Zlatar-Bistrica is a village and

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

in northwestern

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 ...

, in the

Krapina-Zagorje County Krapina-Zagorje County (, hr, Krapinsko-zagorska županija) is a Counties of Croatia, county in northern Croatia, bordering Slovenia. It encompasses most of the historic region called Hrvatsko Zagorje. The area contains the excavation site of a ...

. It lies on the crossroads of two important roads for the region, one connecting northern parts of the county with

Zagreb Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...

( D29) and the other connecting

Varaždin ) , image_photo = , image_skyline = , image_flag = Flag of Varaždin.svg , flag_size = , image_seal = , seal_size = , image_shield = Grb_Grad ...

and western part of the county ( D24) and is also connected by R201 railway. What is today Zlatar-Bistrica, until 1912 was actually just couple of small villages - Gornji Brestovec, Donji Brestovec and Grančari. As the railroads connected Zagreb and Varaždin, a

rail station A train station, railway station, railroad station or depot is a railway facility where trains stop to load or unload passengers, freight or both. It generally consists of at least one platform, one track and a station building providing such ...

was built between Zlatar and

Marija Bistrica Marija Bistrica () is a village and municipality in the Krapina-Zagorje County in central Croatia, located on the slopes of the Medvednica mountain in the Hrvatsko Zagorje region north of the capital Zagreb. The municipality has 5,976 inhabitants, ...

and it was named Zlatar-Bistrica. Today's Zlatar-Bistrica grew in the rail station's surroundings. With its 2600 inhabitants (2011 census), it is considered one of the smaller municipalities in the county. Until 1991 it was the administrative center of the municipality of Zlatar Bistrica, which included today's municipalities of Budinšćina,

Hrašćina Hrašćina is a municipality in the Krapina-Zagorje County in Croatia. According to the 2001 census, there are 1,826 inhabitants in the area, absolute majority which are Croats The Croats (; hr, Hrvati ) are a South Slavic ethnic group ...

Konjščina Konjščina () is a village and municipality in Krapina-Zagorje County in Croatia. According to the 2011 census, there are 3,790 inhabitants in the area, absolute majority which are Croats The Croats (; hr, Hrvati ) are a South Slavic ...

Lobor Lobor is a city and municipality in the Northern Croatia. In 2011 census, there were 3,188 inhabitants in the area, 98.96% of which were Croats. During the first year of the World War II Ustaše established a concentration camp in Lobor, also known ...

, Mihovljan, Zlatar and Zlatar-Bistrica. At the time, with just over 33,000 inhabitants, it was the biggest municipality of the county. Until it was divided in 1991, Zlatar-Bistrica was also the economic stronghold with several small, medium and even a big companies operating there. Wood and meat-processing as well as electric equipment are produced there. Culturally, Zlatar-Bistrica was neglected for many years in favour of neighbouring Zlatar. Nowadays there's a strong association that works on cultural matters in Zlatar Bistrica under name of KUD "Kaj". Sports association include soccer team NK "Ivančica" and both gender handball teams - ŽRK "Zlatar-Bistrica" and RK "Zlatar-Bistrica".

Sources

External links

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Sportska dvorana u Zlatar Bistrici
{{authority control Municipalities of Croatia Populated places in Krapina-Zagorje County