What to see and do in Karlovac

It may be true that all roads lead to Rome, but if you ask a Croatian, all roads also go through Karlovac. Discover the life of the town on four rivers with some of the most amazing parks in Croatia.

Karlovac Star, Photo by Karlovac Tourist Board Archives

KArloVAC MusTs Dubovac Castle the Dubovac Castle is one of the best-preserved and most beautiful monuments of medieval architecture in Croatia. Built on a prehistoric hill above the river Kupa, it was named after the dubs, the oaks growing on the surrounding slopes. the castle changed hands many times throughout history and its current appearance is the result of a comprehensive restoration carried out during the mid-twentieth century. Within the castle you will come across a museum and a nice cosy restaurant with a touch of Medieval times. www.visitkarlovac.hr/stari-grad-dubovac

The Star the most interesting feature of Karlovac is its star formation, designed for purposes of defense in keeping out the troublesome turks. this sixpointed star formed an interestingly different type of fortress, one based on ditches and a moat.the charming little streets of the old town will take you to the central square of Ban Jelačić with recognizable city landmarks - the Catholic church of the holy trinity with the adjacent Franciscan monastery and the orthodox church of st nicholas. the monastery houses a museum with an impressive collection of sacrosanct art accumulated by the Franciscans who once had an important educational role in Karlovac. www.visitkarlovac.hr/zvijezda

The Museum Experience the museum is situated in the oldest Karlovac mansion, a former Frankopan residence. it was founded at the very beginning of the 20th century, as a place to preserve the town’s memories and items of historical values. Collection comprises seven departments. the museum takes care of the collections and exhibition spaces in four more locations, the Vjekoslav Karas Gallery, the Branič tower at the Dubovac Castle, the Ribar family house in Vukmanić, Firefighting Museum, Franciscan Museum and the homeland War Museum in turanj. visitkarlovac.hr/the-townmuseum rElAxATIoN spoTs Karlovac parks A local historian once described Karlovac as ‘a town within a park‘, which is definitely an impression a visitor gets on arrival.if you take a walk down the Grand Promenade (Šetalište dr. Franje tuđmana), with a five-fold alley, you will come across the charming 19th century Katzler Pavilion which marks the beginning of the promenade. this small green wooden house can best be described as ‘the smallest multicultural hub in the world’. Katzler Pavilion is a unique souvenir shop with handicrafts and souvenirs made by Karlovac artists, craftsmen and designers. the shop is run by a descendent of the Katzler family that ran the florist shop in the same Pavilion more than hundred years ago.

Don’t miss out on the Vrbanić Gardens, the most famous horticultural monument in Karlovac, opened to the public in 1896. it was designed as a small open-air botanic garden between the Korana river and the

Karlovac old town, and was divided into three parts, an english part of the park, a central part laid out in French style, and a third part made of coniferous spruces and firs. today this is a popular recreational area on the Korana river bank and a favourite gathering place for locals, as well as visitors. www.visitkarlovac.hr/parkovi-i-perivoji

Karlovac rivers Karlovac is a town of waters. it lies on four rivers, Kupa, Korana, Dobra and Mrežnica, with (www.visitkarlovac.hr/cetiri-rijeke) all the fish, frogs and mermaids. everything in this town is connected to these four rivers, the freshwater aquarium, the romantic walks along the banks, the drinking water and, most importantly, beer. the most popular river when it comes to swimming and other summer joys is the Korana river which flows right through the town’s center. Korana springs at Plitvice lakes national Park, then flows through the canyon with many waterfalls and cascades and becomes tranquil in Karlovac, which makes it very popular for water sports and activities. Korana also boasts a beautiful new promenade, very popular with the locals. Don’t miss out on the Aquatika, the only freshwater aquarium in Croatia, situated on the right bank of the Korana river. For more detailed information, visite page 22.

CITy ADVENTurEs The grain boat the grain boat ‘Zora’ is a replica of the boats that used to ply the Kupa river in the 18th century. this unique european attraction is going to take you back in time, show you how grain was transported by boats, along the Kupa and the sava rivers. it is one of the three types of river boats of the Karlovac boatmen’s guild, the most prosperous town guild of the 19th century.

