We are, each of us, the center of our own worlds but if you are from the Croatian town of Ludbreg, you will find yourself truly at the center of the globe...or so they claim.
Of course, this isn't actually accurate and the locals don't really believe it but it is something for which the town has been famous for a long time. The whole idea is an ancient one and goes back centuries but was “proven” in the 19th-century by a Swiss art historian and restorer named Dr. Erasmus Weddigen, who was a frequent visitor to, and fan of, the town. Ludbreg is steeped in legends and myths and he was fascinated by this one, in particular.
Of course, this isn't actually accurate and the locals don't really believe it but it is something for which the town has been famous for a long time. The whole idea is an ancient one and goes back centuries but was “proven” in the 19th-century by a Swiss art historian and restorer named Dr. Erasmus Weddigen, who was a frequent visitor to, and fan of, the town. Ludbreg is steeped in legends and myths and he was fascinated by this one, in particular.
While playing around with a map of the world, Weddigen drew concentric circles with the town, as a centre, and realised that many important cities fell along the lines and were at equal distances from Ludbreg. With this discovery in mind, he declared that the town truly was the centre of the world.
Although this is, of course, an inaccurate geographical calculation, the town still celebrates its claim as the centre of the globe and, in the main square, the very centre of it all is marked out with a plaque on the ground, surrounded by colourful, concentric circles. Furthermore, on the 1st of April each year, the town celebrates Centre of the World Day, a festival with food, music, festivities and the transforming of the town fountain into a wine fountain!
A fascinating town, with some bizarre legends and stories, it is an interesting place to go spend some time once you have found a vacation rental in Varaždin and are planning a trip to the area!
Although this is, of course, an inaccurate geographical calculation, the town still celebrates its claim as the centre of the globe and, in the main square, the very centre of it all is marked out with a plaque on the ground, surrounded by colourful, concentric circles. Furthermore, on the 1st of April each year, the town celebrates Centre of the World Day, a festival with food, music, festivities and the transforming of the town fountain into a wine fountain!
A fascinating town, with some bizarre legends and stories, it is an interesting place to go spend some time once you have found a vacation rental in Varaždin and are planning a trip to the area!
Photo credit: Zoran Kurelić Rabko / CC BY-SA 3.0