Križevci

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Križevci
settlement_type = Town


image_caption =
image_shield =
pushpin_

map_caption = Location of Križevci in Croatia
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Croatia
subdivision_type1 = County
subdivision_name1 = Koprivnica-Križevci
area_total_km2 = 263.72
population_as_of = 2001
population_note =
population_total = 22324
latd = 46
latm = 02
latNS = N
longd = 16
longm = 32
longEW = E
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Branko Hrg (HSS)
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST =CEST
utc_offset_DST =+2
website = http://www.krizevci.hr/
notes =

Križevci (German: "Kreutz", Hungarian: "Kőrös", Latin: "Crisium") is a town in central Croatia with a population of 22,324 (2001), the oldest town in its county, the Koprivnica-Križevci county.

Villages

Križevci is made of 60 villages: Apatovec, Beketinec, Bojnikovec, Bukovje Križevačko, Carevdar, Cubinec, Čabraji, Dijankovec, Doljanec, Donja Brckovčina, Donja Glogovnica, Donji Dubovec, Đurđic, Erdovec, Gornja Brckovčina, Gornja Glogovnica, Gornji Dubovec, Gračina, Ivanec Križevački, Jarčani, Karane, Kloštar Vojakovački, Kostadinovac, Križevci, Kučari, Kunđevec, Lemeš, Lemeš Križevački, Majurec, Male Sesvete, Mali Carevdar, Mali Potočec, Mali Raven, Marinovec, Mičijevac, Novaki Ravenski, Novi Bošnjani, Novi Đurđic, Osijek Vojakovački, Pavlovec Ravenski, Pesek, Podbrđani Vojakovački, Podgajec, Poljana Križevačka, Povelić, Prikraj Križevački, Ruševac, Srednji Dubovec, Stara Ves Ravenska, Stari Bošnjani, Sveta Helena, Sveti Martin, Špiranec, Većeslavec, Velike Sesvete, Veliki Potočec, Veliki Raven, Vojakovac, Vujići Vojakovački i Žibrinovec.

History

The first mention of the so-called Upper Križevac was from 1193 by Bela III, obtaining the status of Royal Borough [ [http://international.krizevci.info/en_GB/kri%C5%BEevci/history/golden+bull/ Križevci.eu - history / golden bull ] ] in 1252 by the ban Stephan which was confirmed by King Bela IV a year later.The so-called Lower Križevac developed somewhat slower than its twin town: it became a free royal town in 1405, thanks to king Sigismund.

Križevac was the birthplace of a Catholic priest Marko who died at the hand of Calvinists in Košice in 1619, and was subsequently canonized because of his martyrdom. This event is commemorated every September 7th in Križevci.

After centuries of division, empress Maria Theresa of Austria united the Lower and Upper Križevac into Križevci in 1752 (the word "Križevci" is plural of "Križevac"). The town was also hit by the wars with the Turks, but it regained importance in 1871 when the railway was built through it on the way from Budapest to Rijeka.

These days the town is pretty much oriented towards mass entrepreneurship, but it still enjoys the greatest number of valuable and oldest monuments in the county (both in the town and its surroundings).

Križevci has nine churches (seven Catholic, a Serbian Orthodox and a Greek Catholic one), some of them built in the Middle Ages. In the oldest Gothic [http://international.krizevci.info/en_GB/kri%C5%BEevci/sights/church+of+the+holy+cross Church of Saint Cross in Križevci] , there are important Baroque pictures and a marble altar dating from 18th century (by Francesco Robba). Also interesting is the parish church of St. Anne from 17th century.

Of particular note is the Greek Catholic [http://international.krizevci.info/en_GB/kri%C5%BEevci/sights/greek+catholic+catedral+of+the+holy+trinity/ Cathedral of the Holy Trinity] , the seat of the Eparchy of Križevci since 1789. The cathedral building was worked on by some of Zagreb's finest architects: its facade was rebuilt by Bartol Felbinger in 1817 while an internal reconstruction was performed in the Gothic revival style by Hermann Bolle in 1892-97. The iconostasis and the pictures on the walls are works of famous Croatian painters including Ivan Tišov, Celestin Medović and Bela Čikoš-Sesija.

The city museum exhibits a rich archeological, ethnographic and cultural-historical collection.

The main town manifestation is called Križevačko veliko spravišče, commemorated yearly, when the local cultural traditions are displayed during a fiesta that lasts throughout the first full weekend of July. According to legend, this feast originates from a 14th century feast of reconciliation between the previously hostile communities of merchants from the towns of Križevac and the nobility from the nearby Kalnik hillside.

Geography

Križevci is a city in Koprivnica-Križevci County. Because of its nearness to Zagreb (57 km), Križevci is developing like a satellite city. It has a good position because it's close to all regional centers: Koprivnica (31 km), Bjelovar (33 km) and Varaždin (48 km). Very important fact for establishing the city was its macro traffical position. This place was known already in antics and Middle Ages because that was where the main caravan roads crossed, and there was a famous king's Coloman road that was going through Križevci. That road was connecting Pannonia and Dalmatia. In its closer past, many roads and other types of traffic connections were built: Many macadamic roads that connects Posavina, region around Kalnik and Podravina (there were all already finished in 18th century), the railroad from Hungary to Zagreb, that goes through Koprivnica and Križevci (1870.), and to Bjelovar (1894). Today, city is still important because it connects Bjelovar and Koprivnica, big regional centers, and because it's the place where many regional roads starts from direction of Bjelovar, Gornja Rijeka andSudovec, valley of the river Bednja, zelinsko prigorje over Čanjevo and from Rasinja over Apatovec. Križevci lies on 140 m above the level of the sea, where the southern part of Kalnik begins.

Topograffically, it lies on pleistocene surface, between swamped aluvial valleys of the brook Vrtlin from the east and the brook Koruska from the west. Relief, geological-petrografical structure, convenient climate and abundance of water, all these were elements of economical and demographic development of the city. Modern demographic-economical transformation has changed relations in space and structure of population, and it's seenable through processes of deagrarization, industrialization and deruralization. This effected with abandonning agricultural production, abandonning villages and moving to Križevci.

Demographics

According to the 2001 census, there are 22,324 inhabitants in the area, Croats forming an absolute majority at 95.37% with Serbs making up for the 2.29% of the population.

Education

Križevci is home to the [http://www.vguk.hr/ College of Agriculture at Križevci] .

References

External links

* [http://www.krizevci.hr/ Križevci official site]
* [http://www.krizevci.info/ News Portal of Križevci]
* [http://www.pou-krizevci.hr/ Open University Križevci]
* [http://international.krizevci.info/en_GB/ History, culture, locations, personage of Križevci in multimedia]