March the 6th, 2026 – Did you know that there’s a pyramid in Zagorje? It’s a metal one, but it’s something rather unusual. The “Zagorje Pyramid” even offers views of the peaks of the mighty Alps in good weather.
As Putni kofer/Ivana Vasarevic writes, Zagorje is home to dense old forests, grand manors, castles, museums, thermal springs, churches, vineyards and wine routes, delicious food, warm-hearted people, old stories and legends… The list goes on (and then on a bit more). Its nature is truly magical, and although it doesn’t have rugged, imposing peaks like Velebit or Dinara, its gentle rolling hills are just as wonderful for all sorts of excursions and full of interesting things worth exploring.
from zagorje to the alps
One such rolling hill is located near Trgovišće, on the so-called Pipinićev put. It is a 14-metre metal lookout known as the “Hrašćina (or Zagorje) Pyramid”, which offers a beautiful view of the municipality of Hrašćina and a large part of Zagorje. In good, clear weather, a climb up the Zagorje Pyramid will even offer you views of the peaks of the mighty Alps in the distance.
This somewhat obscure location, a favourite among hikers and walkers, is located at the Šijan elevation, at an altitude of 351 metres above sea level. The metal pyramid was built in 1980, on the site of a former wooden one, which was constructed in 1954. Today, a well-maintained trail from Pipinićev put (Pipinić’s Path) leads to it, and other interesting places lie nearby, including the Njeguš manor house once owned by the noble Belošević family or the Bolfan Vinski Vrh winery.
Branimir Pipinić, a teacher and principal of the local Hrašćina school, and the founder of the Hrašćina Mountaineering Association, was responsible for building most of the first wooden pyramid. It was nine metres high, and was erected by the locals and schoolchildren of Hrašćina on their own initiative, with their own funds and using their own hands.
humble beginnings for the zagorje pyramid
After it was first presented to the public, a triangular-shaped mountaineering stamp with a prominent elevation (351 metres) and a registration book, which was located in the nearest family house, were put into use. The former Zagorje Pyramid was enjoyed by numerous visitors, from school children to climbers and hikers.
After Pipinić and his family were moved to another location and set to work at a different school, the work of the Hrašćina Mountaineering Society also died out. Sadly, the original wooden pyramid was left to the ravages of time. Fortunately, this changed thanks to the enthusiasm and efforts of local hunters and their friends.
They were the ones who built a new, 14-metre-high iron pyramid, made from the structure of a power line pole. Today, this strange but oddly beautiful landmark is marked out clearly on the Croatian Mountaineering Map, and hunters also use it as their high lookout during the winter. In order to revive the memory of Pipinić the teacher, the students and teachers of the Hrašćina Regional School founded the educational trail called “Pipinić’s Path” in 2007.
the peaks of croatia (with pyramids!)
Proper markers have been set up (signposts, information boards with eco-commandments, a safety warning at the viewpoint, an information cabinet, benches and a tree stump table), and schoolchildren often use the trail for learning in nature. Back in 2014, the “Peaks of Croatia with Pyramids” hiking trail was fully established, which included eleven control points where there is a pyramid/observatory. Besides Hrašćina, there are also Vinica, Japetić, Plešivica, Ivanščica, Javorova Kosa, Lipa, Grohot, Ravna Gora, Nevoljaš and Kapovac.
