Veliki Tabor Castle

Desinić, Desinić
Tel: +385 49 343 963
Fax : + 385 49 301 533
E-mail : xxxdvtxtaxmhz.hr
Web : www.velikitabor.com

Veliki Tabor castle is one of the most beautiful and best preserved monuments of medieval fortification and living quarters in the Croatian architecture and this part of Europe. The town itself is located in the north-western part of Hrvatsko Zagorje, in the County of Krapina and Zagorje, district and parish of Desinić. The analysis showed that the fort was built in the second half of the 15th century, at the time of the first Turkish invasions to the Croatian territory. At that time, noblemen used the support of European rulers to build fortifications in Hrvatsko Zagorje for the purpose of defense against the Turks. The word "tabor" means war camp. From the end of the 14th century until the middle of the 15th century the castle as owned by Celjski counts, formerly called the "noblemen of Souneck", who got it from king Sigmund and lost it when Urlik Celjski died in the battle with Ladislav Hundayi. His death meant the end of the Celjski family, who then held the dukedom of Zagorje, as well as the counties of Varaždin and Zagreb. Beside the Celjski counts, Veliki Tabor castle also keeps the legend of Veronika Desinićka. The five-cornered tower is definitely the oldest part of the fortification, the central and tallest building of the complex (15th century). The ring around the tower was added at a later date (16th and 17th centuries). The castle still has its own well, a chapel and a bell. Today, Veliki Tabor is a tourist and cultural center of the north-western Croatia. Every year art exhibitions, sword fights, hawk hunting and similar events are organized in the castle.