Swimming, kayaking, rafting, cycling there is a multitude of swimming spots to dip into and let’s face it, Karlovac and its county is the ideal location for such an activity. Action lovers will have a truly enjoyable experience by trying rafting or canoeing on a thrilling downstream ride. Kamat and Croatia open land agencies offer great kayak and rafting trips as well as other adrenaline activities such as cycling, hiking etc.

DoN’T MIss ouT oN Karlovac free city tours soak up Karlovac with an experienced local guide. Dive into the past with Maria theresa, the last holy Roman empress and the first empress of Austria, or join the world-famous scientist nikola tesla on his stroll through Karlovac, a city where he spent his formative years and finished a high school education. enjoy the feeling of the living history as you walk in the footsteps of the historic people. All tours are free of charge; duration: 90 minutes. info at www.visitkarlovac.hr/the-grain-boat

Karlovac - City of beer the town on the four riversunofficially has its fifth river- the beer river! Beer is one of the trademarks of the Karlovac region, boasting three centuries of the brewing tradition, Beer dishes are a special feature of Karlovac restaurants and local beer is the star of the show at the Karlovac summer beer festival.

Photo by Karlovac Tourist Board Archives Korzo, Photo by Dinko Neskusil, Karlovac Tourist Board Archives

aquaTika

Photo by Denis Stošić, Aquatika Archives

AbouT Croatia is one of the european countries with the richest river flora and fauna, while the city of Karlovac, famous for its four rivers – Kupa, Korana, Mrežnica and Dobra, is a perfect place to present the freshwater natural wealth. the beautiful modern aquarium is devoted to local freshwater life, enabling us to get to know our fishy friends better and understand just how rich in beauty and biodiversity the rivers, lakes and ponds are. the Aquatika opened in 2016 on the right bank of the Korana River. the complex was designed to display the course of a karst river and its various habitats. the design was based on the idea of dividing the river course into its upper, middle and lower sections. the structure is dug into the ground, and its exterior sides covered in an earthen embankment. the inspiration for the architecture was the historical town centre: the Karlovac starshaped town, surrounded by earthen defensive embankments.

DIVE bEloW THE surFACE Aquatika spreads over 3.000 square meters that follow the course of a typical karst river, starting from the source in the square, and then descending to the basement floor with cave and swamp habitats. throughout the journey, visitors can see more than 100 species of fish and as many as 40 endemic species distributed in 25 aquariums. the display offers a detailed, interesting, instructive, and exciting insight into the wonderful freshwater world. Visitors can thus experience the whole river course, from its source to its mouth, walking first through the upper Course, then continue through the Middle Course and finally reach the lower Course of the river, each with its specific habitat and fish species.

oTHEr HAbITATs the aquarium also comprises the cave system habitat with endemic fish species while the largest habitat in Aquatika presents the migratory fish species from the sturgeon family. You will also be acquainted with standing waters habitat, and another one that contains fish species which are not native to Croatia. the final habitat of the aquarium is dedicated to the karst phenomenon, explaining the creation of travertine waterfalls and the importance of conserving them.

THE souVENIr sHop the souvenir shop at the end of the exhibition area, offers authentic souvenirs from the Karlovac region, handmade by local suppliers in limited editions exclusively for the aquarium. local artists, potters, photographs, designers, craftsmen and artisans have all offered their most creative works for the aquarium visitors.

AquATIKA surrouNDINg Aquatika is located in the vicinity of the Natura 2000 area. it is an ecological network made up of areas across the european union inhabited by animal and plant species that are endangered, vulnerable or on the verge of extinction for various reasons. therefore, the european union has formed the ecological network natura 2000, and all members of the european union are obliged to protect such endangered habitats and animal species. About 20% of the eu’s territory is included in this ecological network, making it the largest conservation system in the world.

As part of the project ‘encounter with the river’, a pedestrian and bicycle path and a lookout were built along the Korana river, which are part of the outdoor interpretation center, and are located in the immediate vicinity of Aquatika.

