The Frankopans, along with the Zrinjskis, the most important Croatian noble family, left behind numerous castles throughout Croatia. You could get to know some of them better. in my blogs on the Tourist Stories portal, and even today these buildings attract a significant number of domestic and foreign tourists and history and culture enthusiasts. However, the question arises as to how to further utilize the Frankopan castles for tourism purposes.
Unfortunately, only a small number of former castles of the Frankopan family can boast of a catering offer.
First and foremost is certainly Karlovac Castle Dubovac which was probably built in the 13th or 14th century by the Babonić princes, later called Blagajski. It came into the possession of the Frankopan family on February 17, 1442, when, by a contract concluded in Senj, Prince Stjepan III. bought it “for 350 forints of good gold” from Ivan Blagajski.
In the Dubovac castle there is Bistro Kastel where you can eat and drink decently, albeit at a slightly higher price, which is still justified by some exclusivity. I am especially glad that in Kastel they have, at least occasionally, the Frankopan beer of Princess Beatrice, which is bottled by the Karlovac craft Pivovara Podrum.
Dubovac can be said to be the only fully functional Frankopan castle in Karlovac County. Ozalj is still under reconstruction, Ogulin still has some work to do around the chapel of St. Bernardine and the courtyard, Slunj and Drežnica are being intensively renovated, and the others are still far from being put into some kind of tourist or cultural function. However, I am pleased with the implementation of the project "Touch of Civilizations" which should contribute to at least partial restoration of Frankopan castles in Karlovac County, similar to what was done project “Frankopan's Paths” had in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County.
Cultural and tourist route The ways of the Frankopans connects seventeen castles and three sacred buildings associated with the Frankopan family. There are also eight interpretation centers on this route, each of which focuses on one area of valuable Frankopan heritage. The interpretation centers are arranged and equipped in the Frankopan castles in Kraljevica, Krk, Bakar, Bribir, Čabar, Brod na Kupi, and in Trsat and Grobnik.
Although Nova Kraljevica Castle, located in the heart of Kvarner, a legacy of the Zrinski family, and I consider it to be Frankopan because all Zrinskis are half Frankopan, through the female line. So, in the castle there is Tavern Fran Krsto Frankopan, perfectly integrated into the historical ambience, with a completely decent offer that is still acceptable to ordinary visitors, but also to those who want something noble for their special occasions, such as weddings. The Frankopan salad with chicken is a real hit - namely, at that time the nobility favored poultry dishes, not only chickens and ducks, but also game such as partridges, quails and pheasants.
What is particularly interesting about Kraljevica is that it also has a second castle, originally Frankopan's, in the old part of the city, around which the city was founded. According to legend, in the chapel of St. Nicholas next to this castle, the Croatian princes Fran Krsto Frankopan and Petar Zrinski vowed to each other "that there would be no peace or rest, in this world or the next, until the land of our glorious ancestors is once again ruled by a king of Croatian blood".
At the other end of our beautiful country, in Čakovec, in the magnificent building of the Zrinski Castle there is an excellent Restaurant Stari Grad where you can enjoy the pleasant shade of the courtyard terrace even on the hottest days. My recommendation is the Međimurje plata and the Nikola Zrinski beer, which is bottled by the Čakovec brewery Lepi dečki.
In Trsat Castle you can enjoy the beautiful view from the terrace Vintage bar, an afternoon coffee, a cocktail or a glass of good wine. In bad weather, you will feel completely comfortable in the romantic ambience of the closed part of the eastern tower.
And that would be all there is to it when it comes to catering in the Frankopan and Zrinski castles. Truth be told, next to some castles like Ogulin and Slunj, Novi, Krk and not to mention more, there are hotels, restaurants and cafes with a very solid story and offer, but for this column I have limited myself to what is inside the old walls. Keep that in mind when you visit one of these historical fortresses.
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Order books FRANGERE PANE: Stories about Frankopans i Stella Aurea by Tomislav Beronić. The books are available at links
