Velika Gorica
Encyclopedia
Velika Gorica is the largest and most populous city in Zagreb County
, Croatia
. The city itself has a population of 31,341, while the municipality has a population of 63,511 inhabitants (2011).
Velika Gorica is the centre of the historical Turopolje
region.
, is the centre of an area covering 552 square kilometers. Up until 1990 Velika Gorica had the status of a municipality and after that it became a part of Zagreb. Velika Gorica gained city status in 1995. The area of the old Municipality of Velika Gorica was split into three municipalities – Kravarsko
, Orle and Pokupsko
.
Velika Gorica is the largest settlement and the administrative centre of the traditional Turopolje
region. Regarding the Turopolje name, among the most common opinions is that the name, meaning "Tur field", comes from an old Slavic word "tur" which means Aurochs, an ancient type of cattle with long horns
, which was a symbol of fertility and the sun god. These cattle died out in the 16th century. The cattle were closely related to agriculture. Plowing had a symbolic meaning, the fertilization of Mother Earth, so these cattle were often assumed to have "sacred" characteristics. Because of its importance in the life of the plowmen, "tur" became the basis for numerous toponyms. However, as recently as the 16th century, Turopolje was called Campus Zagrebiensis, i.e. "Zagreb field", or just Campus (field). At that time the name was replaced by "Tur field", i.e. Turopolje.
The A11
(Zagreb
-Sisak
) highway is planned to become the western bypass of Velika Gorica. State route D31
will be the eastern bypass. It is planned that these bypasses will relieve the traffic along the overcrowded Velikogorička road, the fastest link between Zagreb and Velika Gorica at present.
:
river have always been fertile and lush so it is no wonder it has been constantly inhabited since Neolithic
. First major settlement was founded in first century where village of Šćitarjevo
stands now days. It was called Andautonia and it was important Roman outpost on road between Siscia and Poetovio. The Roman town was abounded at the beginning of fifth century.
Croats came to these parts in eight century and remains from early Croat culture were found on numerous places around city of Velika Gorica. Velika Gorica is first mentioned in 1228 as a seat of parish. In 1278 noblemen from Turopolje joined into a union called Plemenita opčina turopoljska ("Noble municipality of Turopolje"). Plemenita opčina turopoljska was granted a rule over Turopolje by Croatian monarchs and exists still today with mainly ceremonial and not political role.
Twentieth century was by far most important one in history of Velika Gorica as it grew from a small village of 2,871 inhabitants to a important and one of the largest cities in Croatia with population over 60 thousand inhabitants. Until 1995 Velika Gorica was part of City of Zagreb and since then it has a city status of its own.
During Croatian War of Independence
Velika Gorica was not heavy damaged but it was constantly under Serbian fire. City played important role because of two airports in its near distance. Velika Gorica's 153rd brigade of Croatian Army fought on battlefields all around Croatia.
. There are also a number of monuments scattered around the city and its environs.
Vrata od krča ("The Timber Gate") is a unique wooden monument to human labour, risen up in forest near the city. Monument was risen in 1779 as a symbol of reclaiming the fertile land from forest. It was torn down by the flood in 1914 and restored two years later.
Old town Lukavec is a very well preserved fortification first mentioned in 1256 as Caput Lukavec. It was build by wood as a defense from Ottoman invasion. It was first owned by Zagreb noblemen and Turopolje noblemen gained control over castle in 1553 when it already became a ruin. It was soon rebuild in stone and became a regular site of assembly of Turopolje noblemen.
Wooden chapels from Turopolje and Pokuplje
are unique in the world. They can be traced far back in the early Middle Ages
, but most of the preserved ones date from the 17th century. Today there are only 11 preserved wooden chapels left, three in Turopolje, two in Vukomeričke gorice
and six in Pokuplje. They were built by groups of timber-workers and as a rule they were made of oak-tree.
There are several small monuments to World War II anti-fascist resistance movement (most famous being The Bomber Man in near city center) and also many monuments to Croatian soldiers who fought in Croatian War of Independence
. The city has a beautiful new monument to soldiers from the city who lost their lives in the Croatian War of Independence
.
In a competition held among 5,300 European cities, Velika Gorica was awarded the Silver Flower of Europe – an award presented by the European Association for Flowers and Landscape Entente Florale
. The award was accepted on 9 September 2004, in the French town of Aix-les-Bains.
