The noble medieval castle of Veliki Tabor is perched on the top of Huma Košničkog, at a height of 333 meters, and has dominated the towns of Croatian Zagorje for centuries. It is recognizable by its specific and fabulous appearance and its magnificent and monumental architecture, which makes it a monument of the highest category. The construction of the manor was originally started by the Grand Duke of Celje in the middle of the 15th century. In the 16th century, the castle came into the possession of the noble Rattkay family, who completed its construction and lived there until the 18th century. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the owners of Veliko Tabor changed constantly, but the most famous was the well-known painter Oton Iveković, who occupied the castle between the two world wars. Since 1993, the palace has been a part of the Croatian Zagorje Museum.
Dvor Veliki Tabor History
Most of the castle was built by the Hungarian noble family of Ráttkay, in whose property it remained until 1793.
It is located in the Zagorje region near Desinić It has about 3,340 m2. The castle is state owned and operated as a museum and tourist site.
The results of conservation research and analysis of archaeological findings indicate that the oldest part of Veliki Tabor was built in the middle of the 15th century.
The oldest part of the fortress is its central part, the pentagonal castle, whose stylistic features belong to the late Gothic period. The castle is surrounded by four semicircular Renaissance towers connected by the walls of the northern part of the entrance. The center of the fort is surrounded by the outer defense wall with a farmhouse, a Renaissance bastion, two semicircular guardhouses, and the quadrangular entrance tower through which the access road passed.
Since 2002, Veliki Tabor has been the venue for an international festival of short films.
The castle has been under renovation since November 6, 2008, and has been closed to the public ever since. The renovation work was completed in November 2011.
In the Middle Ages, Veliki Tabor belonged to Hermann II, Count of Celje. His son Fridrik fell in love with Veronika, a girl from a poor family. Hermann refused to accept a minor noblewoman as his daughter-in-law. He accused her of witchcraft and had her drowned. Fridrik's rebellion against Hermann ended with Fridrik's imprisonment.His body was walled up in Veliki Tabor and according to legends Veronika's cry can still be heard from the castle.