Veliki Tabor by darkog

This is one of most preserved medieval castle in Croatia. Veliki Tabor is a fortress and museum in ZAgorje, northwest region of Croatia. First mention of castle goes back to 12th century. Today's appearance dates back to the 16th century. Most of the castle was built by the Croatian noble family of Rattkay, in whose ownership it remained until 1793. It is located in the region of Zagorje near Desinić, 8 km (5.0 mi) west of Pregrada, 219 m (719 ft) above sea level. It has around 3,340 m2 (36,000 sq ft) and abot 50 km from croatian Capitol Zagreb. Today the castle is owned by the state, which manages it as a museum and a tourist site. The oldest part of the castle is the Five-Cornered Tower, built in the twelfth century. The other towers date from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The entrance complex was built around 1820. The Croatian painter Oton Iveković owned the castle from 1927 to 1935. The roof consists of twelve different materials. The castle interior has galleries with round pillars. There is a large well, 31 m (102 ft) deep, and a former wine cellar. The large hall is decorated with halberds. The castle chapel on the first floor contains the skull of the legendary Veronika of Desinić. The collections in the exhibition spaces include old vehicles, ethnographic items, the first manufacture of medicines, swords and armour, paintings and pottery, as well as a presentation of the noble Ratkaj family who used to own the castle. Since 2002, Veliki Tabor has been the venue of an international festival of short films. The castle has been undergoing renovations since 6 November 2008, and has been closed to public since. The renovation works were finished in November 2011. via 500px http://j.mp/1D21ATF