Zelina, Photo by Mario Hlača, Zagreb County Tourist Board Archives

Zagreb Picnic, Photo by Marija Gašparović, Zagreb Tourist Board Archives

Sabljaci Lake, Ogulin Tourist Board Archives

Cerovski peak,Vukomeričke gorice Photo by M.Žilec, Zagreb County Tourist Board Archives

inside Tips

EugEN KVATErNIK squArE IN bjEloVAr Bjelovar looks very much an Austro-hungarian era town and nowhere more so than in the town’s central square, which features a park, a music pavilion, Cathedral, and other public buildings built in imperial fashion.

VIEW FroM bIlogorA the mountain lodge Kamenitovac on Bilogora is 242 metres above sea level and with it being along the Mačjak forest you can be assured of views that will amaze even the most cynical tourist.

loNjsKo poljE NATurE pArK largest protected wetland in the Danube basin and is a sanctuary for birds especially the well-known european stork Village, Čigoć.

ĐurĐEVAčKI pIjEsCI east of Đurđevac is a protected area known as the Croatian sahara, where the Đurđevac’s sands developed by amassing sediment from glaciers. luDbrEg- CENTrE oF THE WorlD in order to discover why exactly ludbreg is the centre of the world you will need to visit and learn for yourself the miracles and legends associated with this place. Whilst there why not try the local podravina wine on the ludbreg wine trail?

DAruVAr - THE CITy oF orCHIDs Fans of flora and fauna ought to visit Julijev Park which rejuvenates the city and is filled with vast types of orchids depending on the season. Do not miss the Castle of Count Jankovich located in the centre itself.

MIll oN THE MurA this is a one-of-a-kind wooden mill in Žabnik near sveti Martin na Muri. it has an arranged educational Mill trail with lots of fascinating information.

olD- TIMEr MusEuM in selnica there is a unique collection of about one hundred old vehicles, but also weapons and other associated items. there are also replicas of old trade workshops and used tools.

Ivan Kožarić, Photo by Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb Archives

Art & Culture

With so many archeological discoveries, art treasures, galleries and museums, culture is an inspirational part of the Croatian experience. new ways are constantly being found of sharing it with visitors, with street artists taking to the open air, and a new breed of multimedia attractions bringing heritage bang up to date.

Sinjska Alka Museum, Photo by Sinj Tourist Board Archives The Dutch House, Photo by Sisak City Museum Archives

10 amazing museums

Croatia’s rich cultural legacy has always been a prime pillar of the country’s tourist appeal. And with the rise of a new generation of state-of-the-art museums, there has never been a more exciting time to explore it. Read on to discover ten outstanding locations that bring the nation’s heritage to life.

THE MusEuM oF THE ApoxyoMENos (MuZEj ApoKsIoMENA), MAlI loŠINj Visiting a museum built around a single historical artifact can seem like a risky enterprise: can one work of art really be worth all that fuss, not to mention the relatively high price of the entrance ticket? in the case of Veli lošinj’s Museum of the Apoxyomenos, the answer is a resounding yes. the display centres on an extraordinarily graceful GraecoRoman statue of an athlete in the act of cleaning his skin (the Greek term Apoxyomenos means, roughly, “man scraping himself clean”). it was discovered on the seabed near the nearby islet of orulje by a Belgian recreational diver in 1996. Following years of painstaking restoration it was shown off in the museums of the world before finally coming home to this purpose-built museum on the island where it was found. the display tells the story of the statue’s journey in a sequence of imaginatively designed rooms full of audio-visual content, before revealing the statue itself in a pod-like chamber on the top floor. Consisting of a 21stcentury exhibition space inserted inside the shell of a 19thcentury palace, the museum is in itself a talking point, and may indeed be the ultimate metaphor for Adriatic culture – where it came from, and where it might be going next. www.muzejapoksiomena.hr KrApINA NEANDErTHAl MusEuM (MuZEj KrApINsKIH NEANDErTAlACA), KrApINA edged out by homo sapiens, the neanderthals died out some 40,000 years ago. however there is, the scientists say, a bit of neanderthal DnA in us all. Best place to meet these distant ancestors is at the Krapina neanderthal Museum, located in a green vale just outside Krapina, capital of the Zagorje region just north of Zagreb. Consisting of a concrete barrel lurching dramatically out of a hillside, the museum celebrates the discovery of neanderthal remains on this very site by paleontologist Dragutin Gorjanović Kramberger in 1899. Rather than simply displaying a load of old bones, however, the museum presents an audiovisual display devoted to the progress of life on earth and the emergence of the first hominids. the museum culminates in a disarmingly lifelike family group of waxwork neanderthals, showing that, far from being the primitive cave dwellers of popular imagination, they knew how to fashion tools, weave clothes and carry out basic medical procedures. As a well-thought-out, supremely educative presentation of how evolution is believed to have worked, it is a pretty unique institution, and one that is likely to work its fascination on visitors of all ages and interests. www.mkn.mhz.hr

