Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (Varaždin Cathedral)

Varaždin Cathedral, officially the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, is the principal church of one of Croatia's most elegant Baroque towns. It stands a few steps from the central square, close to the cobbled lanes of the old centre, and its tall, pale facade and slender tower make it one of the easiest buildings to find when exploring on foot. Varaždin was once the capital of Croatia, and the cathedral's size and richness reflect the wealth and ambition of the town's noble families in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

The church began its life as a Jesuit church. Construction took place in the middle of the seventeenth century, supported by the powerful Drašković family, whose coat of arms appears on the early Baroque facade. The bell tower was added later in the century, and further parts of the building, including the sacristy, followed in the next hundred years. When the Jesuit order was dissolved in the eighteenth century, the building passed through several uses, including a spell under other religious orders, before it was returned to church use at the end of that century. It became a cathedral only in 1997, when the Diocese of Varaždin was founded, so its status is much younger than its walls.

Inside, you find a single wide nave with a series of side chapels and a barrel-vaulted presbytery. The main altar is the showpiece, a large and theatrical composition with gilding, columns and sculpture, in which the central painting of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is framed with Baroque movement. The altars, pulpit and decorative sculpture were produced by various craftsmen, and the whole interior is characteristic of the Central European Baroque found across northern Croatia, Austria and Hungary.

The cathedral has very good acoustics, which is why it is often used for concerts, especially during the Varaždin Baroque Evenings festival, which fills the town's churches and palaces with early music in autumn. If your visit coincides with a concert, it is well worth attending. Close by are the Town Hall, King Tomislav Square and the Old Town castle with its city museum, so the cathedral fits easily into a walking tour.

Treat the church as a working place of worship: dress modestly, keep voices low, and avoid walking around during services. Visit time is usually thirty minutes, plus time to admire the exterior details from the street. It suits lovers of Baroque art and architecture, music fans and anyone interested in Varaždin's history as a noble capital.