Cakovec
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Cakovec_Old_Town.jpg
Čakovec (pronounced Chako-vets) (Template:Coor d, alt. 164 m) is a city in northern Croatia and the seat of Međimurje county, a region located between the rivers Mura and Drava and well known for its vineyards, agriculture and hunting grounds. As of the 2001 census, the population of the city with its suburbs is 30,455, while it itself is populated by 15,790 inhabitants, and its population primarily consists of ethnic Croats and Roman Catholics, with the largest minorities being the Roma, Serbs and Slovenians. In Hungarian language, the town is called Csáktornya.
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Communication
The first railroad track was built here in 1860, helping to connect Budapest with the ports Rijeka and Trieste. It was connected by railroad with Mursko Središće and Lendava in 1889. The road infrastructure is good, including a new expressway connecting the Hungary border-crossing point Goričan with Zagreb, Karlovac and the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It is connected to local municipalities with an efficient public transportation system.
History
In Roman times, as the geographer Strabo reported in the 1st century, this was the site of Aquama (wet town), at the time a marshland, a military post and legionnaire camp. Its name comes from the count Dimitrius Csaky, who with the beginning of the 13th century erected the timber fortification later named "Csak's tower". It was mentioned for the first time in 1328. The place appears in the official books in 1333. The period of more significant economic and cultural growth of Čakovec is considered to have started in 1547, when Nikola Šubić Zrinski of Siget became the owner of the area. At that time, the castle was lavishly decorated, surrounded by a park and sculptures of famous army leaders and monarchs. Duke Juraj Zrinski granted privileges to the inhabitants of the Čakovec fortress and its suburbs on May 29, 1579, which was the starting point for Čakovec to become a free market town. The date is celebrated as the City Day. In 1738 the city was devastated by an earthquake and in 1741 by a fire. Another earthquake hit in 1880. At the end of the 18th century the owners of the town became counts Feštetić, and the town was turned into a big estate where industry, crafts and trade developed. In 1848, the ban Josip Jelačić liberated Čakovec from Hungarians and joined it to Croatia. In 1893 electric power was introduced to the city. Upon signing the treaty with the Third Reich, (March 25 1941), Kingdom of Yugoslavia became the member of the Axis powers. On April 6 1941 it was attacked by the same alliance soon to be conquered and divided. Between 1941 and 1945, Čakovec was under Hungarian occupation.
Today
Čakovec is the economic, traffic, cultural and legislative center of Međimurje county. As an administrative center, Čakovec offers the Gymnasium, technical and construction high schools and the academy, Teacher's Training College.
The economy of the area is based on textiles (Čateks, Međimurska Trikotaža), footwear (Jelen), food processing (Čakovečki mlinovi, Vajda) and metal plants. Also important are printing and publishing activities of Zrinski, building materials, construction and plastics. Although modern in architecture, dynamic with a highly developed industry and a busy hub for communication, business, trade, education within and between the counties and countries, its old core has been beautifully preserved and renovated. There is a local museum of Međimurje in the castle, protecting 17,000 valuable items. Čakovec also has its library and theater, as well as hospital, several in the recent years built shopping centres and a sports and recreational center consisting of sports stadium, in 1999 opened bathing resort and sports hall, which was renovated in 2003 and was one of the venues of the 2003 Women's World Championship in handball. Especially during the summer, Čakovec is a host of several cultural events. Tradionally, there's an annual fair that takes place in the first days of August at the central square and since 2002 there's also an annual auto show that takes place in May at the premises of city's sports and recreational center.
Notable Čaks
- Lidija Bajuk - musician, entertainer
- Lujo Bezeredi - sculptor
- Joža Horvat - adventurer, writer
- Robert Jarni - former soccer player
- Ladislav Kralj-Međimurec - artist
- Dražen Ladić - former soccer goalkeeper
- Ivan Novak - historian, politician
- Nikola Pavić - poet
- Ruža Pospiš-Baldani - opera singer
- Franjo Punčec - tennis player
- Josip Štolcer-Slavenski - composer
- Nikola Zrinski - soldier, poet, philosopher
- Petar Zrinski - soldier, politician
- Vinko Žganec - folklorist
External links
- Čakovec (http://www.cakovec.hr/)
- Čakovec Online (http://www.cakoveconline.com/)
- The Tourist Community of Čakovec (http://www.tourism-cakovec.hr/)
Culture and entertainment
- The Čakovec Museum of Međimurje (http://www.mdc.hr/cakovec/)
- Centar za kulturu (http://www.czk-cakovec.hr/) - theater
- ŠAF (http://www.safcakovec.com/) - animated film workshop
Local newspaper
- Međimurje (http://www.medjimurje.com/)
- Međimurske novine (http://www.mnovine.hr/)
Sports and recreation
- Sports objects and bathing resort (http://www.ekom.hr/)
- Handball Club "Pipo IPC" (http://www.ipc.hr/rkpipoipc/pipoipc.asp)
- Soccer Club "Međimurje" (http://www.nk-medjimurje.hr/)
- Swimming Club "Čakovec" (http://www.pk-cakovec.hr/)
- Swimming Club "Međimurje" (http://www.pkmc.hr/)
- Tennis Club "Franjo Punčec" (http://www.ipc.hr/fpuncec/)de:Čakovec