Gradska loža, Tourist attraction in Kastav, Croatia
The Gradska loža is an old stone building at the center of Kastav, a hilltop town in the Kvarner area of Croatia. It is the largest surviving building of its kind in the region, with thick stone walls, small windows, and a clay-tiled roof.
The building was erected in 1571 to serve as a meeting place for the town council of Kastav, where decisions were made and disputes settled. The town laws connected to it date back to the early 15th century and were written partly in Glagolitic script.
The Gradska loža stands at the heart of an old town festival called Belu Nedeja, held each autumn after the grape harvest. On that first Sunday, people gather to taste young wine and dance, just as the people of Kastav have done for centuries.
The building sits right on the main square of Kastav and is easy to reach on foot from the surrounding streets. Small exhibitions and events are held there from time to time, so it is worth checking ahead to see if something is on during your visit.
The town laws associated with the building were written not only in Croatian but also in Latin, German, and Italian, pointing to Kastav's connections with several neighboring regions. These laws rank among the oldest legal texts written partly in Glagolitic script in the area.
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