Napoleon and the linden trees of Petrinja

Two cloned linden trees from the Napoleonic era were planted in Petrinja, Croatia, on 20 October 2022.

221020 Petrinja Linden Ceremony19

On the occasion of the European Heritage Days, two linden trees were planted on the morning of 20 October 2022 in front of the Vrata Zrinske Gore ecological centre of Petrinja by H.E. Gael Veyssiere, Ambassador of France to Croatia, and Mrs Magdalena Komes, Mayor of Petrinja.

Cloned by the Croatian Forest Research Institute from those planted in the municipal park of Petrinja , which were planted in the Napoleonic era of the Illyrian Provinces, the linden trees express the Franco-Croatian friendship and the town's cultural and ecological commitment. They also symbolise the construction of a resilient future following the earthquake which greatly affected Petrinja in 2020.

Petrinja has been a member of the European Federation of Napoleonic Cities since 2015. On the occasion of the event, Dubravka Davidovic presented the work of the Federation in Croatia, introduced by the greetings of Charles Bonaparte, founder of the Federation.

The event, supported by the Petrinja tourist office and the Zrinska gora association, will be part of the Destination Francophonie TV5 Monde's special on Croatia. Stay tuned to know more!

Detailed programme of the event (20 October 2022, Petrinja, Croatia).

  • 10:00. Petrinja Municipal Park
    • Four bicentenary linden trees were planted at the time of the Illyrian Provinces in this historical park, protected since 1969. In 2015 the French Ambassador to Croatia, Mrs Michèle BOCCOZ, planted a young linden tree in front of which, in memory of this event, a commemorative plaque will be placed again and unveiled by H.E. Gaël VEYSSIÈRE, current French Ambassador to Croatia.
  • 10:30. Ecological Centre Vrata Zrinske gore
    • Gaël VEYSSIÈRE, French ambassador to Croatia and Magdalena KOMES, mayor of the city of Petrinja, planted the two linden trees, clones of those planted in the Municipal Park at the time of the Illyrian Provinces.
  • 11:00. Cultural and educational events at the ecological centre
    • Poster presentation of the town of Petrinja as a Napoleonic town
    • Presentation of the European Federation of Napoleonic Cities, of which Petrinja is a member since 2015
    • Presentation of the linden tree, its honey and derived products
    • Tasting of honey, Bermet (grape drink) and other regional products 
    • Regional music 

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