This is mostly due to the Paulines, who founded the first Croatian gymnasium in Lepoglava in 1503, and the Faculty of Philosophy and the first Croatian university in 1656. Here you can see luxurious buildings ( the church, the monastery) with richly illustrated walls and equipment (wall paintings, altars, organ, church furniture), which have been partly preserved until today.
Baroque churches around Lepoglava, decorated by wall paintings made by Ivan Ranger (Gorica, Lepoglavska Purga, Kamenica, Višnjica) make one whole with the Lepoglava cultural-historical complex.
In the 19th century the monastery in Lepoglava was turned into a prison, which marked the beginning of a new period in the life of this town. In 1914 a big penitentiary building was built-a star that is today the highest category culture monument, even though it is still in use.
Numerous historic figures have passed through the Lepoglava penitentiary (President Tuđman, Josip Broz Tito, Moša Pijade, Cardinal Stepinac…).
One particularity that Lepoglava is famous for is the „Lepoglava lace“, which was introduced into the European market as high fashion accessory and won awards in world exhibitions.
Lace making is nourished even today by the Lepoglava lace society. Also, every October Lepoglava hosts the international lace festival.
At the mere edge of the town of Lepoglava you can visit a geological nature monument „Gaveznica- Kameni Vrh“, the only agate finding site in Croatia that is part of the European geological legacy.
