The official seat of the royal free City of Varaždin was located in the City Hall, which dominates the main square named after the first Croatian King Tomislav. The history of this magnificent and recognizable building is long and illustrious, serving as the seat of the City administration continuously for almost 500 years.
The City Hall
In 1523, the Old Town’s owner Juraj Brandenburg, gave Varaždin its first stone building, which became home to the the City’s ‘magistratuš’ (Magistrate) and ‘rihtar’ (the Judge) the forerunners of today’s Mayor.
Over the centuries, the Hall changed its appearance to its present shape with an elegant clock tower with a moon phase indicator, built in 1791 after the old hall burned in 1776. A Varaždin coat of arms above the balcony adorns the Hall. It was confirmed by the mighty King Matthias Corvinus as the official emblem of the City in 1464, and has been unchanged ever since.
The Miljenko Stančić Memorial Collection includes 22 of his paintings, located in the City Hall Salon.
The collection can only be viewed by appointment made with the City Protocol:+ 385 42 402 508. The Miljenko Stančić Memorial Collection includes 22 of his paintings.
This monumental single storey corner building representing late gothic style was commissioned by the noblewoman Marija Horvat in 1851. She donated it to the Varazdin City Municipality to create a foundation and establish an orphanage. Today, this is the residential palace of the Diocese.
In 1779, the first City primary school was a small single storey construction. In 1842, following the initiative of City judge Franciscus Rizmann, it was converted into a two-storey corner building, and at that time was the most hugely considered to be the most beautiful and most harmonic of all classical public buildings. A prominent inscription on its facade reads ‘Za dobro i korist znanja’ (‘For the good and benefit of knowledge’).
The new Varaždin Grammar School Building, erected in 1870, was built in a historicist style according to a design by H. Neumann, by the Viennese builder W. Weiner together with various Varaždin artisans. A number of famous personalities such as: Ljudevit Gaj, Vatroslav Jagić, Franjo Rački, Ksaver Šandor Gjalski, Ivan Kukuljević, Gustav Krklec, Miljenko Stančić, Ruža Pospiš Baldani, and numerous others attended this prestigious school. Many leaving a significant mark on Croatia, world culture, science and spiritual heritage. Today in Varaždin there are two additional grammar schools which are involved in a number of international educational institutions and projects.
In the mid 19th century Varaždin was framed by railroad tracks on all four sides, yet no line connected Varaždin with the rest of the Croatia and Europe. The City’s efforts to build the station included purchasing shares, the free allocation of land for the station and the route through Varaždin as well as providing building bricks. These bore fruit, and the construction of railways linking Čakovec – Varaždin – Zaprešić – Zagreb began in 1895. This allowed more connections to branch out with other parts of Croatia, opening the door to the greater industrialization of the City.
The railway station building was designed by architect Valent Morandini. Initially an older building dating from 1886, it was enhanced in 1908 to a two-storey raised facade of monumental proportions in an Art Nouveau style – typical of Morandini’s work.
A detached, monumental Art Nouveau building, located across from the entrance of the famous Varaždin Theatre, was constructed for the National Bank in the early 20th century, designed by the Budapest architect Hubert and built by Varaždin constructor Valent Morandini. The building still hosts different financial institutions.
Formerly the ‘K divljem covjeku’ (‘The Wild Man’) tavern and inn, the proprieter Novak converted it in 1912 into the high – quality and well – known “Grand Hotel Novak”. The single – storey Art Nouve au corner building has retained its original pu rpose, and after 1945 it replaced its name to “Hotel Istra”
The magnificent Varaždin Synagogue completed in the second half of the 19th century, is a resilient monument to the once influential and now almost completely extinct Jewish community in Varaždin. Unlike many other synagogues throughout Croatia that experienced horrors during World War II, this one miraculously survived. For a period of time, it served as one of the city’s cinemas. Following decades of decay it is slowly regaining its former exterior shine.
This is the newer of the two Varaždin synagogues. The propulsive and enterprising Varaždin Jewish community built the first synagogue in 1812 in Kukuljevićeva Street.
This monumental single storey corner building representing late gothic style was commissioned by the noblewoman Marija Horvat in 1851. She donated it to the Varazdin City Municipality to create a foundation and establish an orphanage. Today, this is the residential palace of the Diocese.
In 1779, the first City primary school was a small single storey construction. In 1842, following the initiative of City judge Franciscus Rizmann, it was converted into a two-storey corner building, and at that time was the most hugely considered to be the most beautiful and most harmonic of all classical public buildings. A prominent inscription on its facade reads ‘Za dobro i korist znanja’ (‘For the good and benefit of knowledge’).
The new Varaždin Grammar School Building, erected in 1870, was built in a historicist style according to a design by H. Neumann, by the Viennese builder W. Weiner together with various Varaždin artisans. A number of famous personalities such as: Ljudevit Gaj, Vatroslav Jagić, Franjo Rački, Ksaver Šandor Gjalski, Ivan Kukuljević, Gustav Krklec, Miljenko Stančić, Ruža Pospiš Baldani, and numerous others attended this prestigious school. Many leaving a significant mark on Croatia, world culture, science and spiritual heritage. Today in Varaždin there are two additional grammar schools which are involved in a number of international educational institutions and projects.
In the mid 19th century Varaždin was framed by railroad tracks on all four sides, yet no line connected Varaždin with the rest of the Croatia and Europe. The City’s efforts to build the station included purchasing shares, the free allocation of land for the station and the route through Varaždin as well as providing building bricks. These bore fruit, and the construction of railways linking Čakovec – Varaždin – Zaprešić – Zagreb began in 1895. This allowed more connections to branch out with other parts of Croatia, opening the door to the greater industrialization of the City.
The railway station building was designed by architect Valent Morandini. Initially an older building dating from 1886, it was enhanced in 1908 to a two-storey raised facade of monumental proportions in an Art Nouveau style – typical of Morandini’s work.
A detached, monumental Art Nouveau building, located across from the entrance of the famous Varaždin Theatre, was constructed for the National Bank in the early 20th century, designed by the Budapest architect Hubert and built by Varaždin constructor Valent Morandini. The building still hosts different financial institutions.
Formerly the ‘K divljem covjeku’ (‘The Wild Man’) tavern and inn, the proprieter Novak converted it in 1912 into the high-quality and well-known “Grand Hotel Novak”. The single-storey Art Nouveau corner building has retained its original purpose, and after 1945 it replaced its name to “Hotel Istra”.
The magnificent Varaždin Synagogue completed in the second half of the 19th century, is a resilient monument to the once influential and now almost completely extinct Jewish community in Varaždin. Unlike many other synagogues throughout Croatia that experienced horrors during World War II, this one miraculously survived. For a period of time, it served as one of the city’s cinemas. Following decades of decay it is slowly regaining its former exterior shine.
This is the newer of the two Varaždin synagogues. The propulsive and enterprising Varaždin Jewish community built the first synagogue in 1812 in Kukuljevićeva Street.
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