Berek

Berek is a small municipal centre in Bjelovar-Bilogora County, set between the Bjelovar countryside and the wooded slopes of Moslavačka gora. The settlement can be traced to the early 16th century, while an 1850 census recorded 32 houses and 414 residents. Its focal point is the Chapel of St Michael the Archangel, whose feast on 29 September is also celebrated as Berek Municipality Day. Since 2019, a mural of St Michael has covered the municipal building’s façade, making it an easy companion stop to the chapel on a short walk through the centre. Berek also provides a base for exploring the wider municipality towards Podgarić, where an artificial lake, the Monument to the Revolution of the People of Moslavina and the approach to medieval Garić Castle occupy the slopes of Moslavačka gora. The joint Garić Grad tourist board, shared by Berek and Štefanje, reflects an area shaped by forest routes, hill forts and walking country. A car is the practical choice for linking these scattered sights rather than treating Berek as a single concentrated attraction.

Berek’s identity lies not in a monumental old quarter but in its role as the municipal centre for villages climbing towards Moslavačka gora. The Chapel of St Michael the Archangel and the matching mural on the municipal building form the centre’s most recognisable pairing, particularly around 29 September, when Berek marks its municipal day. An 1850 record of just 32 houses conveys the scale of the earlier village, while the connection with Podgarić gives present-day Berek an excursion-oriented character. This combination of a quiet farming settlement and a wooded hinterland dotted with fortifications distinguishes Berek from the county’s larger urban destinations.