Municipality of Veliki Grđevac: Mato Lovrak, churches and a walking trail

Literature, architectural history and waterside leisure give the Municipality of Veliki Grđevac several different facets. Its connection with writer Mato Lovrak is particularly prominent: you can encounter it at the Lovrakov centar, at an annual cultural event and at a mill associated with one of his novels. A walking trail and seasonal offerings complement the cultural attractions.

Culture around Mato Lovrak

The Lovrakov centar is designed as a cultural, educational and tourism centre, with a focus on school tourism. Several hundred schoolchildren from all parts of Croatia visit it over the course of the year. The “Vlak u snijegu” installation consists of a steam locomotive and three railway carriages on tracks. It has protected cultural property status and is part of a museum collection of railway vehicles and railway parts. If you are planning a visit, check the current visiting arrangements in advance.

Since 1987, the “Lovrakovi dani kulture” have been held in Veliki Grđevac in honour of Mato Lovrak. Their annual programme combines educational, cultural, tourism and sporting activities. The individual activities vary from one edition to the next. So if you would like to plan your trip around the event, check the dates and the programme for that year.

The “Družbe Pere Kvržice” mill also connects with Lovrak’s literary work: it is a reconstruction of a wooden mill that once stood on this site and is considered a symbol of the novel “Družba Pere Kvržice”. Visitors can see how flour was traditionally milled there. Check the visiting hours before your visit. This lets you experience the mill both as a historic site and as a tangible connection to the novel.

Churches and architectural history

The parish church of the Holy Spirit was built in 1832/33, after the parish was re-established in 1789. Its architecture shows features of the late Baroque and Classicist styles. Its construction date and stylistic description provide two concrete points of reference for local church history. In Pavlovac stands the Catholic Chapel of Saints Peter and Paul, built in 1912. Together, the two buildings reflect different historical dates and architectural influences, without requiring a set sightseeing itinerary.

Walking, swimming and fishing

The “Staza prijatelja prirode” opened on 6 September 2022. The trail, about 600 metres long, is designed for walks and features information boards and a viewpoint. It offers a short outdoor visit with information stops along the route. Check the current condition of the site before your visit.

The Veliki Grđevac Sports and Recreation Centre has a 25-metre swimming pool, a shallow children’s pool with two water mushrooms, and a hydromassage pool with medicinal water. Operating conditions are seasonal. The swimming season opened on 17 June 2026; check current seasonal operating arrangements for your travel dates.

Fishing days are held at the pond of the “Grđevica” sport fishing club, near the Lovrakov centar. Anglers who are not club members also take part. If you would like to plan your trip around a fishing day, check the event dates in advance.

Getting there

The centre of Veliki Grđevac is on the Bjelovar–Daruvar state road. Use this information for road directions and check road conditions separately before your journey. The local attractions offer different experiences: the Lovrakov centar and the mill are associated with literature and culture, while the walking trail, swimming pools and fishing days offer other activities that depend on current conditions, the season or event dates.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Drazica, Pavlovac, Municipality of Grubišno Polje, Municipality of Daruvar, Municipality of Čazma, Municipality of Veliko Trojstvo, Municipality of Berek, Municipality of Kapela.

Back to the main travel overview: Bjelovar-Bilogora.