Krapina

Krapina is a town in northern Croatia and the administrative centre of Krapina-Zagorje County with a population of 4,482 (2011) and a total municipality population of 12,479 (2011). Krapina is located in the hilly Zagorje region of Croatia, approximately 55 km away from both Zagreb and Varaždin.

Population
The following settlements comprise the Krapina municipality:


 * Bobovje, population 508
 * Doliće, population 435
 * Donja Šemnica, population 901
 * Gornja Pačetina, population 403
 * Krapina, population 4,482
 * Lazi Krapinski, population 79
 * Lepajci, population 391
 * Mihaljekov Jarek, population 470
 * Podgora Krapinska, population 568
 * Polje Krapinsko, population 667
 * Pretkovec, population 65
 * Pristava Krapinska, population 213
 * Strahinje, population 328
 * Straža Krapinska, population 42
 * Škarićevo, population 705
 * Šušelj Brijeg, population 4
 * Tkalci, population 435
 * Trški Vrh, population 375
 * Velika Ves, population 724
 * Vidovec Krapinski, population 215
 * Vidovec Petrovski, population 95
 * Zagora, population 96
 * Žutnica, population 249

History
Krapina has been known since 1193. It has always been a favorite site for castles and country houses of Croatian and Hungarian rulers.

In 1899, on a hill called Hušnjak near modern Krapina, the archaeologist and paleontologist Dragutin Gorjanović-Kramberger found over eight hundred fossil remains belonging to Neanderthals.

Culture
Krapina is a home to yearly Festival kajkavske popevke (The festival of kajkavian song) sung in the local Kajkavian dialect.

At the site where the Neanderthals remains were discovered there is now a state-of-the-art Neanderthal museum which also includes an extensive segment on evolution, making it one of the most interesting evolutionary museums in Europe. It is surrounded by a park with many statues of Neanderthals and their game, a bear, a moose and a beaver set in the actual locations.

There is also a nearby municipality of Krapinske Toplice (Krapina spa) with numerous thermal springs and spa tourist infrastructure.

Krapina is also the birthplace of the linguist and language reformer Ljudevit Gaj. His home is now a museum where visitors can learn about his life and work.