Čazma | |
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Town | |
Center of Čazma
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Coordinates: 45°45′N 16°37′E / 45.750°N 16.617°E | |
Country | Croatia |
County | Bjelovar-Bilogora |
Government | |
• Mayor | Dinko Pirak (HSS) |
Area | |
• Total | 240 km2 (90 sq mi) |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 8,095 |
Time zone | Central European Time (UTC+1) |
Čazma is a town and municipality in Bjelovar-Bilogora County, Croatia. It is part of Moslavina.
Čazma is situated 60 kilometers east of Zagreb and only 30 kilometres from the center of the region - Bjelovar. Čazma is situated on the slopes of Moslavačka gora, surrounded by fertile lowlands. The river Česma runs to the east of Čazma and the smaller river Glogovnica flows into it nearby, too.
The town of Čazma is one of the oldest towns in the Republic of Croatia. It was mentioned in 1094, when the Hungarian king Ladislav gave Čazma as a possession to the bishop of Zagreb. The year that is mentioned as the year of Čazma's foundation is 1226, when bishop Stjepan II Babonić established a parish, built a Dominican monastery and - today far known for its cultural worth, the Church of saint Mary Magdalene, which gave the parish its present name. The church is the only preserved monument of the earliest written eight hundred year history of the city. It is a unique example of romanic architecture in northern Croatia and experts equate its value with the Zagreb cathedral. The church organ made in 1767 are one of the most beautiful in Croatia.
The town was occupied by the Ottoman Turks in 1552, who established their sanjak there. The town stayed under Ottoman rule for 54 years until it was liberated by Croatian Ban Toma Bakač Erdedi and his army in 1606.
In the late 19th and early 20th century, Čazma was a district capital in the Bjelovar-Križevci County of the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia.
Its economy is based on small and middle-sized companies which manufacture final products from natural goods. Tradespeople, together with agricultural manufacturers, direct their development to services, production and tourist potential.