President Milanović Receives Organizers of 500^th “Easter Holster of Kostel”

On the occasion of the upcoming 500^th edition of the “Easter Holster of Kostel,” the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović met today with Krapina-Zagorje County Prefect Željko Kolar, the Mayor of Pregrada Marko Vešligaj, Director of the Srce Zagorja [Heart of Zagorje] area Tourist Board Karolina Hostić and representatives of the historical regiment “Kostelska pištola – Keglevićeva straža Kostel” Milan Flegar, Zlatko Mikulaš and Milan Horvat.

The 500^th jubilee edition of the “Kostelska uskrsna pištola” [Easter Holster of Kostel] will be held on the eve of Easter on Saturday, 8 April 2023 at the medieval fortress Kostelgrad, where the event traditionally takes place. It will be held this year under the auspices of the President of the Republic. The organizers invited President Milanović to personally attend the 500^th edition of the “Easter Holster of Kostel” and the President of the Republic accepted the invitation.

At the meeting, the President of the Republic was introduced to the history of the event, which began in 1523 as a custom of shooting from a pistol during Easter, marking the arrival of spring and the period when nature returns to life. Today, it is not only an original custom that has been preserved and handed down by the inhabitants of Kostel, but also a major tourist attraction. According to the Decision issued by the Commission for Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Culture, since 2012 this custom has the status of intangible cultural heritage of the Republic of Croatia.

President Milanović was accompanied by the Adviser to the President of the Republic for Human Rights and Civil Society Melita Mulić.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Ana Marija Katić