Municipality of Pisarovina: Storks, the Kupa and cultural heritage
Accommodation in Municipality of Pisarovina
In the Municipality of Pisarovina, stork nests on rural properties, routes through forests and hilly landscapes, and a rich ecclesiastical heritage are all part of the area’s character. The Kupa River also features in excursions and events. You can shape your stay around a range of interests: wildlife watching, cycling, walking, cultural history or spending time outdoors by the river.
Storks and rural landscapes
Donja Kupčina is known as a stork village. White storks stay there near rural properties and agricultural land; numerous nests on tall poles can be seen from the main road through the village. They make for a striking sight as you drive through Donja Kupčina, without the need for a specially designed wildlife site. If you are interested in the landscape and its wildlife, this is a distinctive feature of the municipality.
The surroundings reveal different facets when explored by bicycle, too. Marked cycling routes in Pisarovina pass through forests and meadows and follow the Kupa River. The Brown Route runs through Donja Kupčina, Pisarovina, Dvoranci, Skenderi and Gradec Pokupski, crossing part of the municipality. It is suitable for easy recreational rides through hilly landscapes. Another clearly designated route, the “White Stork Path,” starts at Stjepan Radić Square in Pisarovina and ends at the Donja Kupčina Local History Museum.
On foot and by the water
For a hike through wooded hills, follow the pilgrimage route from Lučelnica to Jamnica Pisarovinska. It is 5.7 kilometres long and takes an average of about one hour and 30 minutes. This gives you a guide for planning your day; unlike the cycling routes, it is designed for walking.
The “Beach” promenade in Lijevo Sredičko is a recreational area on a meadow beside the Kupa River. It offers opportunities for picnics and outdoor activities. Access is via a gravel road, which you can reach by car or bicycle. This makes it easy to combine an outing by the river with a break in the greenery.
Churches and living traditions
The Church of St Martin the Bishop stands in the village of Jamnica Pisarovinska, on a hill above Pisarovina. From there, the view stretches across the surrounding settlements in the valley. Its history dates back to its Gothic origins in the 13th century; between 1740 and 1746, it was rebuilt as a single-nave Baroque church.
The Church of St Mary Magdalene in Donja Kupčina has a different building history: a brick church built in 1672 replaced a wooden church dating from 1556, and the church took its present form in 1749. It houses a valuable collection that is more than 300 years old. In Dvoranci stands the wooden Chapel of the Holy Trinity, built in the second half of the 18th century and rebuilt in the 19th century. Features of its altar figures and carvings suggest that they were made in one of Turopolje’s woodcarving workshops. The present wooden Chapel of St Leonard in Gradec Pokupski was built in 1938 in the traditional style of local wooden houses.
Cultural and artistic associations also keep traditions alive. “Bratinečko srce” from Bratina, “Magdalena” from Donja Kupčina and the folklore association “Vrhovje” from the Dubranec parish collect, adapt and perform traditional songs and dances. In doing so, they help preserve the ethnographic heritage of the Pisarovina region. The Donja Kupčina Local History Museum, Croatia’s second-largest open-air museum, offers another insight into regional culture.
Excursions and events on the Kupa
The “Kupa Evenings,” held in mid-July, feature rowing regattas, sports competitions, folklore performances and extensive music programmes in the river’s natural surroundings. “Storks’ Summer in Kupčina” takes place in the courtyard of the Donja Kupčina Local History Museum, with craft workshops and exhibitions as well as performances by ethnographic groups and theatre performances. The events have different focuses: one centres on sport and music, while the other highlights crafts, exhibitions and performances.
When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday home in the Municipality of Pisarovina, you can start by considering which experiences you want to shape your trip: the storks in Donja Kupčina, the cycling and walking routes, the churches and cultural traditions, or an outing to the Kupa. The pages for Pisarovina and Bratina offer further guidance within the municipality.
For the broader travel overview: Zagreb County.
More destinations
More places in the same destination:
