Krapina (; ) is a town in northern Croatia and the administrative centre of Krapina-Zagorje County with a population of 4,201 and a total municipality population of 11,530.

thumb|right|upright|Proposed [[Neandertal jewelry: white-tailed eagle claw with striations at the Neanderthal site of Krapina, Croatia, circa 130,000 BP.]]

The half-cave in Krapina was soon listed among the world's science localities as a significant fossil finding site, where the largest and richest collection of the Neanderthal man had ever been found. It is surrounded by a park with many statues of Neanderthals and the game they hunted, a bear, a moose and a beaver set in the actual locations.

Middle ages and Ottoman invasions

thumb|Krapina castle

Krapina was first mentioned in 1193 by Kalán Bár-Kalán, bishop of Pécs and ban of Croatia and Dalmatia. In 1347, Hungarian king Louis I granted Krapina the status of a free royal city.

During the Ottoman invasions of Croatia, at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th century, the Croatian Sabor convened five times in the Krapina fortress (in 1598, 1599, 1600, 1605 and 1607). The coldest temperature was , on 10 February 2005. At the KL station, the coldest temperature was , on 13 February 1985.

Demographics

In the 2021 census, Krapina had a total of 11,530 inhabitants. Croats were an absolute majority at 97.29%.</small>

|}

Culture

Krapina is home to the yearly Festival kajkavske popevke (The festival of kajkavian song) sung in the local Kajkavian language.

There is also a nearby municipality of Krapinske Toplice (Krapina spa) with numerous thermal springs and spa tourist infrastructure. Krapina is also the birthplace of the linguist and language reformer Ljudevit Gaj. His home is now a museum where visitors can learn about his life and work.

Since 1997, Franciscan monastery and St. Catherine's church in Krapina are hosts of the Krapinafest, annual contemporary Christian music festival.

Sports

The local chapter of the HPS is HPD "Strahinjščica", which had 48 members in 1936 under the Josip Kompare presidency. Membership fell to 35 in 1937.

Notable people

  • Ljudevit Gaj (1809–1872), was a Croatian linguist, politician, journalist, and writer
  • Mirko Dražen Grmek (1924–2000), Croatian and French historian of medicine
  • Josip Seissel (1904-1987), Croatian architect and urban planner

Transportation

Krapina is served by the A2 freeway and state road D1. It has a train station on the R106 corridor and a bus station which also serves as a hub for the bus company "Presečki d.o.o." - the company connects Krapina with numerous towns across the county and region.

See also

  • List of caves on Kostelsko gorje
  • List of caves on Strahinjčica

References

  • Kraneamus - Krapina Neanderthal Museum