baroque style on the site of
only evidence remaining of Prince George of Brandenburg a 13th-century church. The
the ancient walls that existed gave it to the city. It is guarded façade has a Renaissance
at this site. in summer by the Purgers, who doorway with a tympanum and
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p231 and pp248–9

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