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KOPRIVNICA
Koprivnica is a city in central Croatia with a
population of 30,994 (2001), the capital of the
Koprivnica-Križevci county.
Koprivnica has a history similar to nearby Varazdin: it
was first mentioned in 1272 in a document by prince
Ladislav IV and declared a free royal town by king
Ludovic I in 1356, and flourished as a trading place and
a military fortress since.
The military aspect set it back some when it was
included in the Military Frontier in the 16th century
during the wars with the Ottoman Turks, but after Maria
Theresia's decree of 1765 it resumed life as a peaceful
little merchant town that it really was.
Koprivnica developed significantly in the 20th century
with the advent of the Podravka food industry, known
worldwide for its Vegeta spice. They even have an
alimentary museum of Podravka.
Worth mentioning is the annual "motifs of Podravina"
event when the whole town becomes a gallery of naďve
art. Many of the Croatian greatest naive artists come
from the villages along the Drava in this county,
notably Ivan Generalic. |
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