Church, Folklore and Regional Cuisine in the Municipality of Vratišinec

The Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and the Old School Building give the Municipality of Vratišinec two distinct architectural accents. They are joined by folklore, music, traditional dishes and an ethnographic collection in Gornji Kraljevec. Those interested in culture and local history will find several themes here that are easy to distinguish from one another.

Church and School Building

The Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross stands in the southeastern part of the village of Vratišinec and was built in 1897. It is a protected immovable individual cultural asset. In front of its main façade stand two late Baroque sculptures of the Roman martyrs John and Paul. The figures date from 1779, considerably earlier than the church building. Thus, two different historical dates and a striking artistic detail come together in the same place.

The Old School Building is located in the centre of Vratišinec and was built in 1874. The single-storey building has a rectangular ground plan and a Neoclassical façade. Flat pilasters between the windows divide the façade; pilasters are flat projections from a wall. While the sculptures stand out in front of the church’s main façade, the school building’s clear form and façade design shape its appearance. Together, the two buildings show different aspects of local architectural history.

Folklore, Music and Traditional Dishes

At the “Mamičina škrija” event, dishes made from traditional family recipes are sampled. These include “pečena šulenka”, “močjek” and “trgnci s maslom i trojstvom”. The festival adds a culinary dimension alongside the architectural and musical themes. “Mamičina škrija” has been held regularly since 2010; check the specific date if the event is important to your travel plans.

Folklore and theatre are also part of the local cultural programme. “Vratišinske vesele vurice” is a traditional folklore evening featuring ensembles and groups from Croatia and abroad. “Susreti dramskih amatera” offers theatre performances for children, young people and older residents. The two events have different focuses: one features folklore groups from Croatia and abroad, while the other offers theatre for several age groups.

Religious and festive music is also represented. “PJEVAJMO, PJEVAJMO MARIJI” is a religious Marian concert held in the parish church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross for the Feast of Our Lady of the Snows. “Božić u srcu” combines a Christmas concert with a live nativity scene. “Žgančevi zapisi”, organised every year in memory of the life’s work of academician Dr Vinko Žganec, focuses on the cultural heritage of Međimurje folk songs that he recorded.

A glimpse into rural life

In Gornji Kraljevec, the Mamičina škrinja ethnographic collection displays objects, household items, clothing, tools and tableware from rural life more than 100 years ago. The focus is on everyday items: clothing, work tools and tableware complement the church and school architecture with another perspective on local culture. For getting around the municipality, the Čakovec–Mursko Središće railway line, which runs through the Municipality of Vratišinec, is also relevant.

Međimurje County as a wider setting

Those looking beyond the municipality to the wider destination of Međimurje County will find additional natural and cultural attractions. Within the county, the Mura–Drava Regional Park covers 16,962.54 hectares. The Mađerkin breg viewpoint is in Robadje: it is about 27 metres high and offers views from Međimurje’s highest point, at 361 metres above sea level. The Štrigova region has well-maintained cycling routes, marked hiking trails and forest paths. These examples belong to the wider regional setting and should be distinguished from the attractions and cultural events of the Municipality of Vratišinec.

Discover more destinations

Vratišinec, Municipality of Orehovica, Municipality of Gornji Mihaljevec, Municipality of Sveti Juraj Na Bregu, Municipality of Selnica

Return to the wider travel overview: Međimurje.