Trakoscan

Trakoscan is actually a castle located just a couple of miles away from Zagreb. It is one of the most visited places in Croatia and worth a visit when you are in the country. While the exact origins of the castle's construction remain unknown, but the first mention of the castle in official records dates back to 1334.

The castle has undergone several reconstructions and restoration projects, and even after that, many of its original Romanesque features remain intact. In the mid-19th century, this beautiful fortress was restored in neo-Gothic style. Sprawled over 215 acres, the castle grounds were landscaped into an English-style park that has a mesmerizing artificial lake and many exotic trees. The lake is often referred to as Trakoscan Lake, and it measures 1.5 kilometers in length and 42 acres in area. The lake freezes over during the winter months. At the time of inception, the Trakoscan Lake was used as a fish pond, but it continues to remain architecturally very important even today.

There is also a museum located on the premises with many collections being kept on permanent display. The museum was established in 1953.

The Draskovic family initially occupied the Trakoscan Castle until 1944. However, the owner, Juraj Draskovic, was a tyrant and ruthless with the peasants, which ultimately led to the historically famous rebellion of 1573. The castle was then passed to his brother, and it remained within the Draskovic family itself until 1944. However, even during most of this period, the castle remained uninhabited. It was in the 19th century that the castle was revamped and overhauled in a neo-Gothic style.

Image source: wikimedia.org

It was in the second half of the 18th century that Trakoscan was abandoned. This was partly because, during this time period, the building of manors was flourishing in Zagreb and the surrounding regions. Neglected, Trakoscan quickly fell into a dilapidated condition. However, towards the middle of the 19th century, the Draskovic family once again became interested in their castle. Owing to the prevalent Romanticist spirit of that time, the castle was transformed into a residential manor-house. It was also at that time that the surrounding park was converted into Romanticist pleasure grounds.

Inside the castle, there are three floors that exhibit the family's original things, including furniture, a variety of artworks and portraits, a huge collection of swords, and there is even a period kitchen in the basement. The rooms have been styled in Gothic, neo-Renaissance, and baroque style. Even though the castle is not in that good condition today, you are still allowed to take a tour of the interiors. When you take the tour inside, you will find a shadowy interior that is furnished with heavy wood and solemn portraits of the Draskovic family all around. The interiors of the castle will give you a great idea of how medieval aristocratic life looked like.

After touring the inside of the castle and soaking up the history, you must take a walk down to the wooden jetty at Trakoscan Lake, where it is possible to rent a two-person paddle boat for 30 KN for half an hour of boating.

To reach Trakoscan, you can take a bus connection from Varazdin. There are no buses that ply between Zagreb and Trakoscan. From Varazdin, the buses operate daily to Trakoscan, except for Sundays. Therefore, it is possible to make a day trip and return from Trakoscan by evening.

All images from: wikimedia.org