Travel Guide Varaždin

Varaždin boasts a romantic historic center. Its historical heritage within the walled city now attracts thousands of visitors, who enjoy the Baroque and a variety of cultural events, such as the Špancirfest music festival. In 1209, the medieval town became a free royal city, the first of its kind in Croatia.In 1242, the Tatars completely destroyed Varaždin. The town rebuilt and regained its calm, even escaping the destructive Ottoman invasions of the 16thcentury , as the Turks advanced westwards on the road to Vienna. Varaždin was proclaimed capital of Croatia in 1756. On April 26, 1776, a gigantic fire completely destroyed the town. Parliament and government moved to Zagreb.Nicknamed "Little Vienna", the historic inner city is a hub of Baroque palaces with colorful facades. Many aristocrats settled here in the 18th century, giving the elegant city a worldly reputation. Today, it's still possible to push open the doors of the cathedral or many of the churches, to listen to a concert of early music. Not to be missed: the imposing fortress, the municipal museums, the Old Masters Art Gallery, the Insect Museum and the Botanical Garden. Outside the old town, the Hallerova Aleja cemetery, like Zagreb's Mirogoj, is so romantic, with its neat alleys filled with sad-faced sculpted figures.