Grad Varaždin je administrativno, gospodarsko, kulturno i prosvjetno središte županije i deset općina varaždinske podregije te važno prometno središte sjevernog dijela Republike Hrvatske. Mjesto se nalazi na desnoj obali rijeke Drave na nadmorskoj visini od 174 metra. Zauzima površinu od 74 kvadratnih kilometara, dok u njemu živi preko pedeset tisuća stanovnika i radi približno dvadeset tisuća.

Mjesto se u pisano obliku prvi puta spominje 1181 godine u listu madžarskog kralja Bele III, pod imenom Castrum Garestin. Kako se u istom spominje i hrvatski župan Belec, kontinuitet naselja vrlo je vjerojatno još i stariji. Ljeta 1209 je, u zahvalu da ga je mjesto uzelo u zaštitu u vrijeme prepirki sa vlastitim bratim, kralj Andrija II podijelio Varaždinu statusni privilegij slobodnog kraljevskog grada. Dobijeni gradski privilegij su njegovi stanovnici kasnije sa srcem branili, tako da su im ga ugarski vladari, a kasnije i kraljevi i carevi Habsburške monarhije za različite zasluge još nekoliko puta potvrdili.

U Varaždinu su se često održavala zasjedanja Hrvatskog sabora, a doneseni zaključci su s vremenom imali sudbonosni značaj za povijest Hrvata. U razdoblju između 1756 i 1776 Varaždin biva glavnim gradom Hrvatske, tu zasjeda i Kraljevski savjet. To slavno razdoblje nažalost prekida katastrofalni požar, no niti strašna vatra nije uništila bogata nasljeđa prošlosti niti moć varaždinskog plemstva te umjetničkiu ostavštinu domaćih i stranih graditelja i drugih obrtnika i umjetnika.

Photo: D. Gorenak

Kulturno je Varaždin najviše obilježilo djelovanje katoličke crkve, ponajviše Franjevci, Uršulinke, Pavlini i Jezuiti. U njihovim crkvama i zakladima ostale su neke od najljepših vrijednosti barokne umjetnosti u Hrvatskoj. A upravo njihovim djelovanjem tu je stvorena i prva gimnazija.

Danas je Varaždin jedno od najmoćnijih industrijskih središta u Hrvatskoj, i jako bankovno i obrtničko središte sa mnogim obrtima i privlačnom ugostiteljskom i turističkom ponudom.

The city of Varazdin is the adminstrative, economic, cultural and educational center of the County and particularly of the subregion of Varazdin, as well as being an important traffic crossroad situated on the northern entrance of the Republic of Croatia. It is situated on the right bank of the river Drava, at 174 metres' height above sea-level. It covers the area of 74 square kilometers and number almost 50000 inhabitants, out of which there are 20000 employed.

The city was mentioned in writing as early as in 1181, in a document issued by the king Bela III, and is referred to as Castrum Garestin. As the same text mentions the Croatian perfect Belec, the continuity of the settlement is obviously longer

In the year of 1209, as a token of gratitude to the citizens who have sheltered him during the fighting against his brother, king Andreas II granted the city the status rights of the Royal Borough. The citizens of Varazdin continued to defend these rights during their entire later history and both the Hungarian sovereigns and later the kings and emperors of the Habsburg monarchy repeatedly granted and verified the earlier acquired privileges for various merits.

Varazdin was the venue of the sessions of the Croatian parliament (Sabor), with its decisions sometimes of utmost importance for Croatian history. In the period of 1756 and 1776, Varazdin was the capital of Croatia with the seat of the Royal Regency Council. This era of glory was, alast, cut by a disasterous fire, but even the terrible flames could not destroy the resplended evidenceof wealth and power of the Varazdin nobility and the artefacts manufactured by the domestic and foreign builders, craftsmen and artists.

The permanent feature of culture in the city of Varazdin is due to the activities of the Catholic church, particularly Franciscan brothers, the Urshuline sisters, the Paulists and Jesuits: in the city churches there can be found some of the most valuable works of Baroque art in Croatia. We cannot omit mentioning that it is here that the first grammar school was founded, almost at the same time as the one in Zagreb.

Varazdin is today one of the strongest industrial centres in Croatial, with food, textile, metalworking, and wood&timber industries. It is also a powerfull banking and craftwork centre with widely developed service trade and attractive catering and tourist offer.

Sightseeing / Razgledavanje