By initiating and developing numerous activities the University has spread out to new locations. The most important step was made in 1980, when the Cultural Centre was built, with an art gallery, an additional library and a chamber hall in Galženica, a part of Velika Gorica.
In the late 1980s the University was also using space in the old Secondary School at 5 Zagrebačka Street (the Music School), in the House of Social Protection (Dom društvene samozaštite), today’s Fire Brigade building (the radio-station) and in the Podbrežnica settlement (the library). In 1993 the Music School moved to a new building in Kolarova Street where it has remained until the present day.
It was on the premises of the People's Open University that many people in Velika Gorica saw their first film or theatre performance, borrowed their first book or attended their first concert or exhibition. There they learned to play their first notes and master the basics of a foreign language. They entered a disco for the first time in their lives. They learned how to drive a car or heard their own voices on a radio station. Some of them, thanks to this broad spectrum of activities, published their first books or displayed their first exhibitions right here.
In recent years, the building of the Open University has been renovated and technically equipped. The philosophy of the institution has been to listen attentively to the needs of the local populace and design programmes in accord with their changing requirements.
Today, the People's Open University seeks to satisfy the diverse cultural needs of Velika Gorica's citizens through its theatre, gallery, concerts, publishing, cinema and other activities that encourage people to meet and exchange ideas. A great deal was achieved between 2006 and 2010, when actress Senka Bulić served as Head of the POU and brought the University's theatre, Scena Gorica, to the attention of the theatre-going public throughout the country. During her tenure Klub 100, a multimedia space for the development of urban culture, was additionally founded and became an important part of the cultural landscape for young people especially.
and NK Udarnik, a men's handball club HRK Gorica, a women's volleyball club OK Azena and a men's basketball club KK Gorica
.
HNK Gorica
plays its home games at Stadion Radnik
, built for 1987 Summer Universiade
while NK Udarnik has its own field in Kurilovec neighborhood. Indoor sports are mainly played in sports hall located in high school complex. New sports hall is currently under construction. There also three elementary school sports halls in the city that are used by sports clubs for trainings and youth categories.
Zagreb County
Zagreb County is a county in central Croatia. It surrounds – but does not contain – the nation's capital Zagreb, which is a separate territorial unit. For that reason, it is often nicknamed "Zagreb ring"...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. The city itself has a population of 31,341, while the municipality has a population of 63,511 inhabitants (2011).
Velika Gorica is the centre of the historical Turopolje
Turopolje
Turopolje is a region in Croatia situated between the capital city Zagreb and Sisak. The administrative center of the region Turopolje is the town of Velika Gorica.-Overview:...
region.
Geography
The City of Velika Gorica, located 16 km (9.94 mi) south of ZagrebZagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, is the centre of an area covering 552 square kilometers. Up until 1990 Velika Gorica had the status of a municipality and after that it became a part of Zagreb. Velika Gorica gained city status in 1995. The area of the old Municipality of Velika Gorica was split into three municipalities – Kravarsko
Kravarsko
Kravarsko is a municipality in Croatia in the Zagreb County. According to the 2001 census, there are 1,983 inhabitants, absolute majority which are Croats....
, Orle and Pokupsko
Pokupsko
Pokupsko is a municipality in Croatia in the Zagreb County. According to the 2001 census, there are 2,492 inhabitants, absolute majority which are Croats....
.
Velika Gorica is the largest settlement and the administrative centre of the traditional Turopolje
Turopolje
Turopolje is a region in Croatia situated between the capital city Zagreb and Sisak. The administrative center of the region Turopolje is the town of Velika Gorica.-Overview:...
region. Regarding the Turopolje name, among the most common opinions is that the name, meaning "Tur field", comes from an old Slavic word "tur" which means Aurochs, an ancient type of cattle with long horns
Aurochs
The aurochs , the ancestor of domestic cattle, were a type of large wild cattle which inhabited Europe, Asia and North Africa, but is now extinct; it survived in Europe until 1627....
, which was a symbol of fertility and the sun god. These cattle died out in the 16th century. The cattle were closely related to agriculture. Plowing had a symbolic meaning, the fertilization of Mother Earth, so these cattle were often assumed to have "sacred" characteristics. Because of its importance in the life of the plowmen, "tur" became the basis for numerous toponyms. However, as recently as the 16th century, Turopolje was called Campus Zagrebiensis, i.e. "Zagreb field", or just Campus (field). At that time the name was replaced by "Tur field", i.e. Turopolje.
