My Land of Tourism & Futurism / in ENGLISH language

Note: Due to my comitments in promotion of tourism, culture and preparing of new books I will write once a month new texts for this blogspot.



My Land of Tourism & Futurism

If Bruce Springsteen and I have something in common, it's our little local region and community of people we are promoting. Explaining the messages of his songs, he cited numerous examples with which he wanted to honor the community and the place he came from, and it is remarkable that The Boss from New Jersey titled his first album almost as a tourist postcard: Greetings from Asbury Park N.J., which is his birth place in the state of New Jersey.
Listening to his songs, this realistic, non-embellished presentations of landscapes that marked his life from childhood til today I could not avoid comparison with my Žumberak. Like Springsteen, I also have my "promised land" that I want to show you here.
 Although I was born in the urban metropolis, Zagreb, my mother was born here and Žumberak has been an important place for weekend family excursions since my early youth.
Žumberak is a small region of hills and valleys located west of Zagreb on a surface of only 230 square kilometers, mostly in Croatia and, with small part, on the other Slovenian side of the border, where Slovenes call it Gorjanci. Basically, Žumberak is located in a hexagon between the larger towns Samobor-Jastrebarsko-Ozalj on the Croatian side and Metlika-Novo Mesto-Brežice on the Slovenian side.
With its numerous streams and rivers Žumberak is a place of green forests and meadows, authentic medieval churches (Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic), the ruins of the old and new medieval town Žumberak, old mills and waterfalls (I recommend a 50 meter high waterfall Sopote and Slapnica) as well as a variety of alpine herbs from which the local herbalists prepare tea and other medicinal drinks.
As a beautiful and pure oasis of nature between the bigger cities, with just over 1000 permanent residents, but much more touristic excursionists, the largest part of Žumberak in Croatia today is the nature park with the highest peak of northwestern Croatia, Sveta Gera, at the height of 1178 meters it's a favorite place of mountain hikers. Each Žumberak hill full of flowers and peak with longview provides an experience of unique image of the wider environment. The peak Sveta Gera is the most visited, but the view from Lović Prekriški above Jezerine, where the Church Sveti Križ is located, offers the most beautiful view on almost whole Žumberak, town Krašić, Sveta Gera, Jaskansko prigorje known for quality wines, then on the beautiful Ozalj, the town with waterfall and even parts of surrounding Croatian counties. In his travel memories, the well-known Croatian professor and pedagogue Davorin Trstenjak wrote in the year 1880 the sentence: "Who didn't come to Lović Prekriški he didn't take enough look on Croatia".
For more about this, see the pictures in the PHOTO GALLERY of the website:
www.croatia-tourism-culture.com




Of the important people born in this area I will only mention the most famous ones: Croatian Cardinals Alojzije Stepinac and Franjo Kuharić, linguist Petar Skok and historian Tadija Smičiklas. Perhaps internationally most famous resident of this area is the knight called Krabat. Recent research has revealed that Krabat, one of the most famous medieval knights from Saxony in the east of Germany, who is today a tourist brand of that part of Germany, is in fact Janko Šajatović, in Germany named Krabat (Croat). Šajatović (born in the Žumberak village Jezernice) was imperial soldier of the Habsburg Monarchy, who was sent from Žumberak to the German lands in the military service of the Saxonian king Augustus II himself, and there Janko Šajatović Krabat proved himself with numerous, not only military skills (eg he introduced in Saxony the 17th century Žumberak method of making mills on streams). Krabat remained for the rest of his life in Germany where he gained his possessions and noble title. Of his importance for Saxony the best tells the German historical and mythological film "KRABAT" from 2008 directed by Marco Kreuzpaintner, with the famous German actors such as Daniel Bruehl, the actor also known for appearances in many world-famous Hollywood films.
There are numerous archaeological sites in Žumberak, ever since prehistoric times when this region was inhabitated by the pre-Roman Illyrians and Celts.
One special story is the name Žumberak for this region, which has been for centuries the military headquarters of defense of the southern borders of the Habsburg Monarchy, on the territory of Croatia, from the attacks of the Turkish Ottoman Empire.
In the chronicles of the 15th and 16th centuries it was written that the Turks had devastated and burned the fort Sichelberg, known as the Old Town. Sichelberg, the German name is associated with the shape of the Žumberak hills. In the ground plan of this region, its hills are stretched in the shape of a sickle. (Sichel-sickle, Berg-hills).
 However, earlier in 1403 it was written that the master of this old town castle was called Schoenberger, and the vicinity of the fortress was called then Schoenberg (Beautiful hill). So, the name Žumberak is most likely of German origin and it was later transformed to Slavic pronounciation either from the word Sichelberg or the word Schoenberg.
Since still today Žumberak is not well-known region, not only abroad but also in some remote parts of Croatia, we have therefore called it the perfect land of the future (Perfecta Terra Futura). You can also join the open facebook group PERFECTA TERRA FUTURA with the most interesting photos of our region. Everyone who feels to have a talent for photography of nature is welcome to contribute to the photo collection of our facebook group.
If you want to spend a night in Žumberak, I recommend you hostel Flores in Jurkovo selo near Kostanjevac, administrative center of Žumberak. Although located in quiet surroundings outside the city, the hostel has a digital connection to Wi-Fi, TV and mobile phone networks.
From sports activities there are table tennis, bowling alleys and bicycles for rent, since Žumberak, especially in the nature park, has many marked cycling trails. You can also find out more about this on the web site.
If you want to taste the original Žumberak food and specialties, the local rural household Podžumberak offers original Žumberak dishes. You can find more information about it, and also announce your arrival on the page:
http://www.croatia-tourism-culture.com






In the following months I will continue to present Žumberak with pictures and interesting facts about tourism and futurism, connecting past and future in Žumberak.














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