Muraközi adventure - castles and Hungarian history along the Drava

Itiner

• From Csáktornya station, Zagrebačka ulica leads to the overpass over the railscrossing over the railway tracks, which will take you to the top of the park surrounding the castle (just inside the roundabout). Rolling through the park past the castle, you're in the city centre by Trg Republike.
• Back at the roundabout, roll over the flyover again and continue straight ahead. Go straight on through the next busy roundabout and take the first turning on the right towards Strahoninec. From here it is a straight road to Kuršanec.
• When you reach Kuršanec, turn right towards Varaždin (Varazdin). At the last houses in the village, turn left onto a gravel road that leads to the dam of Lake Varasdi. Turn right here, and it is definitely worth going up to the dam, as the view is much better than going along the small service canal at the bottom of the dam.
• After leaving the resort, the road leads to the other side of the canal and on to Gornji Kuršanec. From here, signs indicating the cycling route will direct you (meandering a little in the small streets) to the main roadcross the zebra crossing and turn left - the road leads straight across the Jelasic bridge to Varazdin city centre.
• From Varazdin, take the same road back to Gornji Kuršanec, then roll straight on over the bridge and continue straight through the village. A very slight left turn gives you an exit to the left - turn left here and continue straight on to the edge of the villagewhere a dirt road begins; from here, signs for the Amazon of Europe cycle route point the way along the floodplain of the Drava.
• Where the dirt road ends, turn left along a short stretch of the busier road to the Slovenian border, but a few metres further on you will find theAfter a few metres, when you reach Trnovec, turn right at the first opportunity and then right again when you reach a chapel.
• In Macinec, turn left at the level crossing, and where you see a large square on the right (with a football pitch nearby), turn right towards Črečan.
• In Črečan, the main road goes straight through, then after passing the last houses, turn left at a bend. This road leads to Dunjkovec.
• When you reachDunjkovec, follow the road and turn right at the end. Cross the railway crossing, go straight ahead and when you reach Nedelišće, turn left at the end of the road. Take the cycle lane to the next roundabout, go halfway round the roundabout on the cycle lane and continue on the short, narrow dirt road. From here it's basically a straight road to the station on Zagrebačka ulica, with only one left turn at a Y-junction.

Detailed description of the tour

Csáktornya (Croatian: Čakovec) is the seat of the Muraköz (i.e. Međimurje) county. It is the smallest - and most densely populated - county in Croatia, bordering Slovenia and Hungary, and Varazdin County to the south. The town of 15,000 inhabitants is clearly the economic, social and cultural centre of Muraköz.It has a rich history, including Hungarian history. The tour starts with a tour of the small town centre to learn all about the town and the county.

Zríny and dragons in the castle

The best place to start is in the castle, where you can get to know the area, as this is the complex of buildings whereIt is also home to the Muraköz Museum and the Muraköz Treasury exhibition. The fortress can be approached from the city centre - an early modern complex of buildings is a good way to see the castle.Passing through the arched gateway, you enter an inner courtyard with a Baroque palace on the other side. The latter houses the Muraközi Museum, where three permanent thematic exhibitions help visitors to understand the past of the border county. The archaeological, historical and cultural history collection gives an overview of the period from prehistoric to modern times.In the medieval and modern rooms, special attention is paid to the Zrínyi family, which is as important in Croatian history as it is in Hungarian history. The ethnographic collection follows the change of seasons, with the most important works and customs of the seasonsThe chronology of the seasons follows the seasons through the presentation of the various activities and customs of the seasons, mainly related to agriculture, given that a large part of the population lived from it. An art gallery is also part of the museum's collection.

In the other part of the castle, a completely new exhibition with a different approachA new part of the castle offers visitors a different perspective, using the full range of the most modern multimedia tools available. The Muraköz Treasury has set itself the goal of promoting the intellectual heritage of the region.of the local heritage, including all existing valuable traditions, oral traditions, knowledge and skills. It is therefore a mixture of museum and interactive exhibition, which can be viewed within the thick walls of the castle building, where they are perfectly combined.life-size wax figures of the various exhibitors and the various exhibits are displayed side by side.and multimedia screens or 4D technology (sound and light effects). There is also talk of different traditions and supernatural creatures such as the 'posoj'. The word pozoj means dragon in the local dialect and can take many different forms, for example, one that is called "Cháktornya" (the dragon of Cháktornaya).rosa, which can only be banished by a garabonc student (himself a supernatural being), but also one whose tail is under a church and therefore better not to be incensed.

