ANGLERS TO THEIR TOWN
Fishing destinations of the Koprivnica-Križevci County especially abound in water areas, with the dominant Drava River and its backwaters and old river beds. The Drava and the numerous lakes, big and small, which originate in gravel and sand exploitation, allure anglers because they are rich with all sorts of freshwater fish. Recreational fishing and competitions organized in Podravina attract many anglers from all around Croatia and the Europe alike.
Not only recreational fishing and angling, but also tourist and gastronomic events are organized throughout the county by angling clubs as well. The most famous and the most comprehensive anglers event takes place in Koprivnica. Every year AC “Koprivnica”, in co-operation with the Town of Koprivnica Tourist Board organize the event called “Anglers to their town”. Within two days a few dozen teams compete in making “fish stew” while the visitors can enjoy the fish specialties (carp on forked twigs, fish stew, fish fried on the pan), they can try their hand an catching a carp in a big pool (12 m in diameter), they can buy fish, have a look around the exhibited pictures, or buy fishing equipment.
THE ASSUMPTION OF THE VIRGIN MARY
The parish of Molve was first mentioned in 1334 and since then they have contributed to the Church with 17 priests and 14 nuns. Molve is the biggest Virgin Mary’s shrine of Northern Croatia, where believers come in huge numbers from all over Croatia on Easter Monday, Whitsuntide Monday and on Assumption Day.
On the site of the old parish fete church, which was a medieval building, a new chapel has been built, where now days the miraculous statute of Virgin Mary of Molve is kept during the most part of the year. Every year on Assumption Day this statute is brought out, in a grand procession, into the parish church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This church, built in 1862 and decorated with 26 fresco paintings by Antonini, a painter from Zagreb, is also the home of St Philomene, the patron saint of youth, which is the only statute of this saint in Croatia.
THE DAY OF ST. MARK OF KRIŽEVCI
The third canonized Croatian saint, Mark Stephen Krizin of Križevci, was born in Križevci in 1558. He stated his education in his home town and attends secondary school in Vienna. At the Jesuitical College in Graz he completes the studies of philosophy and physics. On persuasion, he enrolls into the Theological Faculty at the famous Roman Institute Germanicum et Hungaricum, where he registered in his own hand as a Križevci citizen and a Croat. For a short period of time, he returns to his Zagreb diocese, after which he takes over the position of a principal of the Trnava Preparatory.
At the time of the Thirty Years War he was in Košice (Slovakia) where there was an immense Calvinistic influence. In one of the “cleansing” actions against Catholics, together with Melchior Grodziecki and Istvan Pongratz, he got arrested, tortured and brutally killed on the 7th of September 1619 (the Martyrs of Košice). The Pope John Paul II announced his sanctity in 1995 in Košice. St Mark of Križevci is a patron saint of the Varaždin Diocese and the Koprivnica-Križevci County. His feast day is the 7th of September, the day of his martyrdom, while the central celebration takes place in Križevci, which becomes a great pilgrimage destination on that day.
INTERNATIONAL FOKLORE FESTIVAL
International folklore festival “From Granny’s Chest”, gathers young people all around the world each year in the month of July, who present folklore heritage of their countries to the numerous audience. Beside the folklore part dancing, singing, customs, presentation of authentic national instruments is being organized within the Festival.
By spreading tolerance and understanding young people of different confessions, cultures and traditions are mutually bonding and spreading true and permanent values.
THE DAYS OF NOBILITY
The small place Gornja Rijeka on the hill-side of Kalnik, in mid-August, around the Feast of the Assumption, hosts the Days of Nobility. There one can experience the history of nobility and “return” into the past, into the times when this sub-Kalnik region was home to real nobleman and their ladies. The “Kalnik Nobility Association” has been researching historic truth, with the aim to revive the time when the first Croatian primidone – Sidonija Erdody Rubido – lived and worked on these authentic locations.
The sounds of waltzes and polka invite to the Nobility Ball, and the best nobleman, noblewoman or the first princess contest where the looks and the noble, refined, courteous attitude is assessed. Various programs, especially the female football tournament “The Golden Garter”, attract everyone to visit Gornja Rijeka. The tourist offer of the sub-Kalnik region is based on rich history, and we would like to invite you to experience the spirit of the times and to take a journey into the past.