The A11
A11 (Croatia)
The A11 motorway is an incomplete motorway in Croatia, long. It connects Velika Gorica, located south of Zagreb to Buševec exit. Only a fifth of the planned route is complete, and the motorway, when completed, shall span between Jakuševec interchange and Mošćenica near Sisak...
(Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
-Sisak
Sisak
Sisak is a city in central Croatia. The city's population in 2011 was 33,049, with a total of 49,699 in the administrative region and it is also the administrative centre of the Sisak-Moslavina county...
) highway is planned to become the western bypass of Velika Gorica. State route D31
D31 (Croatia)
D31 is a state road in central Croatia connecting Velika Gorica and Glina to Croatian motorway network at the A11 motorway Velika gorica jug interchange. The road is long....
will be the eastern bypass. It is planned that these bypasses will relieve the traffic along the overcrowded Velikogorička road, the fastest link between Zagreb and Velika Gorica at present.
Population
In the census of 2011, the total population of administrative area of the city (the municipality) was 63,511, in the following settlementsNaselje
Naselje is a settlement in Croatia, usually translated as settlement. It is the smallest unit of Croatian territory. Individual settlements are by and large referred to as selo , while naselje is a statistical and administrative category. The units of local government in Croatia, cities and...
:
- Bapča, population 130
- Bukovčak, population 66
- BuševecBuševecBuševec is the name of a Croatian village that falls under the administration of the town of Velika Gorica. It is placed at the Turopolje area at the highway between Zagreb and Sisak...
, population 889 - Cerovski Vrh, population 89
- Cvetković Brdo, population 32
- Črnkovec, population 413
- Donja Lomnica, population 1,716
- Donje Podotočje, population 377
- Drenje Šćitarjevsko, population 202
- DubranecDubranecDubranec is a village in Croatia....
, population 350 - Gornja LomnicaGornja LomnicaGornja Lomnica is a suburban settlement of Velika Gorica,which is part of Zagreb metropolitan area, Croatia, Central Europe.-Overview:According to the estimation in 2010 it has a population of 750 people....
, population 582 - Gornje Podotočje, population 492
- Gradići, population 1,808
- Gudci, population 373
- Gustelnica, population 118
- Jagodno, population 516
- Jerebić, population 41
- Ključić Brdo, population 213
- KobilićKobilićKobilić is a village in Croatia.-References:...
, population 520 - KozjačaKozjačaKozjača is a village in Croatia....
, population 343 - KučeKuceKuce is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Janowiec Kościelny, within Nidzica County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland.-References:...
, population 1,460 - Lazi Turopoljski, population 58
- Lazina Čička, population 552
- Lekneno, population 379
- LukavecLukavec, CroatiaLukavec is a village in central Croatia, 20 km south of Zagreb. It is administratively part of the city of Velika Gorica, Zagreb County. The population is 1,119 . A nearby fortification is well preserved....
, population 1,136 - Mala BunaMala BunaMala Buna is a village in Croatia. It is connected by the D31 highway....
, population 258 - Mala Kosnica, population 49
- Markuševec Turopoljski, population 321
- Mičevec, population 1,281
- Mraclin, population 1,068
- Novaki Šćitarjevski, population 165
- Novo ČičeNovo Čiče-External links:...
, population 1,262 - Obrezina, population 577
- OgulinecOgulinecOgulinec is a village in Croatia. It is connected by the D30 highway....
, population 296 - OkujeOkujeOkuje is a village in Croatia....
, population 467 - PetinaPetina, CroatiaPetina is a Croatian village belonging to the town and municipality of Velika Gorica, in Zagreb County. As of 2001 is population was of 211.-Geography:...
, population 211 - Petravec, population 74
- Petrovina Turopoljska, population 702
- Poljana Čička, population 688
- Prvonožina, population 42
- RakitovecRakitovecRakitovec is a village in Croatia....
, population 573 - RibnicaRibnica, CroatiaRibnica is a small village in Croatia, 25 km south-east of Zagreb. It is administratively a part of the city of Velika Gorica and it has a population of 700 .-References:...