MusEuM oF THE VučEDol CulTurE (MuZEj VučEDolsKE CulTurE), VuKoVAr the Danube-riverbank town of Vukovar is one of the rising destinations of Croatian tourism, and this dramatically situated museum is one of the main reasons why. Jutting out of a hillside at Vučedol just southeast of town, the museum occupies one of southeastern europe’s richest archeological sites. the discovery of brightly decorated pottery and other artefacts dating to the third millennium BC at this site led to adoption of the term Vučedol Culture to describe the civilization taking shape at that period. A settled community of farmers and copper-smelters, the Vučedol folk produced pottery decorated with highly distinctive geometric patterns and pictograms. Many of the pictograms are thought to refer to star constellations and their relationship to the changing agricultural seasons. Featuring replicas of Vučedol clothing, a mock-up of a Vučedol-era house, and computer-animated glimpses of how the local settlement looked, the museum takes us right into the heart of life as it might have been lived, 5000 years before our time. www.vucedol.hr

MusEuM oF THE HoMElAND WAr (MuZEj DoMoVINsKog rATA), TurANj, KArloVAC the mid-Croatian town of Karlovac was on the front line during the homeland War of 1991-95 and it is fitting that this national museum devoted to the conflict is located here. More precisely, it lies just off the main road to the Plitvice lakes in the suburb of turanj, the place where the main enemy advance was repulsed. the display is housed in an imaginatively renovated nineteenth-century barracks, first built by the Austrians and then pressed into service in 1991 by Karlovac’s Croatian defenders, who ironically dubbed the place ‘hotel California’. encased in a glass shell, the barracks contains a modern multi-media display detailing the military operations that took place here together with an account of what life was like for the local civilian population. Alongside a wealth of military hardware inside the museum there is a stirring display of artillery pieces, aircraft and armoured cars on the lawn outside. www.gmk.hr

MusEuM oF THE sINj AlKA (MuZEj sINjsKE AlKE), sINj A museum devoted to a sporting event might at first glance seem to be a bit too specialized to be deserving of general fascination – unless the event in question happens to be the Alka, the annual test of horsemanship that takes over the inland Dalmatian town of sinj every August. A surviving example of the knightly horse-games that date back to the distant Mediterranean past, the Alka brings together compelling themes of local identity, heritage and history – indeed it is through the Alka, more than anything else, that one might begin to understand the history and culture of this part of Croatia. the contest involves riders taking turns to charge on locally-reared horses towards a ringed metal target hanging from a wooden gantry, which they tempt to spear with their long lances. A supreme test of skill and poise for both horse and rider, it is held in celebration of Photo by Bosnić & Dorotić, Apoksiomen Museum Archives

a victory over the ottomans in 1715, when the people of sinj finally repulsed an enemy attack on August 15, the holy day associated with the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. the museum captures the drama and significance of the event with a dazzling display of riders’ costumes and an engrossing account of the Alka’s historical origins. After a visit here you’ll probably be itching to get saddled up yourself. www.alka.hr

rIjEKA CITy MusEuM (MuZEj grADA rIjEKE), rIjEKA the port city of Rijeka’s transformation into a post-industrial cultural mecca took another step forward with the opening of the City Museum’s brand-new permanent exhibition. the collection’s new home is the lovingly restored late-Baroque building known as the Šećerana or “sugar palace”, thanks to its former status as the administration building of a sugar refinery. it’s with this museum that Rijeka finally gets to tell its fascinating story; a story based on themes of industry, technology and popular culture. We get to see the history of the torpedo, the technological wonder perfected by Austro-english engineer Robert Whitehead and subsequently sold to navies around the world; as well as re-visiting the punk and new-wave traditions that made Rijeka a unique island of alternative culture in the late twentieth century. All of the things, in other words, that make a great city tick. www.muzej-rijeka.hr

