Gornji Mihaljevec ( hu, Felsőmihályfalva) is a

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred ...

and municipality in

Međimurje County Međimurje County (; hr, Međimurska županija ; hu, Muraköz megye) is a triangle-shaped county in the northernmost part of Croatia, roughly corresponding to the historical and geographical region of Međimurje. Despite being the smallest C ...

, in northern

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

History

The oldest archaeological finds in Gornji Mihaljevec municipality are from the Roman period. Fragments of

Roman roads Roman roads ( la, viae Romanae ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, and were built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Re ...

were found in the villages of Preseka, Prhovec, Martinuševec and Tupkovec. These fragments are part of a road that led from Poetovio to

Carnuntum Carnuntum ( according to Ptolemy) was a Roman legionary fortress ( la, castra legionis) and headquarters of the Pannonian fleet from 50 AD. After the 1st century, it was capital of the Pannonia Superior province. It also became a large ...

The settlement Gornji Mihaljevec is first time mentioned in charter issued in year 1478 as ''Michalowecz Maius''. In year 1789 Catholic parish of Saint Catherine was established in Gornji Mihaljevec. In October 1931 villages Badličan, Preseka, and Prhovec were separated from

Čakovec Čakovec (; hu, Csáktornya; la, Aquama; german: Tschakathurn) is a city in northern Croatia, located around north of Zagreb, the Croatian capital. Čakovec is both the county seat and the largest city of Međimurje County, the northernmost, s ...

District and the rest of Međimurje and placed under authority of Ptuj District in Drava Banovina. But only month later, in November 1931, all three villages were again reincorporated in Međimurje. Municipality of Gornji Mihaljevec was established in year 1997.

Geography

Gornji Mihaljevec is located in part of Međimurje called Gornje Međimurje at border with

Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...

. Village of Gornji Mihaljevec, municipality centre, is about 15 kilometres west from

, and some 100 kilometres north of

Zagreb Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital and largest city of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb stands near the international border between Croatia and Slov ...

. The municipality covers an area of 32.15 km². Landscape of Gornji Mihaljevec consist of low hills called Međimurske gorice, covered with

vineyard A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineya ...

s, orchards and woodlands. There is a border crossing with

in village of Preseka. Border crossing connects municipality with village of

Središče ob Dravi Središče ob Dravi (, german: Polstrau''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru,'' vol. 4: ''Štajersko''. 1904. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, p. 230.) is a town in northeastern Slovenia. It is the seat of ...

Demographics

In the 2011 census, the municipality had a population of 1,917 in 12 villages. Gornji Mihaljevec is experiencing population decline since the 1950s. The majority of inhabitants are

Croats The Croats (; hr, Hrvati ) are a South Slavic ethnic group who share a common Croatian ancestry, culture, history and language. They are also a recognized minority in a number of neighboring countries, namely Austria, the Czech Republic, ...

making up 97% of population.

Settlements

Culture

The church of Saint Catherine was built at the end of the 17th century at the site of former wooden chapel.

References

{{authority control Populated places in Međimurje County Municipalities of Croatia