Mursko Središće

Sister cities

• Lenti

History

Mursko Središće was first mentioned in 1334 as Sancti Martini in Zredysche. Historian Ivan Kukuljević-Sakcinski claimed that the site was occupied by the Romans and was known under the name of Helicanum. If true, it would have been a strategic point on the road between Ptuj (Poetovio) in Slovenia and Carnuntum (Petronell) on the river Danube, the post between today's Vienna and Bratislava in Slovakia. The existing road was built in the 1st century. Other historians disagree, claiming that Helicanum might be today's Sveti Martin na Muri or nearby Lendava (Lendva). In 1477, Mursko Središće was officially mentioned as an important trade post with three other places in Međimurje (Čakovec, Prelog and Nedelišće). In 1650, the town was known as Muraszerdahely and in 1660 the local chapel of St. Martin was documented. In 1716 the church of St. Ladislaus, was built in the gothic style, but was ruined by a flood in 1690. It was then rebuilt in the late baroque style. In late 1918, Mursko Središće was occupied and annexed by the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes together with the rest of Međimurje. During World War II, between 1941 and 1945, it was occupied by Hungary. After World War I, coal was discovered in 1921, and its exploitation began soon after. The first coal mine was opened in 1926, with workers brought from Slovenia. The company that engaged in coal exploitation, Kraljić & Majhen Co., was nationalized in 1946 and was managed under the name of Međimurski ugljenokopi until it was closed in 1972. In that period (1946–1972), coal extraction was significant, with a total output of 4,593,961 t (an average of 155,000 t each year).