Cultural and historical sites in Karlovac

As a true cultural and historical center, Karlovac is rich in landmarks – museums, theaters, churches, monuments and events of a fun character.

Dubovac is an old town for whom it is not known when exactly it was created. It is believed to date from the 13th century and long before Karlovac is mentioned in books. It is located above Karlovac, on the hill above the river Kupa and represents the oldest Karlovac monument.
Dubovac was named after the dub (oak) and the oak forest that surrounded it. From the Dubovac viewpoint, there is a beautiful view of the whole Karlovac.
The historical and cultural core of the Old Town of Karlovac was built in the form of a six-pointed star, which is why it was named the Karlovac Star. The Star consists of a central square and streets intersecting at right angles. As Karlovac was built as a fortress, the star shape was perfect for defending against enemies.
For lovers of culture and theater, it will be interesting to visit the Zorin dom City Theater or one of the city’s galleries. The Zorin dom Theater was opened in 1892. after which Karlovac slowly became one of the strongest centers of the art and theater scene. Until the opening of the hall, improvisations and performances were held throughout the inns, cafes and home stages.
The Karlovac Theater or the National City Theater Karlovac has been operating professionally since 1948. The Ivan Goran Kovačić City Library is the oldest and largest cultural institution in Karlovac, and the entire Karlovac County and is also one of the five largest public libraries in Croatia. The city library was created during the Illyrian movement following the decision of the then prominent and powerful men of the city. Her first name was “Illyrian Reading Society”. From that time until today it has remained as a center of culture, history, and literacy in the town of Karlovac.

Lovers of architecture and historical and cultural heritage will be delighted to see that Karlovac and its surroundings guard several well-preserved medieval castles. They were built for practical reasons at a time when the threat of the Turks was real, but they still stand firm today and attract attention. Castles in Karlovac and its surroundings are a great choice for a day trip.
The oldest historical monument in Karlovac is the Old Town of Dubovac. It is located on a hill above Karlovac and has historically been owned by several noble families. From Dubovac, there is a beautiful view of the surroundings and Karlovac itself and the interior keeps a permanent museum display. Ticket price is 10 Kunas for adults and 5 Kunas for children.
The Novigrad on Dobra was located only 8 km from Karlovac and is free for visitors. The castle was reportedly built in 1193., and in the 15th century, it was occupied by the Frankopans. The castle was burnt down by the partisans in 1944. but several years ago the rebuilding process began.
Ozalj is an old medieval fort that was turned into a castle in the 18th century. Today, the Ozalj Castle is a local museum where you can enjoy exhibits of weapons from the time of Zrinski and Frankopan’s and also a collection of works by the painter Slava Raškaj. Ozalj Castle is located 25 km from Karlovac.
Another interesting building from the Middle Ages is the Ribnik. It is located 25 km from Karlovac and once was a water burg. Even to this day, you can see the remains of history in Ribnik – secret rooms, dungeons and armory. Fort Bosiljevo is located 30 km from Karlovac and is accompanied by a legend as “never conquered” by Turkish invaders. After the Zrinsko-Frankopan conspiracy in 1671. the fort was looted. Today, the fort is deserted and is located in a forest that has been declared a protected monument of horticultural architecture.
The Karlovac City Museum was founded in 1904. to protect the memories and antiquities of the city of Karlovac. In the beginning, the museum fund consisted of gifts and donations, and after the Second World War the museum was renovated, and the Gallery added. Today, the Karlovac City Museum is located in the Baroque Palace on Strossmayer’s Square and is an important cultural center of the city. Today’s museum exhibit is divided into six collections. These are the Archaeological Collection, Historical Collection, Cultural History Collection, Ethnological Collection, and Gallery Collection.
The town of Karlovac has been repeatedly engulfed by large fires several times throughout history, and one of them even burned it to the ground. As a token of appreciation and commemoration of the tradition of fire-fighting in the Karlovac area, the Museum of Karlovac Fire-fighting was opened. The first voluntary fire brigade “Karlovac” was founded on May 5th, 1871. when a stronger development of fire-fighting in the area began. The museum opened its doors to the public in 2009.
The settlement of Turanj in Karlovac is a symbol of the attack on Croatia in the Homeland War and has suffered enormous material and human losses. But Turanj is also a symbol of the beginning of the organized defense of Karlovac, and also a symbol of victory.
At the site of the former Austrian barracks “Turanj” today there is a Museum Collection of Homeland War Weapons.
Croatia is one of the countries in Europe with the richest river flora and fauna, and the city of Karlovac as the “city on four rivers” is the best place to present the richness and the beauty of Croatian freshwater. Aquatika is a freshwater aquarium that contains exhibits of more than 100 species of freshwater fish, over 40 endemic species, 26 aquariums and about 5000 different individual water species. Today it is an important tourist and economic object in the city of Karlovac.

For all lovers of concerts and festivals, the Karlovac “Beer Days” are inevitable. They are traditionally held in Karlovac and organized by the City of Karlovac. The main guidelines of “Beer Day” are of course beer, music, and gastronomy, when the whole city is turning into a big stage with many music events and many daily events. Beer days in Karlovac attract many local and foreign visitors every year.
If you are interested in buildings of sacral architecture, in Karlovac you can visit the Pauline monastery in Kamensko near Karlovac, founded by Countess Katarina Frankopan. During the Homeland War, the monastery was in the occupied territory and suffered severe damage after which the reconstruction process began. Today, four Paulines live there and run the parish.
The Church of the Holy Trinity and the Franciscan Monastery are located at Ban Josip Jelačić Square in the heart of the old town center – the Star. The church was built at the same time as the fortress and the Franciscan monastery was erected a little later in the 17th century. There is also a museum where you can see a rich inventory consisting of a monastery collection of paintings, a monastery treasury and a collection on Franciscan education in Karlovac.