But back to the very real castle and historical figures! The fortress was built at the beginning (in the 13th century). It was probably a residential tower, built by the Csák of the clan Hahót.It was surrounded by a moat, draining the waters of the Trnava river into a ditch around the tower. It seems to have undergone quite a few extensions and alterationsand alterations to reach its present form, but it is undoubtedly thanks to the Zrínyis that it has been able to survive. The family, which played an important role in both Croatian and Hungarian history, acquired the fortress in 1546 through the hero Nicholas of Isarevár. The family, initially known as Subics, has been an important political player in the Kingdom of Croatia under the Hungarian crown practically since the beginning of the 12th century, when Kálmán Könyves became a king. The name Zrínyi (Croatian: Zrinski) was taken up by the noble family when the castle of Ostrovica by the sea and other dalmatian monuments were acquired by the family.In 1347, in exchange for their possessions in Ostrovskie and other Dalmatian possessions, Louis the Great granted the castle of Zrin in Slavonia to Gergely Subics and his nephew George Subics (cf: the former had to surrender them to the king, who in return gave them some compensation), andand from then on they turned their attention to Slavonia and Croatia instead of Dalmatia. During the almost 150-year rule of the Zrínyi in Cháktornya, which coincided with the Turkish conquest, the region was significantly rebuilt and the Ottoman Empire was given a new name, Croatia, and Croatia was given a new name, Croatia, and Croatia was given a new name.The castle was rebuilt and improved, giving it its polygonal shape, and the Italian bastions and Renaissance castle were built during this period. It was within the walls of this imposing complex that Miklós Zrínyi wrote his work The Peril of Sziget. After the extinction of the family, the Althan family took possession of Csáktornya, whose members converted the former Renaissance palace into a Baroque castle. In an interesting turn of events, in 1855 the owner family Festetics established a sugar factory in the castle, which - as the largest in Hungary - operated for fifteen years. The castle is surrounded by a beautiful, well-kept park, and outside the gate is a short stone bridge leading to the centre of Csáktornya.

On the Republic Square (Trg Republike) you will immediately see a statue of Zrínyi, and then the charming Tomisláv King Tomislava Street (Ulica kralja Tomislava) to reach Franciscan Square (Franjevački trg), the main square. It's worth wandering around the small streets in the area, perhaps grabbing a coffee or a drink before setting off. Leave Chatea on moderately busy streets in the direction of Strahoninecthen wind through fields on a narrow road in a south-south-westerly direction towards Varazdin. Approaching the Dráva, we reach the village of Kuršanec (known in Hungarian as Zrínyifalva), which is associated with a sad event in Hungarian history: In 1664, Miklós Zrínyi was wounded by a wild boar in the surrounding woods (other sources claim that the accident may have been caused by a hunter).

At the last houses of Zrínyifalva, we leave the asphalt road of average quality and head towards the dam of Lake Varasdi on a dirt road. The artificial lake is a reservoir between dams on the DravaThe dam also serves as a hydroelectric power station, while the lake is a small reservoir on the Varasd side.is popular with anglers and water sports enthusiasts, and there are also many smallThere are also many small summer cottages along the shore on the way to Gornji Kuršanec. Fortunately, here and there you can approach the fairly clear water for a dip.

City of churches and palaces on the Drava

In Zrínyifalva, we reach the road to Varazdin, and here we face one of the most unpleasant parts of our tour: a cycle lane painted on the busy main road, leading through the village of Jelasic Josip JelačićJis Josip Jelačić, the Croatian Ban - yes, he is the Croatian Ban, a negative figure in Hungarian history. It is common for historical figures to be viewed differently in neighbouring countriesThis is no different in the case of the Croatian count who was defeated at the Battle of Pákozd. Well, if we look at Jelasic as a Croat, it is quite understandable that we can honour him as a great figure of the national pantheon, because in March 1848, Croatian sorrow was the most important thing in the history of the Croatian people.In March 1848, after his appointment as a Croatian governor, he convened a 'sabor', or national assembly, which he led in formulating a 30-point list of demands to the ruling Habsburg dynasty. Among the most important points were the abolition of the serf system, universal suffrage, an independent army, the abolition of the slave system, the right to vote, and the right to a free and independent army.Kingdom of Croatia, Istria, Dalmatia) and secession from the Kingdom of Hungary. In April, the Ban declared the union of the provinces and the union of the Persian abolished serfdom and minted his own money. At the same time, he envisioned the future of the Croats within the Habsburg Empire, and the 1848-49 liberation of the Croats was a major step towards this.struggle, which he saw as an attempt to destroy the empire. What is certain is that he is a controversial historical figure, to say the least, but let us not deny the pride of the Croats.

