July the 4th, 2022 - Croatia is full of impressive castles and palaces from various periods throughout its turbulent history and over many changes of state and governing body. The Croatian Erdody Castle has sadly been in a state of neglect since the 1980s, but it seems all that is about to change for the better.

The Croatian Erdody Castle is located in Kerestinec and is the oldest remaining building in all of Jastrebarsko, which isn't too far from the City of Zagreb. It was initially constructed by the Erdody family from which it draws its name. This two story structure which has sadly been left to rot to an extent is a first category monument with its Renaissance fortified elements still impressive to this day, despite its general state. 

Way back in the year 1565, a man who was working very hard on the construction of the structure which was then surrounded by a moat, Petar II Erdody, was awarded the noble title of count. By the time 1575 rolled around, the castle had been quite significantly expanded and given a new lease of life, with works on it continuing on and off until the late 16th century.

It was rebuilt once again periodically during the 18th and 19th centuries, and fully refurnished in the early 20th century. It has since been left to the often cruel hands of time and the elements, and is absolutely due a revamp before it is lost entirely.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Mladen Miletic writes, a contract was signed recently in Jastrebarsko between the mayor, Zvonimir Novosel, and the INg-GRAD company, which will enable the start of works on the restoration of the neglected Croatian Erdody Castle.

The deadline for the execution of the works is 480 calendar days from the date of the introduction of the contractor to the work, and the total value of the works stands at a massive 108,194,041.60 kuna excluding VAT.

Due to market disruptions caused by the global coronavirus pandemic and then by the war in Ukraine, that sum exceeds the total value of the castle renovation and revitalisation project, which in accordance with the Grant Agreement, amounts to 73,639,686.93 kuna, of which 49,503,626.59 kuna is being co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, while the amount of 24,136,060, 34 kuna bas been provided by Jastrebarsko itself.

It's worth noting that despite constant interventions throughout time, as touched on above, the Croatian Erdody Castle has been in a state of disrepair since the late 1980s.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

April 10, 2022 - Erdödy castle in Jastrebarsko will soon see the first serious renovation to revitalize the abandoned building and open it to the public.

The beginning of works on the reconstruction of the Erdödy castle in Jastrebarsko is getting closer. Namely, a valid construction permit was obtained, which created all the preconditions for initiating the public procurement procedure for construction works, which was published on 21 March. As a result, the estimated value of the works is HRK 73,140,000 without VAT, Lokalni.hr.

Upon completing the works, at least 80 percent of the castle area will be available to the public, and 20 percent of the building can be commercialized. The castle has been dilapidated since the late '80s when the museum and the tenants who lived on the castle premises were evicted. There were attempts to renovate in the early '90s when the rehabilitation of certain parts of the castle began. Still, it was not completed, so this is the first serious renovation to revitalize the abandoned building and open it to the public.

"The castle renovation project is complex and time-consuming. The administration itself is taking longer than we all would like, but given the significant funds provided by the European Union for this project, a detailed procedure is expected. Furthermore, given the circumstances and the increase in prices at all levels that we monitor daily, the value of the works on the castle will increase. Of course, this is a new challenge, but we are ready for it. We have reached a historically important moment to renovate our most valuable cultural building, and we will invest the maximum effort to realize this project," said Mayor Zvonimir Novosel.

The renovation project envisages the castle's ground floor as a space for communication with visitors. In addition, they say that there will be an information desk, a souvenir shop, and areas for associations. A catering facility will also return. There is even a planned space for presentations, promotions, and occasional tastings, where sommelier courses and smaller educational gastronomic events will be held.

The first floor is intended to accommodate the city administration. In contrast, the second floor of the northern part and the attic space in the southern part is designed for the needs of the historical and ethnographic museum. On the third floor, there will be a polyvalent space that will be used as a town hall, but also for several other facilities. There will also be smaller spaces for workshops, and access by elevator is provided for people with disabilities. The atrium, i.e., the castle's inner courtyard, will be arranged as a space for cultural and entertainment events.

The Erdödy castle renovation project is co-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund. Its total value is HRK 73,639,686.93, of which approved funds from EU funds amount to HRK 49,503,626.59.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.