Near Marija Bistrica, on the road towards Zlatar Bistrica is this beautiful historic mansion in which the Hellenbach family resides. This is one of the few mansions and manors in Croatia’s Zagorje region in which there has been a continuous residence, and a preservation of the interior as it was in the 19th century.
In Marija Bistrica, there is a single story mansion with a portcullis at the main, west face. This simple and elegant classic design and layout make this mansion one of the most beautiful and valued mansions in Croatia. This building has been classified as a high value cultural monument – I/O category. The ground plan of the castle is a simple square with 23m long sides. From the centre of the ground plan there is a central hall two stories high with basilica lighting. Around the central hall are the rest of the rooms. The main axis of the mansion is from east to west, starting with the main entrance and an octagonal foyer, followed by the central square hall, from which one enters the main manor salon, and finishes with a terrace viewing west.
The manor grounds were cultivated after the construction of the mansion – around the middle of the 19th century. The classic concept is recognized by the symmetric composition of the park. Three pathways lead from the main road to the mansion. The entry to the mansion is on the opposite, east side. The road access is from the south side of the grounds and is thus separate from the supporting buildings. The grounds are about 1.4 hectares. Along the main access road, and along one of the three pathways to the mansion was a double row of trees which no longer exist. In the geodetic maps of 1942, there are changes to the composition of the grounds. The three pathways and the road access from the south side are gone. A new entry for vehicles and pedestrians from the north was created, following a serpentine path in order to conquer the difference in elevation. The grounds were expanded to the east, so that a part of the vegetable garden was lost. The exact date of the changes is not known, but it was certainly between 1860 and 1924. The grounds are dominated by the presence and age of several trees: red elm, wild chestnut, poplar, cedar, etc.
The Marija Bistrica mansion was owned by ct. Petar Sermage until 1786. Through marriage, it became the property of ct. Keglević, and later ct. Jelačić de Bužim. In 1851, by marriage of baron Lazar Hellenbach and Klotilde Jelačić, the mansion became the property of the baron Hellenbach whose descendents live in the mansion to this day.