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Međimurje County

The Medimurje county is the smallest and the most northern one after Zagreb, which is the most populated Croatian county. It is located between the rivers Mura and Drava. To the east and in part to the north, the county borders with Hungary and to the west in part with Slovenia. With Hungary there are the border crossings Kotoriba and Goricani and with Slovenia it is Mursko Sredisce, Bukovje, Strigovi and Trnovec. Medimurje is surrounded by water and it lies on water.

Until recently the rivers flooded arable land, woodland and settled areas. After the 1710 flood the Drava changed its flow, so that Legrad became a part of Podravina. Based on precipitation, Medimurje belongs to the more humid regions of the Pannonian plain and fog is frequent.

Medimurje prides itself on preserving folklore - the typical Medimurje house, its folk dress and folk songs, which are valued by Croatian rock singers.

Cakovec, which received its name from the noble family Cak, was mentioned as far back as 1328. For centuries it was run by various noble families, among them the Zrinski family. It was a town of craftsmen. The Zrinski fortress dominates the building tradition in Cakovec. 1893 saw the first steam mill which produced electricity to light 131 lamps. They were the first street lamps in Croatia.