Posjet Prelogu, međimurskoj oazi cvijeća
Međimurje, a region whose beauty has been confirmed by the world-prestigious Green Destination award, is a true sight for sore eyes for all nature lovers. However, even the urban parts of this northernmost county have blended beautifully with the surroundings and leave visitors equally delighted. One such charming town is located on the shores of the largest artificial lake, whose water comes from the Drava River. Welcome to Prelog!
If you decide to spend the day in Prelog, you will find yourself in the city of flowers, a friend of children, and a place with almost a thousand years of history, which has always been closely connected with the great Drava River. Whether you recharge your batteries best by drinking coffee next to a steady murmur of water, walking along picturesque shores, or perhaps in the centre of a small town while discovering intriguing stories of the past—you have found the ideal place. Here is our suggestion on how to spend the day in Prelog.
Marina Prelog
Start from the water! Did you know that Croatia's largest artificial lake is located in Međimurje? It is called Lake Dubrava which you will best experience in Marina Prelog. The already long walk along the coast will certainly become even slower with all the interesting things you will encounter on the way: maybe it will be the airstrip of the Rode Kite Club where you can inquire about your own motor kite flying adventure. A little further on, there is an open-air gym that tempts every visitor to at least briefly test their strength. The boats moored in the marina catch everyone's attention, and you can admire them either from the vicinity or safe distance of the cafe's terrace.
For an all-day stay by the water, bring food and organize a picnic! This is precisely what the numerous newly built arbors right next to the lake are intended for. They are equipped with tables and benches, offer the possibility of grilling, and all this in the deep shade of the surrounding trees and the freshness of the lake a few steps away.
If you decide to spend the day in Prelog, you will find yourself in the city of flowers, a friend of children, and a place with almost a thousand years of history, which has always been closely connected with the great Drava River. Whether you recharge your batteries best by drinking coffee next to a steady murmur of water, walking along picturesque shores, or perhaps in the centre of a small town while discovering intriguing stories of the past—you have found the ideal place. Here is our suggestion on how to spend the day in Prelog.
Marina Prelog
Start from the water! Did you know that Croatia's largest artificial lake is located in Međimurje? It is called Lake Dubrava which you will best experience in Marina Prelog. The already long walk along the coast will certainly become even slower with all the interesting things you will encounter on the way: maybe it will be the airstrip of the Rode Kite Club where you can inquire about your own motor kite flying adventure. A little further on, there is an open-air gym that tempts every visitor to at least briefly test their strength. The boats moored in the marina catch everyone's attention, and you can admire them either from the vicinity or safe distance of the cafe's terrace.
For an all-day stay by the water, bring food and organize a picnic! This is precisely what the numerous newly built arbors right next to the lake are intended for. They are equipped with tables and benches, offer the possibility of grilling, and all this in the deep shade of the surrounding trees and the freshness of the lake a few steps away.
Church of St. Jakob: More than an Ordinary Baroque Church
In the center of Prelog rises the high tower of the church of St. Jakob.And while the church was built in the grandeur of baroque architecture in 1758, the tower, according to historical data, was retained from the time of a much older church from the 14th century. If you enter this baroque building, one of the most beautiful in Croatia, look up and pay attention to the vault—these naves are the first of their kind in church architecture in Croatia. The interior was additionally decorated by the Italian painters Aloysius Belli and Giacomo Brollo in the 19th century.
But interesting facts about the church of St. Jakob don't stop here! If you look around the church, you will notice a circular shape on the grass next to the fence on the north side. It is an archaeological site.Archaeologists are still discussing whether these are the remains of a defence tower, or something much more intriguing—the Chapel of Holy Spirit, which was a cemetery chapel with an ossuary.These buildings were used for storing skeletal remains, and they were called "karneri". On the plaque next to the archaeological remains, see a visual interpretation of this building, that is, an assumption of how it could have looked in it's original shape.
The Disease Brought by the River
On the other side of the road, opposite the church of St. Jakob, the City Administration is located. Despite today's role, this building had significantly different beginnings! If you pay attention, there is an inscription on its outer wall stating that this building used to be a trachoma hospital. It is an infectious eye disease from which the residents of Prelog particularly suffered in the past because the bacteria that causes it was transmitted by polluted water, or at that time, the water of the Drava River. As the Drava has brought numerous blessings, it has also brought challenges, one of which is precisely this specific disease, which in extreme cases leads to blindness, especially in children.
Trachoma patients from all over Croatia came to the trachoma hospital in Prelog, which was founded in 1894 and operated until 1963. When you visit Prelog, walk along this historicist building and see if it gives any indication of its original quite dreadful purpose.
Naive Art and Pesjanek
Right next to the city administration, in a 19th century building that used to be partially used by the already mentioned hospital, today there are located Museum Croata Insulanus and the city library.
On the first floor, in the museum's permanent exhibition, there are representative works of Croatian naive art. Here you will be able to enjoy the view of the world through the eyes of Generalić, Rabuzin, Mraz, Večenaj, Lacković Croata and other great men who skillfully portrayed everyday life in the countryside in the last century.
If you stop on the ground floor and visit the library of the city of Prelog, you will be greeted at its entrance by Pesjanek—the one-eyed mythical monster from the depths of the Drava River. Legend says that this creature lives in the backwaters of the Drava River, covered with algae and mud. Although until now he was shy and mostly dedicated to scaring children and driving them away from the dangers of the river depths, in recent years the Pesjanek mascot has been very happy to visit Prelog's events! Therefore, if you happen to be in Prelog during one of the many town's events, be sure to pay attention to the big green creature, happy to pose for photos. There is also a children's picture book on Pesjanek, which you can inquire about in the library.
What Else is There?
Throughout the year, the town of Prelog hosts numerous events: a flower fair, a wine picnic, car races, a hot air balloon festival, boat races and much more. Such colourful happenings are reason enough to return to Prelog several times during the year and always see and experience something new and different.
You can extend your stay and look for accommodation in a hotel right next to Marina Prelog, or in smaller accommodation units in the city. There are numerous cafes here to rest your feet after sightseeing, and restaurants where you can taste local dishes, such as the indispensable Međimurska gibanica.
If you want to choose Prelog as a central point from which to explore the surroundings, here are a couple of unmissable Međimurje destinations:
- Čakovec Town
- Feštetić Castle
- Med Dvemi Vodami
- Mura River Mill
- Mađerkin breg
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