Čakovec is a city in northern Croatia, located around 90 kilometres (56 miles) north of Zagreb, the Croatian capital. Čakovec is both the county seat and the largest city of Međimurje County, the northernmost, smallest and most densely populated Croatian county. Most of the historical buildings in the city of Čakovec are located in its center or nearby park. The city’s historical core has been beautifully preserved and renovated. In the Zrinski castle there is a local museum housing some 17,000 valuable items. Another noteworthy building in the city is a palace built in the Vienna Secession style (Secesijska palača), located at the central square, as well as the Saint Nicholas’ Church (Crkva Svetog Nikole), located in the downtown about 100 meters from the central square. At the central square there is also the Zrinski monument. The Southern Čakovec (Čakovečki jug) is a relatively new neighborhood, with modern houses and buildings including the Church of Saint Anthony of Padua (Crkva Svetog Antuna Padovanskog) and a new elementary school with a sports hall, outdoor basketball and handball grounds and a running track.
At the central square there is a library, a theater, cinema, a large shopping center and a few confectioners’ shops and restaurants. Other business objects in the downtown are mostly boutiques, bookshops, electronics stores and financial companies. A hospital and the central bus station are located only a few steps from the downtown. The largest hotel in the city is located across the park, about 300–400 meters from the central square, and a smaller one in a close proximity of the main square.
At the central square there is a theater building called Centar za kulturu (Cultural center), presenting new cinema releases on a daily basis. On Thursdays, the center hosts touring theatrical performances and music events as part of its season called Čakovec četvrtkom (Čakovec Thursdays), which is a sort of a cultural trademark of the city. Several art exhibitions also take place in the building throughout the year. Throughout the summer, the central square hosts several cultural events. Open air performances are also held in the atrium of the Zrinski castle. In late July and early August there’s a large traditional fair at the central square and other streets in the downtown. Since 2002 the city has been organizing its own annual outdoor auto show that takes place in May on the premises of the city’s center for sports and recreation. There’s also an entertaining program and fireworks at the central square every year during the celebration of the New Year.
