Page 210 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Croatia

208  CRO A TIA AREA B Y AREA

Vineyards in the countryside around Čakovec
2 Čakovec while fighting against the The Renaissance Old Castle,
Map D1. * 16,000. £ (040) 384 333. Ottomans in defending Siget, of which only the first floor
@ Masarykova ulica, (040) 313 947. and became a national hero. remains, and the Baroque New
n Local: Kralja Tomislava 1, (040) 313 On 29 May 1579, one of his Castle with a rectangular plan,
319. Regional: Ruđera Boškovića 2, successors, a member of face each other inside the
(040) 374 064. _ Carnival in the Zrinski family of Siget, medieval walls. For a long time
Međimurje (Feb); The Town of Čakovec guaranteed tax privileges to the Old Castle was used as a
Day. ∑ tourism-cakovec.hr whoever went to live in the city prison. It is now being restored
that was developing around the and is to be used in future for
In the second half of the fort. This date is considered the cultural activities. The church
13th century, on a site once founding of the city and is has been reopened for worship.
inhabited by Romans, Count celebrated with a festival. The Međimurje Civic
Demetrius Chaky, a magistrate Bastions and a moat were Museum of Čakovec has on
at the court of King Bela IV, built added in this period as defence display exhibits of prehistoric
a tower here which was called against cannon fire. Inside the material, many Roman finds,
Chaktornya. In the following walls, a four-storey palace was and ethnographic collections.
century, the main defensive built around a square courtyard. There is also an exhibition
structure in Međimurje was In 1671 Petar Zrinski led a dedicated to the local composer,
built around the tower. In 1547 plot to separate Croatia from J Slavenski (1896–1955), who
Emperor Ferdinand gave it to the Kingdom of Hungary. was known for his love of the
the Ban (governor) of Croatia, The plot was discovered and traditional music of the region.
Nikola Zrinski (see p181), Zrinski and his co-conspirator Čakovec is the main
together with a large estate, as Fran Krsto Frankopan were administrative centre of the
a reward for the victory against beheaded on 30 April 1671. Međimurje, a frontier region
the Turks and to settle a debt. Čakovec then came under the which borders Slovenia and
Nikola Zrinski died heroically direct rule of the Emperor. Hungary. The land in the
western part of the region is
hilly with broad valleys, and is
renowned for its wines, while
the fertile plains of the eastern
part produce cereal crops.
E Međimurje Civic Museum
Trg Republike 5. Tel (040) 313 499.
Open 8am–3pm Mon–Fri (Apr–Sep:
from 6am); 10am–1pm Sat & Sun.
& 8 ^ =
Environs
In the village of Šenkovec, 2 km
(1 mile) from Čakovec, stands
the Church of St Helen (Sv.
Old and New Castles of Čakovec Jelena). What little remains of its
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p231 and pp248–9

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