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ZRINSKI CASTLE - MUSEUM MEDIMURJE CAKOVEC
Croatian Zrinski Dynasty Fortress

Croatia Zrinski Castle photoMedimurje is the northern most county region in Croatia which shares a border with Hungary, sometime referred to as the Croatian flower garden, for its beautiful country side of rolling hills, blooming with wild flowers in the spring and grape vines in the fall. The area has been in turn ruled by the Romans, the Celts, the Huns and Ostrogoths and in the second half of the last millennia under Hungarian control off and on for several hundred years of its history. Croatian Vice-Roy Nikola Zrinski of one of the great Cakovec museum images photomid-European family dynasties wrested the territory from Hungary in 1546 and built a Renaissance residential palace within the thick stone walls of the medieval fortress standing in the capital city of Cakovec. The 13th Century fortress castle was constructed by Count Dmitar Cak whose Cakov Tower (originally of wood) still remains of the old castle and for whom the town is named. The castle fortress of the Zrinki family held Medimurji against the Turks (see Durdevac Castle), but couldWWI Machine Guns Cakovec photo not sustain the a revolt of the Zrinskis and Frankopans for independence from the Austria-Hungarian empire. The last Zrinski died in 1691 and the castle at Cakovec was overrun by the force of the Vienna Imperial Army. Through the 1700’s the castle was in the hands of Czech Counts, until a powerful earthquake devastated the Medimurje region in 1738 and the old Renaissance residence was reconstructed in a Baroque style. The city of Cakovec and its castle didn’t return to Croatian rule until the end of World War I and the final end of the Austro-Hungarian Habsburgs.

Cakovec Castle Museum photoToday the Castle of Cakovec, sometimes called the Zrinski Castle is home to the history Museum of Medimurje Cakovec. The museum takes up several floors of the baroque palace, filled with portraits of the Zrinksi princes and the 19th Century military leader Josip Jelacic. A collection of art and folk exhibits ranges from early Roman archeological finds to life, crafts and science through the 1800’s and military exhibits from the early twentieth century. Interesting examples are furniture, a complete apothocary and early telescope as well as cultural clothes. Zrinski Castle Guards photoThe castle is set in a green park near the center of town where the remainder of the medieval walls front a deep and wide former moat which once surrounded the fortress like a great lake, now just a deep valley of grass. If visiting the Zrinksi Castle at Cakovek you may encounter members of the Zrinska Guard, a military unit in traditional uniform of black and red who will gladly pose for a photo with the Medimurje Croation colors. They're probably really there to guard the lost Zrinksi Treasure, which legend has it is buried under the great stone walls of the fortress, so bring your teaspoon and dig quietly. © Bargain Travel Europe

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SEE ALSO:

TRAKOSCAN CASTLE - ZAGORJE CROATIA

KUMROVEC – TITO MUSEUM & HERITAGE VILLAGE

OSIJEK - TVARDA FORTRESS

GODFREY'S CRUSADER CASTLE BOUILLON