Bela I Castle

The Hungarian noble family Pethö de Gerse, who owned the Bela estate, built the Bela I castle in 1605. It is the older of the two castles at this location. According to a preserved description from 1607, the building had two wings, a tall tower in the middle, four defensive towers at the corners, ramparts around the castle, and a drawbridge at the main entrance. Today, the castle is a rectangular building with a prominent rectangular bastion tower at the entrance.

The property remained in the possession of the Petheö de Gerse family until 1730 when the widow of the last male member of the family passed away. The estate was then taken over by the royal administration. However, the female heirs of the Petheö de Gerse family initiated a legal battle that lasted for 54 years and successfully regained Bela into their ownership. The entire property was divided among 15 families, and Bela was acquired by the Josipović, Lovinčić, and Barabaš families, who sold the estate in 1858 to the well-known Illyrian Metel Ožegović. Metel Ožegović was a prominent figure in Croatian politics and culture, and Bela became a meeting place for many distinguished individuals of that time. He passed away in 1890 and was buried in the chapel next to the castle. After World War II, the Bela I castle was nationalized.

The Varaždin County purchased the castle from a private owner.