Castles - Veliki Tabor Castle - Castle Road - Steiermark, Burgenland, Austria

Veliki Tabor Castle

The late-mediaeval castle of Veliki Tabor is located on the top of a hill, 333 meters above sea level, in the village of Kośnicki Hum, three kilometres from Desinic. Recognizable for its fairytale-like appearance and the lush, monumental architecture, it has been declared a monument of the highest category. It is one of the best preserved late-medieval castles in continental Croatia, preserved almost in its original form. For over half a millennium, it has dominated the hill from which beautiful views of a large part of Hrvatsko Zagorje and neighbouring Slovenia can be enjoyed. The view of Veliki Tabor from the surrounding area is also imressive, especially from the Horvatska rivulet valley, with the fort standing as a landmark that can be seen from afar.

The construction of the castle was probably initiated by the aristocratic family of Celjski in the middle of the 15^th century, when the oldest part of Veliki Tabor was built - the late Gothic pentagonal tower. At the beginning of the 16^th century, the castle became the property of the Rattkay noble family, who completed its construction and lived in it until the end of the 18th century. After the Rattkay family died out, the castle changed hands several times in the course of the 19^th and the 20^th centuries. It was frequently used for inappropriate purposes — in the 20^th century it was used as a prison, a housewifery school, an orphanage, a meat smokery, and a warehouse for the Desinic Agricultural Cooperative, becoming increasingly dilapidated in the process. In the period between the two world wars (1919—1938) it was owned by the famous Croatian painter, Oton Ivekovic, who found boundless inspiration in the picturesque castle and the surrounding landscape. In 1993 it was made part of the Museums of Hrvatsko Zagolje, which soon launched comprehensive archaeological research and oversaw the restoration of Veliki Tabor under the guidance of the Croatian Conservation Institute in Zagreb.

Legend of Veronika of Desinić

In addition to its specific appearance, Veliki Tabor is best known for the legend of Veronika of Desinić, which has entered the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Croatia. The tragic story of a lower noblewoman who paid with her life for her great, but forbidden, love for Count Frederick II of Celje is one of the most beloved oral traditions of the Croatian Zagorje region. The sad but intriguing story has captivated the imagination of many visitors of the castle, who come in hope of resolving the mystery of behind which wall, according to the story, lies Veronika’s body.

Contact & Info

Veliki Tabor Castle

HR-49216 Desinić, Hum Košnički 1

Phone: ++ 385 (0) 49 374 970 or ++ 385 (0) 49 374 973

dvt@mhz.hr, rezervacije-dvt@mhz.hr

www.veliki-tabor.hr

Opening hours:

November 1 to February 28

Monday: closed

Tuesday - Sunday: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM (museum entrance closes at 3:30 PM)*

*Last admission to the Museum is 30 minutes before closing for individual visitors and 1 hour before closing for group visitors.

March 1 to March 31

Monday: closed

Tuesday - Sunday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (museum entrance closes at 4:30 PM)*

*Last admission to the Museum is 30 minutes before closing for individual visitors and 1 hour before closing for group visitors.

From April 1 to October 31

Monday: closed

Tuesday - Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (museum entrance closes at 4:30 PM)*

Saturday - Sunday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM (museum entrance closes at 5:30 PM)*

*Last admission to the Museum is 30 minutes before closing for individual visitors and 1 hour before closing for group visitors.

Public Holidays: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM (museum entrance closes at 5:30 PM)*

*Last admission to the Museum is 30 minutes before closing for individual visitors and 1 hour before closing for group visitors.

The museum is open to visitors on The Epiphany (6th January), Easter Monday, Labour Day (1st May), Statehood Day (30th May), Corpus Christi, Anti-Fascist Resistance Day (22nd June), Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day and Croatian Veterans Day (5th August), The Assumption (15th August), Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Homeland War and Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Vukovar and Škabrnja (18th November).

The Museum is closed on New Year’s Day (1st January), Easter Sunday, All Saints Day (1st November), Christmas Eve (24th December), Christmas (25th December), St. Stephen's Day (26th December), New Year’s Eve (31st December).

Map

Veliki Tabor Castle

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