Čakovec

Sister cities

• Nagykanizsa
• Kiryat Tiv'on
• Płońsk
• Schramberg

History

According to the geographer Strabo's reports in the 1st century, today's location of the city of Čakovec was the site of Aquama (wet town) in Roman times and at the time a marshland, a military post and a legionnaire camp. One popular legend describes a green pozoj (dragon) once dwelling beneath the city and causing natural disasters such as hail and earthquakes, with its head under the castle and its tail under the church, or vice versa. It could only be gotten rid of by a grabancijaš (dark magic student) who would use a golden bridle to control the dragon and ride it out of the city. The name Čakovec (, or ) comes from the first name of the ispán Csák Hahót. With the beginning of the 13th century he erected the timber fortification which was later named Csák's tower (). 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 House of Laczkfy, from 1405 to 1461 of the Counts of Celje and from 1473 to 1540 of the House of Ernušt. The town as well as Međimurje region was at the time part of the Varaždin county. The period of more significant economic and cultural growth of Čakovec is considered to have started on 15 March 1546, when Nikola IV 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 29 May 1579. This was the starting point for Čakovec to become a free market town and the date is celebrated today as "City Day". The Čakovec Castle which was owned by the House of Zrinski between the 16th and the 18th century is known today as the "Zrinski Old…

Most-observed species

• Mute Swan

  Cygnus olor (J.F.Gmelin, 1789) · Aves
  686
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  650
• Hooded Crow

  Corvus cornix Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  584
• Gray/Purple Heron

  Ardea cinerea Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  567
• Great Tit

  Parus major Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  533
• Common Chaffinch

  Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  483
• Common Buzzard

  Buteo buteo (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  441
• White Wagtail

  Motacilla alba Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  438

Most recent

• M 4.1 — 2024-08-13
  5 km W of Rasinja, Croatia
• M 2.9 — 2024-03-07
  2 km E of Zagreb, Croatia
• M 3 — 2021-04-20
  3 km NNW of Dubrava, Croatia
• M 2.7 — 2021-01-03
  4 km ENE of Novo ?i?e, Croatia
• M 3.7 — 2020-12-31
  7 km SSW of Lekenik, Croatia
• M 4.3 — 2020-12-30
  7 km SSW of Lekenik, Croatia