Where History Meets Legacy

Set amidst the rolling greenery of Varaždin County, Maruševec Estate is a place where centuries of history, culture, and vision quietly converge. At its heart stands Maruševec Castle, one of Northern Croatia’s oldest architectural treasures, surrounded by a fifteen-hectare English landscape garden and a romantic lake.

From the very beginning, Maruševec has been more than a residence—it has been a symbol of ambition, elegance, and continuity.

Family crest

Origins in the 14th Century

The origins of Maruševec Castle date back to the 14th century, when it was first built by the aristocratic Vragović family. Over the centuries, the castle evolved alongside the changing tides of European history, gradually transforming in both form and purpose.

Its defining architectural character emerged when Count Schlippenbach and his wife, née Baroness Drasche-Wartinberg, remodelled the castle in the spirit of German Romanticism. They added the iconic four-storey tower and introduced architectural elements that continue to define Maruševec’s unmistakable silhouette today.

The Pongratz Era – Vision and Influence

In 1883, Oskar Ritter von Pongratz acquired the entire Maruševec Estate, leaving a lasting mark on the property and giving the castle its final historic form in 1901.

His contributions included a new staircase beneath an open glass ceiling, a second entrance at the rear bearing the inscription “1901”, the creation of an English landscape park, and the construction of an orangery on the castle grounds. The landscape design was entrusted to renowned Swedish garden architect Carl Gustav Svensson.

The main wing was also extended on both sides, battlements were added along the roofline, and the Pongratz family crest was placed above the main entrance.

The Pongratz family was among the most influential aristocratic and entrepreneurial families in 19th-century Croatia. Their legacy helped shape the nation’s economic and industrial landscape. They co-founded the Ožujsko Brewery, established the Croatian Escompte Bank, constructed the railway lines from Karlovac to Rijeka and from Split to Knin and Šibenik, built major sections of Zagreb’s central railway station, and developed major harbours in Rijeka and Trieste.

During this period, the family owned an extensive portfolio of estates and properties, including Čalinec (also owned by Oskar), Dornava (owned by Oskar’s brother, Guido Ritter von Pongratz), Ormož (owned by Oskar’s daughter, Irma Countess Wurmbrand-Stuppach), Šenek (owned by Oskar’s cousin, Max Ritter von Pongratz), the city palace in Slovenska Bistrica (owned by Oskar’s uncle, Friedrich Ritter von Pongratz), Vila Zora in Bled, and Mikulici and the family Palais on Jelačić Square in Zagreb (owned by Oskar’s cousin, Gustav Ritter von Pongratz), as well as numerous other houses and properties throughout the southern part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The family’s success remains visible today, perhaps most prominently in Villa Pongratz at Visoka Ulica 22, which now serves as the Presidential Residence.