Lenart Steps

The Lenart Steps are a stone staircase in Pregrada, a small town in Hrvatsko Zagorje, in Krapina-Zagorje County, close to the Slovenian border, and they belong to the web of paths that link the town with the hills around it. The name suggests a link with St. Leonard, called Lenart in the local dialect, a saint to whom chapels are often dedicated in this part of Croatia.

Pregrada lies in a valley where the Kosteljina stream runs between wooded ridges, and the surrounding hills rise quickly above the roofs. Because of this, many of the shortcuts and footpaths in town are steep, and flights of steps like these are the old way of climbing from one level to the next. Steps of this kind are usually made of local stone or concrete, with a handrail in places and a line of old houses and gardens along the sides. Walking up gives views over the roofs and the valley, and the exercise is gentle for people who are used to walking. The steps are free to use and are not closed at any time.

The town has other points of interest that make a short walk worthwhile. Pregrada is first mentioned in documents in the early fourteenth century, and it has a long tradition of vine-growing, celebrated in a grape harvest festival in autumn, as well as of cultural events, among them concerts and outdoor festivals in summer. The ruins of Kostelgrad, a medieval fortress on a hill above the town, are listed in this guide, and a trail leads up to them. Above the town, the hill of Kunagora, with its mountain hut, chapel and meadow, is a popular goal for walkers, and the pilgrimage square dedicated to Our Lady of Kunagora is another point on the map. The countryside around Pregrada is a good example of Zagorje scenery, with vineyards, orchards and wooded hills.

If you want to use the steps as part of a longer walk, ask at the tourist information office in town about routes, since paths in the area are marked but not always well signed. Wear shoes with good grip, as the stone can be slippery after rain or in frost, and carry water, especially in summer. A walk including the steps and a short stroll in the town takes about an hour. They suit walkers, families and anyone who likes to explore the quiet corners of a small town, and they are best treated as a small feature on a wider walk rather than as a destination in themselves.