It is believed that a few centuries ago the Paulines brought lace to the Croatian area. Recognizing its beauty, village folk accapted the knitting of lace as their own tradition, cherished to this day. It was most accepted by the inhabitants of the town Lepoglava, where the Pauline monestary was located. Proud of their lacing skills, the people of Lepoglava, every year in September organize an International festival of lace, where they promote lace as part of their ethnographical treasure. At the festival, which will be held from the 16th to the 19th September this year, exibited will be rich lace works from other European countries but visitors often find most interesting the domestic lace works from Croatian lace centres, which are next to Lepoglava, Pag, Sv. Marija and Hvar. Lepoglava lace had its boom at the end of the 19th century and the first part of the 20th century, when production was encouraged, courses, workshops and lacing schools were opened.

The skill of making lace became the source of extra income because lace was sold at fairs and exibitions in Zagreb, but also accross western Europe.

Lepoglava lace has won medals in many competitions. In Paris in1937. It was awarded a gold medal, and in Berlin in 1939. a bronze one. This period was the most flourishing for Lepoglava lace.

Lepoglava is a town located in the spectacular landscape of Zagorje, beneath Ivanščica, not far from two European motorways Zagreb – Vienna and Zagreb –Budapest. Here, after 1683. the first secondary school and the first university in Croatia was founded, with the right to give academic titles. The parish church, convent and chapel in the area were decorated with frescoes by the famous Pauline Ivan Ranger and are well known monuments of baroque artistry.


The Tourist Board of the Varaždin County
www.turizam-vzz.hr

The Turist Board of Lepoglava
www.lepoglava-info.hr