Back to the present, we roll down the bridge named after the Ban, and continue straight as an arrow to the city centre. As a cyclist coming from abroad, it is not at all clear in places whether there are cycle paths (footpaths and cycle lanes).and cycle paths) adjacent to the roadway or not; quick decisions have to be made, but usually you don't ride on the roadway, especially on the busier sections. If you want to be regular, the city centre can only be reached by a small detour, as the surrounding "boulevard" is one-way - but that shouldn't be a problem for anyone who wants to wander around the streets of Varazdin anyway. The main attraction of the town is the castle, which is indeed a very impressive building, but you could also say that Varazdin is a town of churches and baroque palaces. All of this is concentrated in a very small area, so you can quickly get around the town centre, especially by bike. The site of the fortress, now almost luminous because of its white walls, was originally a castle, which was only rebuilt in the 15th century. It was converted into a stone fortress in the middle of the 15th century, and then the city was further enlarged to protect the surrounding area from the Turkish threat.The town was surrounded by earthworks and palisades (i.e. ramparts made of stakes and piles). The Ottoman armies also tried to take the castle (Croatian Baron Christopher Frangepánn of Croatia, who fell during the siege of 1527), but they did not succeed, and the castle was further fortified, and in the 16th century the fortress was taken over by the Ottoman army. The castle was reinforced in the 16th century, when the Renaissance castle was built. The fortress, which belonged to the Erdődy family for more than 300 years from 1607, is now a museum in the town.The site of its walls is marked by earthen ramparts, on top of which you can walk around the whole structure. The more observant can see the remains of the former bastions, of which only the gate, known as the watchtower, remains.

From the castle, a straight road leads to the city centre, where most of the churches are open to visitors. The town has played an important role in Croatian history: Varazdin was the de facto capital, replacing the more endangered Zagreb in Turkish times, and in 1756 it was chosen by Croatian king Franz Nádasdy as his seat, a year after the Ottoman occupation of the city.a decade later, it became the seat of the Croatian Royal Council founded by Maria Theresa - and thus effectively the administrative centre of the Croatian territories. All this came to an end with the fire of 1776, when the capital was finally established in Zagreb, but this sad event led to the birth of the capital of the Czech Republic.The city's largely unified Baroque townscape was left in ruins by this tragic event, as the city had to be completely rebuilt, including the palaces that dominate it today. A glance at the buildings shows that, despite the fact that the capital city was Zagreb, Varazdin has not lost much of its importance.and remains one of the most important economic and cultural centres of northern Croatia. In the main square, the town hall, built in 1523 and still standing today, stands out a little from the row of Baroque buildings. In the central square, named after King Tomislav, you can relax on the terraces of restaurants and cafés.and recharge your batteries for the rest of the tour. There was little mention of churches, although there is one on almost every street: the XVII. The Jesuits and the Franciscans founded monasteries here, but several other sacred buildings were also built at this time. The square in front of the house of worship named after St John the Baptist is a must-see, but there are also several other churches with religious buildings, including the church of St John the Baptist.It's a must to see the big toe of the statue of Grgur Ninski, because legend has it that if you do, a wish will come true. The "original" of the statue with the shiny toe dates back to the X. He became famous for introducing the Croatian mass (instead of Latin, which almost none of the faithful understood).

The Amazon of Europe

Leaving the city centre behind, the cemetery is a good place to visit for those who are looking for a bit of peace and quiet after the pleasantly bustling Varazdin.The necropolis is reminiscent of a castle park, with its well-kept paths and tidy surroundings. There will be no shortage of tranquil surroundings for the rest of the journey, as you return to theback to the left bank of the Drava (again, over the busy bridge named after Jelasic). After Gornji Kuršanec, you leave the tarmac road and head towards the floodplain forest of the Drava following the signs for the Amazon of Europe Bike Trail. The trail combines the existing routes along the Drava, Mura and Danube rivers, crossing five countries (Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Slovakia).Hungary, Serbia), covering a distance of 1,250 kilometres, passing through the world's first five-country UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Around Varasd and Csáktornya, it more or less follows the cycling route along the Drava, which will soon join it after leaving the floodplain. The Drava can be followed from its source near Dobbiaco in southern Tyrol, through Tyrol, Carinthia, Slovthrough Carinthia, Slovenia, Slovenia and Croatia to Hungary - sometimes on better, sometimes on less developed stretches. The section we are visiting is one of the less developed (at least on this stretch there are no asphalt pavements), but there are several places where you can go down to the river. The 749-kilometre river still builds reefs and dikes (where it is left), and is known for its relatively high falls and fast flow on its Hungarian stretch.

Leave the floodplain of the Drava before Trnovec (here you have to cycle along a short stretch of a busier road for a few hundred metres), then continue to the village of Trnovec, where you will find a small, very narrow and very narrow river.After passing the village, turn right back towards Csáktornya, passing Macinec, Črečan, Dunjkovec and Nedelišće. Just before the railway crossing in Dunjkovec, a sign warns you that you are crossing Croatia's first iron railway. Next to the platform is a small railway history exhibition, where you can see some of the railway history.A small railway history exhibit shows the life of a railway worker in the company of two drezina (railway locomotives). The return journey to Csáktornya is uneventful, but still full of experiences.We return to the car, having experienced a small but perhaps less visible slice of Hungarian history.