494 SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp502–505 and pp506–507
E Gallery of Old and
Modern Masters
Stančićev trg 3. Tel (042) 214 172.
# Apr–Sep: 10am–6pm Tue–Sun;
Oct–Mar: 10am–5pm Tue–Sun. &
8 by appt. ^
The gallery (Galerija Starih i
Novih Majstora) has a large
collection of works from all
over Europe, particularly land-
scapes by Flemish and Italian
artists as well as portraits by
German and Dutch painters.R Church of St John the
Baptist
Franjevački trg 8. Tel (042) 213 166.
# 8:30am–noon & 5:30–7pm daily.
Built in 1650 in the Baroque
style on the site of a 13th-cen-
tury church, the Church of St
John the Baptist (Crkva sv Ivan
Krstitelj) has a Renaissancethe Town Hall. It is guarded
in summer by the Purgars,
the traditional town guard,
who wear 19th-century
uniforms and bearskin hats.
To the east of the square
stands Drašković Palace (Palača
Drašković), built in the late
17th century with a Rococo
façade. The Croat Parliament
met here between 1756 and- Opposite stands the
Renaissance Ritz House, one
of the oldest in the town; the
date of cons truction, 1540, is
engraved on its doorway.
P Varaždin Castle and
Civic Museum
Strossmayerovo šetalište 7. Tel (042)
658 754. # Apr–Sep: 10am–6pm
Tue–Sun; Oct–Mar: 10am–5pm Tue–
Fri, 10am–1pm Sat & Sun. & 8 ^
Varaždin Castle (Stari grad i
Gradski muzej) has origins in
the 12th century, and was
rebuilt between the 14th and
19th centuries when an
Ottoman attack was imminent.
The stout round bastions built
at this time are still an impres-
sive sight. The castle was
remodelled in the 1560s, when
Italian architect Domenico
dell’Allio created a Renaissance
structure with a beautiful
arcaded courtyard. The cas-
tle’s present look dates from
the time of the powerful
Erdödy counts, who added
bas tions and a moat. Now the
Civic Museum, it houses col-
lections of weap ons, porce-
lain, handi crafts and an 18th-
cen tury phar macy. Ruins of
the wall and the Lisak Tower,
to the east of the castle, are
the only remaining evi dence
of the ancient walls.
Although traces of the Neolithic Age and
the Roman period have been identified
around Varaždin Castle, the first docu-
mented mention of the town of Varaždin
was in 1181, when King Bela III (r. 1172–
96) con firmed the rights of the Zagreb
Curia to the thermal spas in the area.
In 1209, it was declared a free town by
King Andrew II (r. 1205–35) and began
to develop as a trad ing centre. From the 16th century
onwards, Varaždin was a border fortress defending
Habsburg territories from the Ottoman Turks, and
the Croatian Parliament began to meet here in 1756.
In 1776, a huge fire caused widespread destruction,
but left many churches and palaces standing. Today,
Varaždin is one of the best-preserved towns in Croatia.
Varaždin s
Door detail,
Church of the
AssumptionP Tomislav Square
Town Hall trg kralja Tomislava 1.
Tel (042) 402 508. # by appt.
Drašković Palace trg kralja
Tomislava 3. ¢ to the public.
The charming Tomislav Square
(trg kralja Tomislava) is the
heart of the town. Facing
the square is the Town Hall
(Gradska Vijećnica), one
of the oldest buildings in
Varaždin. Built in the 15th cen-
tury in Gothic style, it has since
been altered and a clock tower
added. It was a private house
until 1523, when its owner
Prince George of Brandenburg
gave it to the town to serve asR Cathedral of the
Assumption
Pavlinska ulica 4. Tel (042) 210 688.
# 9:30am–12:30pm & 4–7pm daily.
The Church of the Assumption
(Katedrala Uznesenja Marijina)
became a cathedral in 1997.
Both the church and the
monastery annexed to it were
built in the first half of the 17th
cen tury by the Jesuits. Later,
the Pauline Order took over.
The cathedral’s tall façade
features pillars. The inte rior is
in the Baroque style. The
main altar occupies the width
of the cen tral nave and is a
riot of gilded columns,
stuccoes and engrav ings. At
the centre is an Assumption
of the Virgin, remi niscent of
Titian’s work in Venice.
Baroque music con certs are
held here in the eve nings.View of Varaždin Castle, home to the Civic Museum
Rich Baroque altar in the Cathedral
of the Assumption