Municipality of Križ: Discover church art, archaeology and festivals

Križ is situated on a hill around the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the Česma Valley. In the Municipality of Križ, protected buildings and archaeological traces meet a calendar of recurring cultural events. The towns of Križ, Okešinec and Vezišće offer different themes for planning your trip: local history, traces of Roman and later use, and festivals at various locations across the municipality.

Church, park and Milka Trnina

The Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is protected as immovable cultural heritage under registration number Z-1895. The church houses an organ dating from 1787; it was restored in 1909 and has retained its Baroque character. It is registered as an individual movable cultural asset under registration number Z-4174. The cultural and historical ensemble of the settlement of Križ is also protected, under registration number Z-3648. The park in Križ was created at the end of the 19th century; its design is attributed to head gardener Viteslav Durchanek.

Vezišće is the birthplace of the world-renowned opera prima donna Milka Trnina, who was born there on 19 December 1863. A memorial room dedicated to her is located in the Milka Trnina Cultural Centre in Vezišće. The Križ Gallery is also part of the town’s cultural history: over the years, it has hosted numerous artists and cultural events. The municipality’s cultural themes thus range from the church organ and park in Križ to the commemoration of Trnina in Vezišće.

Sipćina: archaeological traces in Okešinec

Sipćina, a protected archaeological site with the remains of a Roman villa rustica, is located in Okešinec. Archaeological investigations suggest that the site was in use from the final decades of the 1st century BC until the 3rd or 4th century. More recent radiocarbon data also indicate use in the 6th and 7th centuries. Excavations uncovered parts of two structures; both are enclosed by an apse and have preserved remains of underfloor heating. Sipćina is considered one of the more significant archaeological sites in Moslavina. The evidence of use in different periods also makes the site interesting as a timeline: alongside the Roman villa are later traces, as indicated by the radiocarbon data.

Festivals and events throughout the year

The Badalić Days take place every year in early June. During the event, the Josip Badalić Award is presented to the top student of Russian studies at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb. For more than 30 years, Vezišće has hosted the Lipanjski susreti Milke Trnine every year, a festival of folk and musical creativity. Choirs, cultural associations, children and young people all take part; traditional costumes, dances and customs are central to the festival.

Krigl Fest in the centre of Križ offers craft beer tastings, grilled dishes and entertaining beer competitions for visitors. The date and participating producers may vary. The Days of the Municipality of Križ take place on the last weekend of August. The annual programme includes a cycling tour, a craft and handicraft market, and a wine tasting; the programme may change from year to year. The Cross Hill Run Križ features 5 and 10 kilometre races as well as the Kids Run for children. Its event dates may also change.

When choosing when to travel, it makes a difference whether you want to attend a particular festival or plan your trip around cultural history and archaeology. If you are travelling for an event, check its exact date in advance. The festivals mentioned differ in timing and programme: from the Badalić Days held in early June to the municipal days on the last weekend of August.

Getting there and the landscape

On the A3 motorway, the Križ interchange is located eastbound at kilometre 74.6; a road from there leads to the town of Križ. The Križ service area is located at kilometre 77.1. The international Pan-European Corridor X runs through the Municipality of Križ, connecting Salzburg, Ljubljana, Zagreb, Belgrade, Skopje and Thessaloniki along its route. Novoselec railway station is on the Dugo Selo–Novska line, which opened in 1897. If you plan to travel by train, check the relevant timetable in advance.

The Žutica forest, in the southern part of the municipality, is another point of reference in the landscape. The Česma is described as suitable for fishing; check local rules and access separately. The municipality’s range of themes thus extends from Križ’s location in a river valley to archaeological history and cultural events, as well as forest and river landscapes.

Discover more destinations: Križ, Municipality of Brdovec, Municipality of Pušća, Municipality of Kravarsko, Municipality of Krašić, Municipality of Farkaševac, Municipality of Vrbovec, Municipality of Velika Gorica.

For the wider travel overview: Zagreb County.