Varaždin and the Trakošćan castle
Varaždin – the town shaped by the divine dance of Baroque and „Late Baroque“
What makes Varaždin different from other towns is its exquisite monument and artistic heritage with the most preserved and richest Baroque urban complex. The town was built in various styles, so that today you can see preserved palaces, important public buildings, valuable houses and villas in the style of Baroque, Rococo, Classicism, Art Nouveau, and there is also one of the oldest European town halls. But regardless of the difference in style of construction, the whole town breathes in equal rhythm, forming thus one unified whole. Unlike the others, the Varaždin cemetery is not only the resting place of the dead, but also an outstanding example of landscape architecture and natural monument. To the visitors it represents a true resting place, consisting of birch trees, flowers, grass and tall cypresses in the delicate play of light and shadow. The Varaždin courtyards, halfway between the public street life and the intimacy of private housing, preserve its history, the fates of the tenants and the untold stories, anecdotes, but also many secrets, known only to the chosen ones. Step into another world, and listen well, because each of them tells its story...
Traškošćan
The perfect synthesis of nature and architecture
The Trakošćan castle, one of the most attractive castles in Croatia, was built in the 13th century and served as an observation fortress. Today the castle hosts a permanent exhibition which, apart from faithful reconstruction from the restoration period, comprises also the valuable pieces of Baroque furniture and small items.
The castle surroundings are designed as a landscaped park, where the lake, meadows, trees and shrubs form a harmonious horticultural whole. Various exotic trees provide the castle with colors and dynamic. In autumn, when the wind begins to denude the trees, leaves of different colors, yellow, orange, reddish and brown start their special dance... Particular and distinctive feature of the castle is a large artificial lake, about a mile long that freezes in the winter. During a visit to this magical castle you can almost see its former owners strolling down the meadows, standing on the terrace, relaxing by the lake... Indeed, the Traškošćan castle, along with its surrounding neighborhood, provides an atmosphere of unrepeatable beauty.
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