Old Town Čakovec

Collection title

Cultural Heritage

ID

HRT00084

Source

HRT (HR)

First broadcast date

2009

Production year

2009

Abstract

Čakovec is a city in northern Croatia, located around 90 kilometres north of Zagreb, the Croatian capital. Čakovec is both the county seat and largest city of Međimurje County, the northernmost, smallest and most densely populated Croatian county. The name Čakovec (Hungarian: Csáktornya, German: Csakathurn or Tschakathurn) comes from the surname of the count Dimitrius Csáky. With the beginning of the 13th century he erected the timber fortification which was later named Csák's tower (Croatian: Čakov toranj). It was mentioned for the first time in 1328 and the place appeared in the official books in 1333. From 1350 to 1397, it was in the possession of the Lacković family. The period of more significant economic and cultural growth of Čakovec is considered to have started in 1547, when Nikola Šubić Zrinski of Szigetvár 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 IV Zrinski granted privileges to the inhabitants of the Čakovec fortress and its suburbs on May 29, 1579. This was the starting point for Čakovec to become a free market town and the date is celebrated today as "City Day". The castle which was owned by the Zrinski family between the 16th and the 18th century is known today as the "Old Town of the Zrinskis" (Stari grad Zrinskih) and considered as the landmark of the city. It is located in the Zrinski Park (Perivoj Zrinskih) only a few steps from the downtown and the central square respectively. In 1738 the city was devastated by an earthquake, in 1741 by a fire and another earthquake hit it in 1880. At the end of the 18th century, the owners of the town became the counts Feštetić and it was turned into a big estate where industry, crafts and trade developed. In 1848 the ban Josip Jelačić captured Čakovec from the Hungarians and joined it to Croatia. The first railroad track was built here in 1860 and helped to connect Budapest with the ports Rijeka and Trieste. The town was connected by railroad with Mursko Središće and Lendava in 1889 and in 1893 electrical power was introduced. Čakovec was the seat of a district (Hungarian: járás) in Zala county of the Kingdom of Hungary until 1918. It again became part of Hungary between 1941-1944 during World War II, until it was captured on the 6 April 1945 by the Soviet Red Army with Marshal Fyodor Tolbukhin in command.

Type

video

Production companies

• HRT - Own production

Broadcaster

HRT - HRT

Audiovisual form

Documentary

Primary theme

Architecture

Secondary themes

• Historical heritages / Latin and oriental christendom

Credits / Cast

• Dubravec Edda - Journalist
• Marotti Luka - Director
• Bednjanec Damir - Photographer

Period of events

• From 1500 to 1800

Map locations

• Croatia - Central Croatia - Čakovec

Original language

croatian

Media running time

15m10