July the 20th, 2025 – Beautiful, fairy tale houses have been popping up in one location in Croatia, transporting those who notice them to another realm.
Childhood books and stories that have been passed down from generation to generation all boast dreamy architecture deep in the forests, made of wood and surrounded by wild flowers. Rarely, however, do we ever see such buildings in reality. That’s partly because they likely wouldn’t be safe to live in, and partly because most people have adopted a strange taste for boring white boxes. That’s not the case, however, in one town in Croatia.
Damir Spehar/PIXSELL
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, if you ever happen to be in the continental part of the country (and no, I don’t just mean Zagreb or even Osijek), you might get a glimpse of them. These beautiful fairy tale houses made of wood have sprung up in Grabovnica near Čazma, an area that has been synonymous with Christmas and the festive period in Croatia for years now. It’s of course home to the much loved Salaj family estate, which is considered one of the most magical places during the Christmas season due to its thousands of festive lights. This year, Christmas will be celebrated there with additional decorations.
Damir Spehar/PIXSELL
In addition to the splendour of lights and decorations, visitors will be greeted this winter by fairy tale wooden houses made in unusual shapes, the only ones of this type in Croatia. They are true works of art, made out of local wood and carved by hand. Each little house will have its own distinctive design, resembling fantastical buildings from the imagination and childhood stories of yore.
The author of the project is the renowned German artist Martin Reichmann, and the construction of the houses is now nearing completion. In order to see the estate in its full glory, visitors will have to wait until Christmas this year.
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