On the occasion of the beginning of the great Peasant revolt from 1573, the well-known uprising of the peasants against the feudal lords, the Museum of the Peasant revolt organizes a series of activities each year, in cooperation with many associations and the local population, under the name „The 1573 Gubec Revolt“. The great peasant revolt, which has left a deep trace in the history of the Stubice area, has been marked for the past 30 years, and the museum itself was opened on the 400th anniversary of the revolt.
This year's cultural and entertainment program contains various workshops and playgroups for children and adults, and re-enactments of the peasant revolt with Matija Gubec as the leader as well as the battle at Stubice will be held thanks to the associations that have been founded at the initiation of the museum. The reasons behind the revolt were numerous and still remain a subject of historical research. Certainly, the extremely high excise that the peasants had to pay to the aristocrats was one of them.
The program covers two days and begins on February 6th 2010 at 10 am in the Museum of the Peasant revolt in Gornja Stubica. Its program is mostly devoted to the comparison of the life of a peasant and of life at court and the preparation of the revolt. Apart from a costumed visit of the permanent exhibition of the museum, interactive workshops will demonstrate to visitors a part of the life at a 16th century court – the clothing. Also held will be a dance-workshop „Get dressed and dance!“, and interested visitors will be able to learn about the fashion of the time (the renaissance), craft decorations for dresses or tunics, and those who are skilled can try the school of renaissance dancing under the leadership of Vlasta Rittig. Shooting the bow and arrow is organized on the terrace of the court castle.
The court idyll is interrupted when a messenger comes to announce that the peasants are revolting – an organized excursion to the Gubec lime-tree follows, where visitors will be able to see the other side of feudal life, that of the peasants. The revolted peasants are organizing themselves, they are arming themselves and preparing for battle. The preparation of the uprising ends with a peasant feast in the tavern Birtija pod lipom „(„Tavern under the lime-tree“), near the Gubec lime-tree in Gornja Stubica.
On February 14th 2010, the program starts at 12 pm in the centre of Donja Stubica in front of the Holy Trinity Church. The gathered peasants revolting start to walk in a procession towards the farm Majsecov mlin in Obrtnička Street. The feudal army is also gathering and the peasants are forced to engage in a final battle. They are determined as they very well know what defeat will ring them. Around 1 pm the spectacular battle begins, re-enacted by the members of various associations: Družba vitezova Zlatnog kaleža, Tahijevi puškari, Vitezovi Sv. Jurja, Vitezovi Zelingradski, Beli Volk, along with the participation of around 100 extras.
After the battle on the Majsec farm, each association will present itself with its program, and visitors will be able to enjoy in interactive workshops and the culinary offering of the farm households. Visitors can also go and see the permanent exhibition of the Museum of the Peasant revolt, before and after the events.
Krapina-Zagorje County Tourist Board
www.tz-zagorje.hr
The Museums of the Croatian Zagorje – the Museum of the Peasant Revolt
www.mhz.hr
Družba vitezova Zlatnog kaleža
www.druzba-vitezova.hr