Marija Gorica

Marija Gorica
Municipality
Općina Marija Gorica
Coat of arms of Marija Gorica
Coat of arms
Map
Marija Gorica is located in Croatia
Marija Gorica
Marija Gorica
Location of Marija Gorica in Croatia
Coordinates: 45°55′12″N 15°43′48″E / 45.92000°N 15.73000°E / 45.92000; 15.73000
CountryCroatia
CountyZagreb County
Settlements
10 settlements
  • Bijela Gorica
  • Celine Goričke
  • Hrastina
  • Kraj Donji
  • Kraj Gornji
  • Križ Brdovečki
  • Marija Gorica (seat)
  • Oplanik
  • Trstenik
  • Žlebec Gorički
Government
 • MayorMarica Jančić (HDZ)
Area
[1]
 • Municipality
17.1 km2 (6.6 sq mi)
 • Urban
1.3 km2 (0.5 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
 • Municipality
2,094
 • Density120/km2 (320/sq mi)
 • Urban
228
 • Urban density180/km2 (450/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal codes
10299, 10293
Area code01
License platesZG
Websitemarija-gorica.hr

Marija Gorica (pronounced [mǎrija ɡǒrit͡sa]) is a municipality in western Zagreb County of Croatia on the border with Slovenia.

History

The name of the settlement is derived from the patron saint of the parish church, which is dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Marija is a Croatian form of the name Mary, while Gorica means "hill" (and particularly wine-growing hills). The church was founded in the 16th century as a Franciscan monastery, and its first patron saint had been Saint Peter. The change of patronage happened in the second half of the 17th century, when a statue of the Virgin from the church altar became famous for its supposed healing powers.[3]

Fossilized teeth of the extinct proboscid Deinotherium (also depicted on the municipal coat of arms) have been found in Marija Gorica.[4]

One of the most prolific writers of Croatian Realism, Ante Kovačić was born in the neighboring village of Bila Gorica, and started his schooling in the elementary school in Marija Gorica. The school had been built in the 19th century, in the center of the village, across from the Church of Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.[5] The elementary school was later named Osnovna škola Ante Kovačića in his honor.[6] The mayor is Marica Jančić, who was born in Žlebec Gorički.

One of the events during the last weeks of the World War II, when many armies were retreating towards Austria and Germany, happened on April 24, 1945 in the neighboring village of Hrastina, 43 people were murdered. Although the event was only recently sufficiently explored, in 1977 a monument was erected for the remembrance of these people.[7] According to these information, 43 German Sinti Roma and other members of a traveling circus were murdered by Ustase soldiers during the Hrastina Massacre.[8]

Population

In the 2011 census, there were 2,233 inhabitants, in the following settlements:[9]

In the same census, the absolute majority were Croats.[10]

Church in Marija Gorica

References

  1. ^ Register of spatial units of the State Geodetic Administration of the Republic of Croatia. Wikidata Q119585703.
  2. ^ "Population by Age and Sex, by Settlements" (xlsx). Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in 2021. Zagreb: Croatian Bureau of Statistics. 2022.
  3. ^ Brgles, Branimir (2011). "Franjevački samostan i Crkva Blažene Djevice Marije od Pohođenja u Mariji Gorici. Kaj: časopis za književnost, umjetnost, kulturu". Kaj: Časopis Za Književnost, Umjetnost, Kulturu. 5 (312): 45–56. Retrieved 2023-08-02.
  4. ^ "Povijesni pregled". Archived from the original on 2015-11-30. Retrieved 2014-09-18.
  5. ^ "Turističke atrakcije u Mariji Gorici". Archived from the original on 2012-07-07. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
  6. ^ "Osnovna škola Ante Kovačića". Archived from the original on 2012-07-07. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
  7. ^ Vojak, Danijel. 2022. Osvrt na prvu komemoraciju romskim (sintskim) žrtvama ustaških jedinica u Mariji Gorici. Časopis za suvremenu povijest 2. 507-511.
  8. ^ "Koljači do posljednjeg časa". Portal Novosti. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
  9. ^ "Population by Age and Sex, by Settlements, 2011 Census: Marija Gorica". Census of Population, Households and Dwellings 2011. Zagreb: Croatian Bureau of Statistics. December 2012.
  10. ^ "Population by Ethnicity, by Towns/Municipalities, 2011 Census: County of Zagreb". Census of Population, Households and Dwellings 2011. Zagreb: Croatian Bureau of Statistics. December 2012.

Media related to Marija Gorica at Wikimedia Commons