Municipality of Veliki Grđevac

Literary heritage and railway history

Since 1987, the “Lovrakovi dani kulture” have been held in Veliki Grđevac in honour of the writer Mato Lovrak. Their annual programme includes educational, cultural, tourism and sports activities. The Lovrakov centar is also primarily aimed at school tourism; several hundred pupils from all parts of Croatia visit it over the course of the year. The centre therefore offers a tangible point of interest for travellers interested in Lovrak and cultural education.

The Lovrakov centar includes the “Vlak u snijegu” installation: a steam locomotive and three railway carriages on tracks. The installation has the status of a protected cultural asset and forms part of a museum collection of railway vehicles and parts. Another literary connection is the “Družbe Pere Kvržice” mill. It is a reconstruction of a wooden mill that once stood at this site and is a symbol of the novel “Družba Pere Kvržice”. Visitors can see how flour was traditionally milled there.

Churches and chapel

The municipality’s architectural history is also among its cultural themes. The parish church of the Holy Spirit was built in 1832/33, after the parish was re-established in 1789. The church features elements of the late Baroque and Classicist styles. The parish church of the Holy Trinity was built in 1752 and renovated in 1832. In Pavlovac stands the Catholic Chapel of Saints Peter and Paul, built in 1912. The different dates point to distinct building phases and offer several specific historical points of interest for planning your trip.

Places within the municipality include Drazica and Pavlovac. Pavlovac links the chapel to a very different subject: a motocross track was established there in 2011 and inaugurated with a race at its official opening. This information describes the track’s establishment and opening; it is not an event date for your trip.

Walking, water and activities

The “Staza prijatelja prirode” opened on 6 September 2022 and is approximately 600 metres long. It was created for walks and includes information boards and a viewpoint. It offers a well-defined way to combine a walk with information along the trail and a viewpoint. You can take its approximate length into account when planning your day.

The Veliki Grđevac sports and recreation centre has a 25-metre swimming pool, a shallow children’s pool with two water mushrooms and a hydromassage pool with healing water. The pool facilities therefore offer different ways to swim and spend time in the water; the children’s pool is specifically described as shallow. On 17 June 2026, the swimming season opened in Veliki Grđevac. This specific date refers to the opening of the 2026 season.

Fishing is also an activity associated with the Lovrakov centar: fishing days are held at the pond of the “Grđevica” sport fishing club near the centre. Anglers who are not club members can also take part. Those interested in hunting tourism will find another point of interest within the municipality: the “Jelen” hunting club is considered a driving force in this field.

Choose the right location

The activities mentioned offer different points of focus. A trip centred on Lovrak, the railway collection and the mill highlights cultural themes; walks, swimming and fishing appeal to other interests. Pavlovac offers a specific location of interest through its chapel and the history of the motocross track. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, you can use the themes and place names that matter most to you as a guide when choosing somewhere within the municipality.

Other municipalities at the same higher administrative level: Municipality of Berek, Municipality of Grubišno Polje, Municipality of Garešnica, Municipality of Čazma, Municipality of Kapela, Municipality of Bjelovar.

Return to the higher-level travel overview: Bjelovar-Bilogora.