NAroNA ArCHEologICAl MusEuM (ArHEoloŠKI MuZEj NAroNA), VID, METKoVIć set amidst the rushes and irrigation channels of the neretva delta, the hillside village of Vid is home to one of Croatia’s most exciting archeological finds. it was here that firstcentury-BC Roman market town of narona was unearthed, together with a wealth of artefacts offering revealing insights into the everyday life of the period. opened in 2007, the museum takes the form of a swish modern pavilion built right above the archeological site itself. inside, steel and glass walkways allow visitors to look at the excavations from above. one undoubted highlight is the Augusteum, a temple to the emperor Augustus flanked by 14 statues thought to depict members of the ruling family. www.a-m-narona.hr bArbAN MulTIMEDIA CENTrE (MulTIMEDIjAlNI CENTAr bArbAN), bArbAN sinj is not the only place to have preserved an ancient contest for horse and rider. the istrian village of Barban still celebrates its equine traditions with the annual trka na prstenac or “Race for the Ring”, in which locals and their steeds attempt to spear a specially-designed ring on the end of a long lance. the age-old ritual is celebrated in this brand-new multimedia Visitors’ Centre, where video films and 3-D technology help you to “experience” the race yourself. entrance to the display is through a dramatic tunnel of lighted hoops; elsewhere costumes, photographs and local artefacts help bring out a sense of place. www.barban.hr/centar-za-posjetitelje-barban

VIroVITICA ToWN MusEuM (grADsKI MuZEj VIroVITICA), VIroVITICA the recently revamped Virovitica town Museum is a great example of how to make a regional collection into something that captivates and involves a wider audience, showing off periods of history that we can all relate to while devoting equal attention to the customs, costumes and crafts associated with the place itself. A lot of the museum’s success is due to the presentation, with a visually involving approach enhanced by dramatic lighting. the museum is housed in the Pejačević Palace, a beautifully-restored latebaroque mansion bequeathed to the town by habsburgera aristocracy. hitherto somewhat removed from the main tourists routes, this museum will hopefully ensure that Virovitica will be getting more attention from visitors in future. www.gmvt.com.hr

THE DuTCH HousE (HolANDsKA KućA), sIsAK Your first reaction might be what is a Dutch house doing in sisak? this spectacularly restored nineteenth-century grain warehouse got its name because of its appearance; with its stepped façade, it looks jut like something that you would expect to see hovering above a canal in the low Countries. inside is a multi-media display dedicated to sisak’s industrial heritage of oil refining and metalworking, and an art gallery with regular contemporary art exhibitions. one unique feature of the museum – indeed a must for all fans of vintage technology – is the Velimir Kraker collection of old gramophones and radios. www.hoku.hr

Ivan Kožarić, Photo by Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb Archives

Kožarić 100

last november the Croatian art world was shaken by the death of ivan Kožarić (1921-2020), a sculptor whose mercurial imagination has left a profound mark on Zagreb’s streets, and has in some way become one of the city’s main trademarks. his death was not exactly unexpected. Kožarić was after all 99 years old. however it was widely assumed that this endlessly inventive, playful and eternally young artists would, if not exactly keep on going for ever, at least make his century.

it is in recognition of his towering presence that both Rijeka’s Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMsu) and Zagreb’s Museum of Contemporary Art (Msu) will be hosting major retrospectives devoted to Kožarić in the summer and autumn of 2021.

Although primarily celebrated as a sculptor, Kožarić was the total artist, a man who was just as creative with pencil and paper as he was with hot metal and hard stone. Few artists represent the course of culture over the entire twentieth century as much as Kožarić, although he never belonged to a movement. Rather like the (otherwise totally different) artist and provocateur Damien hirst, Kožarić embodied various identities over the course of one career, and never stuck to doing the things that had made him famous in the first place. he was more concerned with the ambiguities of art, and what it meant to actually make it, than programmatic theories about the direction in which art was supposed to move.

