This mountain, located on the three-border point between Zagorje, Prigorje and Podravina, played an important role in the Croatian history, holding back the Avar, Tatar and Turk invasions. The ruins of a castle Veliki Kalnik, situated on a sharp stony ridge near the highest peak called Vranilac, are the remaining witness of those times. The fortress even served as a royal palace for a while. Its chambers were once the dwelling place of the legendary Black Queen…
Kalnik climbing site is situated at the foot of and within the ruins of the castle – this is what gives this site a special touch. Today, Kalnik is the most popular climbing destination in northern Croatia, having high number of different kind of routes. However, prevailing are moderate to easy routes, suitable for recreational climbers.
Note: Quality of the rock is not the same everywhere. In the less visited areas of the climbing site, it is still possible to find loose parts of the rock. During nice spring and autumn days, sector Stari Grad can be crowded. New sectors at the north slopes of Kalnik have been equipped recently, including the first dry tooling training site in Croatia.
🏡⛺Accommodation: It is possible to camp on the meadow at the foot of the ruin (water available at the parking lot) and there is also a mountaineers’ lodging nearby.
