5+ Super Spooky Croatian Ghost Stories

Croatia’s long history and geographical position mean it is a country ripe for spooky ghost stories. In this blog, we will explore some of the most popular Croatian ghost stories in the hope that you will dare to visit some of Croatia’s most haunted places.

The Ghost Of Veliki Tabor Castle

There are several spooky legends associated with this haunted Prandau-Normann castle. Probably the most popular is the story of Fridrik and Veronica. Fridrik, a married man fell in love with the gorgeous Veronica. Things took a dark turn after Fridrik’s wife, Elizabeta Frankopan, was found dead in mysterious circumstances.

As the lovers try to flee Fridrik’s father, Herman II, catches up with them and brings them back to Veliki Tabor Castle and imprisons his son in the dungeons. Veronica is accused of being a witch and soon after she is murdered. Legend says her body was buried within the castle walls and to this day her cries can be heard echoing around the fortress. If that isn’t spooky enough, a procession of skeletons is said to have been seen marching through the castle’s corridors on All Saints Day.

The Legend Of The Plešivica Fairy

Perched on top of a steep cliff in the Samoborsko gorge to the east of Plešivica are the ruins of an ancient fort. The remnants of the fort’s entrance and its chapel remain partially standing on the edge of the Okić cliff. According to legend, the inhabitants of the medieval fort were beside by Turkish invaders. After three years of holding out against the Turks, the defenders found they were running out of food. In their hour of need, a fairy from Plešivica visited the fort and told the people to offer their remaining food to the attacking army. Baffled by the gesture, the Turks assumed the fortress had plenty of supplies left and decided to end the siege!

The White Lady Of Valpovo

As one of Croatia’s most impressive ancient castles, Valpovo has to have its own dark secrets. The White Lady is said to have haunted Valpovo Castle in the 19th century. On a visit to the fortress, an imperial cavalry colonel claimed to have seen the ghost of a young girl. She had told him that she had been murdered and that her body had been disposed of between the castle’s chapel and its ice cellar.

The young girl continued to haunt Valpovo fortress until Baron Prandau excavated the area of the castle where the ghost claimed her mortal remains had been deposited. In the very spot, the spirit claimed she would be found, and the skeleton of a young woman was discovered. It is believed that the bones belonged to Catherine, a courageous heroine who had taken part in the defense of the castle against the invading Turks.

Daksa: Croatia’s ‘Island Of Ghosts’

A short boat trip from Dubrovnik on the Dalmatian Coast is the deserted island of Daksa in the Elaphite Archipelago. Superstition and ghost stories have surrounded Daksa since 1944 when suspected Nazi collaborators were rowed over to the small island and executed. Among the victims were Niko Koprivica, Dubrovnik’s newly appointed mayor, and Petar Perica, a local priest and one of several catholic priests. and It is claimed that the bodies of the victims were never buried and left out in the open to rot.

The incident is mired in controversy because the 36 victims had not been given a trial. Following the massacre, the citizens of Dubrovnik were ordered not to go to the island in search of relatives and loved ones, or they risked suffering the same fate. Many family members continue to insist their relatives had nothing to do with the brutality of the Independent State of Croatia or Nazi Germany.

The island was recently put up for sale for just two million euros. With the discovery of a mass grave by forensic scientists, and the remains of 53 people along with priests’ collars, rosaries, and crosses, potential buyers have been thin on the ground. According to local fishermen and sailors, the ghosts of the dead roam the island looking for revenge.

Croatia’s First Vampire

Jure Grando Alilović was born in Kringa on the Istria peninsula in 1579 and died from an illness in 1656. However, the old man didn’t stay dead and soon began terrorizing his village. Legend tells how Grando would come to the village at night and knock on the doors of the locals. Those who received a visit did not have long to live and tended to keel over within a matter of days.

Grando’s widow described how her husband visited her in her bedroom one night as a grinning gasping corpse. She did however manage to survive the encounter. Although a priest and a plucky villager tried to stop him with a cross and a hawthorn twig, Grando continued to go about his nighttime activities. The priest and nine followers dug up Grando’s grave to discover a smile on the face of his perfectly preserved corpse. As they cut off his head Grando is said to have let out a blood-curdling scream.

Croatia’s Most Haunted House

Located in Skrinjari, a small village in Croatia to the east of the city of Zagreb, this is one of the country’s most haunted places. The haunted house is said to be packed with bad spirits and there are numerous reasons why. These include the building being located on an old graveyard, the original owner building the house to contain something evil, a young girl drowning in a well, and a young lady being murdered on the land and her body buried in the foundations.

The ghosts of the young girl and the woman are said to haunt the house and people claim to have heard strange noises, screams, and the sound of a crying baby coming from the house. Those who have attempted to spend the night here have reportedly ended up committed to mental hospitals and two policemen sent to investigate were found wandering around the house the next morning in a disoriented stupor. Rumour has it that the owner of this haunted property will give it away to anyone who can survive staying for a night.

Don’t Be Scared And Learn Croatian With The Ling App

If you are thinking of spending some time in Croatia’s most haunted places, why not brush up on the language with the Ling app? Learning Croatian, or any new language is made simple with Ling through lessons, games, and quizzes. Download the Ling app at Google Play or App Store.