Born in Petrinja in 1921 and educated at Zagreb’s Academy of Fine Arts, Kožarić’s career was shaped by a culturally turbulent century. studying under the mentorship of monumental sculptor Antun Augustinčić (famous for his portraits of tito), most of his early work was figurative, although he was always interested in the avant-garde, and a scholarship to study in Paris in 1959-60 opened his eyes to new tendencies in post-war art.

Kožarić took advantage of the growing liberalization of Yugoslav communism to embark on a boldly experimental course in the 1960s, and was a founder member of Gorgona, the group that saw all media as suitable for artistic creation and which emphasized the role of art as a gesture, an ironic statement, or an ambiguous intervention in daily life: all of the things which nowadays seem to constitute the accepted role of the contemporary artist, but which were considered fairly provocative at the time. Gorgona cherished the idea of “anti-art”, cultivating a healthy disregard for convention rather than laying down new rules of their own. Gradually Kožarić became a leading player in Yugoslavia’s cultural team. his sculptures and installations represented his homeland at Biennales at Venice in 1976, and sao Paolo in 1979.

Kožarić’s sculptures feel just as much at home in pubic space as they do in a gallery. Arguably his most famous work is the Prizemljeno Sunce or Grounded Sun, the metal sphere that rests in the heart of downtown Zagreb’s pedestrian precinct, half-way along café-lined Bogovićeva. Much mocked by cynics back in the day, this shiny ball has since become a much-loved landmark. the fact that it inevitably gets covered with graffiti (and is periodically cleaned) arguably enhances its urban role, as if it is an interactive work of art-tainment. Almost as popular is Kožarić’s statue of Antun Gustav Matoš, whose metallic form sits cross-

legged on a silvery bench on strossmayerove šetalište in Zagreb’s upper town. With people queuing up to sit next to the poet and take selfies, the monument has arguably become the single most instagrammable spot in the capital.

elsewhere in Zagreb, the spindly five-pronged creation that is Kožarić’s Ruka (“hand”) emerges from the green summit of the River sava embankment, a popular walking and cycling spot that is speckled with outdoor sculptures. looking like a cross between a harp and a kitchen utensil, this enigmatic piece of metal is a typical example of the sculptor’s playful spirit.

Kožarić was also responsible for Hodač (The Walker), the lanky tubular figure that strides purposefully across the western end of the Korzo, the pedestrianized main street of Adriatic port city Rijeka. First planted here in 2010, this twometre-high piece of aluminium has become an emblem of the city and a firm favourite among Rijeka’s promenading crowds.

Kožarić exhibited his entire studio in a solo show in Zagreb in 1993; the studio went to Kassel in Germany in 2002 where it formed part of the contemporary art biennale known as Documenta. the studio was then purchased lock stock and barrel by the city of Zagreb in 2007 so that it could be displayed permanently as an art installation. Comprising rows of sculpted heads, and bits of found materials, the studio has been one of the highlights of Zagreb’s Museum of Contemporary Art (Msu) ever since it first opened in 2009. the central role accorded to the Kožarić studio almost has the value of a manifesto, declaring the museum’s commitment to the playful, inventive, endlessly questing nature of the artist himself. indeed Kožarić’s taste for mischief always delighted the art audience. one of his most famous later pieces involved a row of gold-painted phalluses balancing on chunky pairs of testicles.

Many of Kožarić’s works possess a sphinx-like quality that invites the viewer to guess at the many stories they might be telling. one of his best-known interventions in public space (and indeed the last major work he completed) was the stog sijena (“haystack”), a temporary sculpture (which consisted, as you might have guessed, of a stack of hay) placed just off Rijeka’s Korzo in the lead-up to the city’s stint as european Capital of Culture in early 2020. When the haystack was burned down by a vandal several days after its installation, the organizers simply made a new one. the fact that the haystack engendered such a philistine reaction was for many people proof of the work’s power to provoke, and proof of Kožarić’s enduring relevance as an artist.

The Ivan Kožarić centennial exhibition To Fly off Into the Ether or to Stay on Earth (Odletjeti u eter ili ostati na zemjlji) will be displayed at Rijeka’s MMSU (www.mmsu.hr) in spring 2021 before moving to Zagreb’s MSU (www.msu. hr) in June. In view of pandemic restrictions and potential postponements, visitors should check the relevant websites for precise dates and times.