Old Town Lipovec

The local saying says that fear has got big eyes and it might be the reason for building the ancient castle of Lipovec because King Béla IV survived the Mongols’ attack by escaping and finding shelter with numerous noblemen and commoners, among other, placed in the market town of Samobor. The King then decided to fortify the defence of his kingdom. He allowed the noblemen to build fortresses, so in 1251 duke Ivan made a smaller copy of his bigger fortress in Okić – the Lipovec fortress.

On the altitude of 582 metres above sea level, the fortress is located on the top of a cone-shaped hill, somewhat more hidden from views than its “older twin brother” Okić. They are similar in layout, and share the same destiny: from the hands of one noble family to another until it was finally abandoned during the 17th century because it was not appropriate neither for living not for defence.

Today, the Old Town Lipovec is merely a shadow of its previous power. What survived, however, is the legend of the Turkish cemetery somewhere in the vicinity, left after the attempt to overtake it. The ruins are now an exciting hikers’ point. The route for Lipovec leads to the Šoićeva kuća mountain hut, and it only takes about 20 minutes on foot to reach the old town.