CASTLES OF CROATIA, Novi dvori

Novi Dvori - the manor of the Croatian ban Josip Jelačić in Zaprešić The Novi Dvori estate was founded in 1611 as part of the Susedgrad-Stubica manor. Since then, until the middle of the 19th century, it had many well-known noble owners such as Zrinski, Čikulin, Sermage, Festetić and Erdödy. In 1852, the castle was bought from Aleksandar Erdödy by the then Croatian ban Josip Jelačić. The estate was owned by his family until 1934, when the ban's niece, Countess Anka Jelačić, the last descendant of the family, died. She left the estate to the Croatian people and founded four charitable foundations. After the Second World War, the foundations disappeared, as well as the continuity of life in the castle, located only 18 km from Zagreb. Up to the present day attempts have been made to bring life back to the castle and its complex in some modern form. The castle, with its outbuildings, bears witness to a three-and-a-half-centuries'-long history. After 1671, a manor house called Novi Dvori was built in the valley below the medieval noble town of Susedgrad. The manor house was later built into the western part of today's castle, which took on its final appearance in the mid-19th century, with features of neo-Gothic historicism. At that time, a landscape romantic park was also arranged. The castle remained unchanged for 83 years in the possession of the Jelačić family, which kept the memory of the ban. The complex includes a castle, a park, gardens and an orchard, numerous outbuildings and a forest park, with a total area of about 20 hectares. The castle was approached by an alley of wild chestnuts, accompanied by outbuildings, among which stands out a round winnowing barn and a three-storey granary converted into the Gallery "Skurijeni". Ban built a neo-Gothic chapel in the park, where he was buried. In 1884, a neo-Gothic tomb of the Jelačić family was built at Hrastina Forest Park, designed by the architect Herman Bollé, who has restored the Zagreb Cathedral and built the Mirogoj arcades. Academician Mladen Obad Šćitaroci Professor Bojana Bojanić Obad Šćitaroci, PhD