Hrvatsko Zagorje (; Croatian Zagorje; ''zagorje'' is Croatian for "backland" or "behind the hills") is a

cultural region In anthropology and geography, a cultural region, cultural sphere, cultural area or culture area refers to a geography with one relatively homogeneous human activity or complex of activities (culture). Such activities are often associated ...

in northern

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = " Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capi ...

, traditionally separated from the country's capital

Zagreb Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...

by the Medvednica Mountain. It comprises the whole area north of Mount Medvednica up to

Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, and ...

in the north and west, and up to the regions of Međimurje and

Podravina ''Podravina'' (in Croatian) or ''Podravje'' (in Slovenian) are Slavic names for the Drava river basin in Croatia and Slovenia. History Between 1929 and 1941 a province of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia known as the ''Drava Banovina'' (Drava province) ...

in the north and east. The population of Zagorje is not recorded as such, as it is administratively divided among

Krapina-Zagorje County Krapina-Zagorje County (, hr, Krapinsko-zagorska županija) is a county in northern Croatia, bordering Slovenia. It encompasses most of the historic region called Hrvatsko Zagorje. The area contains the excavation site of a 100,000-year-old ...

(total population 142,432), and western and central part of

Varaždin County Varaždin County ( hr, Varaždinska županija) is a county in Northern Croatia. It is named after its county seat, the city of Varaždin. Geography The county contains the city of Varaždin, the towns of: Ivanec, Ludbreg, Lepoglava, Novi Maro ...

(total population 183,730). The population of Zagorje can be reasonably estimated to exceed 300,000 people. In Croatia, the area is usually referred to simply as ''Zagorje'' (Croatian for "backland" or "behind the hills"; with respect to Medvednica). However, to avoid confusion with the nearby

municipality of Zagorje ob Savi The Municipality of Zagorje ob Savi (; sl, Občina Zagorje ob Savi) is a municipality in central Slovenia. The seat of the municipality is the town of Zagorje ob Savi. The area is part of the traditional region of Upper Carniola. The entire munic ...

in Slovenia, the Croatian part is called ''Hrvatsko zagorje'', meaning "Croatian Zagorje". The town of

Krapina Krapina (; hu, Korpona) is a town in northern Croatia and the administrative centre of Krapina-Zagorje County with a population of 4,482 (2011) and a total municipality population of 12,480 (2011). Krapina is located in the hilly Zagorje reg ...

is often referred to as the cultural capital of

Kajkavian dialect Kajkavian (Kajkavian noun: ''kajkavščina''; Shtokavian adjective: ''kajkavski'' , noun: ''kajkavica'' or ''kajkavština'' ) is a South Slavic regiolect or language spoken primarily by Croats in much of Central Croatia, Gorski Kotar and nort ...

(Croatian: ''Kajkavščina''), the South Slavic regiolect spoken in north-western Croatia. Every year, the Festival of Kajkavian Song ( hr, Festival kajkavske popevke) takes place in Krapina.

Towns and Villages

2011 Census: *

Zaprešić Zaprešić () is a town in Hrvatsko zagorje, Zagreb County in Croatia. It has a population of 19,644 inhabitants in the town proper, with 25,223 in the administrative area. The town's metropolitan area, which encompasses the seven neighbouring m ...

(25.495 people) *

Ivanec Ivanec is a town in northern Croatia, located southwest of Varaždin and east of Lepoglava, north of the mountain Ivanščica. History In the late 19th and early 20th century, Ivanec was a district capital in the Varaždin County of the Kingdom ...

(13,758 people) *

(12,480 people) *

Zabok Zabok is a town and situated in northwest Croatia in the Krapina-Zagorje County. According to the 2011 census, it has a total population of 8,994, with 2,714 in Zabok itself. Zabok is situated on the main crossroads in the heart of Hrvatsko Zag ...

(8,994 people) *

Lepoglava Lepoglava is a town in Varaždin County, northern Croatia, located southwest of Varaždin, west of Ivanec, and northeast of Krapina. Demographics A total of 8,283 residents in the municipality (2011 census) live in the following settlements: * ...

(8,283 people) * Bedekovčina (8,041 people) * Pregrada (6,594 people) *

Sveti Križ Začretje Sveti Križ Začretje is a village in and a municipality of Krapina-Zagorje County in the Republic of Croatia. According to the 2011 census, there are 6,165 inhabitants of the area, the absolute majority of which are Croats The Croats (; ...

(6,165 people) * Oroslavje (6,138 people) * Zlatar (6,096 people) *

Marija Bistrica Marija Bistrica () is a village and municipality in the Krapina-Zagorje County in central Croatia, located on the slopes of the Medvednica mountain in the Hrvatsko Zagorje region north of the capital Zagreb. The municipality has 5,976 inhabitants, ...

(5,976 people) *

Donja Stubica Donja Stubica () is a town in Croatia, about northeast of Zagreb on the northern slope of Medvednica. It is connected by the state road D307 and L202 railway. The total population is 5,680, with 2,200 people in Donja Stubica itself (census 201 ...

(5,680 people) * Krapinske Toplice (5,367 people) * Gornja Stubica (5,284 people) * Hum na Sutli (5,060 people) * Veliko Trgovišće (4,945 people) *

Bednja Bednja () is a village and municipality in Croatia in the Varaždin County (west of Lepoglava), and also a river in northern Croatia. According to the 2011 census, there are a total of 3,992 inhabitants, in the following settlements: * Bednja, ...

(3,992 people) * Jakovlje (3,930 people) * Konjščina (3,790 people) *

Klanjec Klanjec () is a small town in northwestern Croatia, in the region of Hrvatsko Zagorje on the border with Slovenia. History In the late 19th and early 20th century, Klanjec was a district capital in the Varaždin County of the Kingdom of Croa ...

(2,915 people)

References

Zagorje Historical regions in Croatia {{CentralCroatia-geo-stub

Towns and Villages

See also

References