, population 794 - Sasi, population 164
- Selnica Šćitarjevska, population 537
- Sop Bukevski, population 86
- Staro Čiče, population 783
- Strmec Bukevski, population 368
- ŠćitarjevoŠcitarjevoŠćitarjevo is a settlement officially in the Town of Velika Gorica, Croatia, located near the Zagreb bypass and the recently built Homeland Bridge. Its main tourist attraction and cultural site is Andautonia, an archeological site with remains of a Roman city.-External links:* website of the...
, population 440 - Šiljakovina, population 668
- Trnje, population 52
- Turopolje, population 951
- Velika BunaVelika BunaVelika Buna is a village in Croatia. It is connected by the D31 highway....
, population 847 - Velika Gorica, population 31,341
- Velika Kosnica, population 799
- Velika MlakaVelika MlakaVelika Mlaka is a village in Croatia. Residents of Velika Mlaka call it "Metropola" - referencing the nearby city of Zagreb....
, population 3,326 - Vukomerić, population 162
- VukovinaVukovinaVukovina is a village in Croatia. It is connected by the D30 highway....
, population 945 - Zablatje Posavsko, population 60
History
Velika Gorica and surrounding plain area by the SavaSava River
The Sava is a river in Southeast Europe, a right side tributary of the Danube river at Belgrade. Counting from Zelenci, the source of Sava Dolinka, it is long and drains of surface area. It flows through Slovenia, Croatia, along the northern border of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and through Serbia....
river have always been fertile and lush so it is no wonder it has been constantly inhabited since Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
. First major settlement was founded in first century where village of Šćitarjevo
Šcitarjevo
Šćitarjevo is a settlement officially in the Town of Velika Gorica, Croatia, located near the Zagreb bypass and the recently built Homeland Bridge. Its main tourist attraction and cultural site is Andautonia, an archeological site with remains of a Roman city.-External links:* website of the...
stands now days. It was called Andautonia and it was important Roman outpost on road between Siscia and Poetovio. The Roman town was abounded at the beginning of fifth century.
Croats came to these parts in eight century and remains from early Croat culture were found on numerous places around city of Velika Gorica. Velika Gorica is first mentioned in 1228 as a seat of parish. In 1278 noblemen from Turopolje joined into a union called Plemenita opčina turopoljska ("Noble municipality of Turopolje"). Plemenita opčina turopoljska was granted a rule over Turopolje by Croatian monarchs and exists still today with mainly ceremonial and not political role.
Twentieth century was by far most important one in history of Velika Gorica as it grew from a small village of 2,871 inhabitants to a important and one of the largest cities in Croatia with population over 60 thousand inhabitants. Until 1995 Velika Gorica was part of City of Zagreb and since then it has a city status of its own.
During Croatian War of Independence
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
Velika Gorica was not heavy damaged but it was constantly under Serbian fire. City played important role because of two airports in its near distance. Velika Gorica's 153rd brigade of Croatian Army fought on battlefields all around Croatia.
Notable residents and people from Velika Gorica
- Vladimir BakarićVladimir BakaricDr. Vladimir Bakarić was a Croatian communist and a politician in Socialist Yugoslavia.Bakarić helped organize Partisan resistance in Croatia during World War II. From 1948 to 1969 he was the chairman of the Croatian League of Communists, and as such was a close collaborator of President Josip...
- Croatian communist and politician in Socialist Yugoslavia - Igor BišćanIgor BišcanIgor Bišćan is a Croatian professional footballer, playing for Dinamo Zagreb. He also played for the English team Liverpool and Greek side Panathinaikos, also spending one-year loan at NK Samobor in his early career...
- football player (currently at NK Dinamo Zagreb) - Tomislav ButinaTomislav ButinaTomislav Butina is a former Croatian footballer who played as goalkeeper for top level clubs Dinamo Zagreb, Club Brugge and Olympiacos. He was also capped 28 times for the Croatia national football team in the period from 2001 to 2006 and was member of Croatian squads at the 2002 and 2006 FIFA...
- former football player - Mario CvitanovićMario CvitanovicMario Cvitanović is a Croatian former football defender. He has made nine appearances for the Croatia national football team....
- former football player - Tonino PiculaTonino PiculaTonino Picula is a Croatian politician of the left-oriented Social Democratic Party of Croatia . He served as a Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2000 to 2003.-Early life:...
- former Croatian Minister of Foreign Affairs - Sonja SmolecSonja Smolec-Biography:Smolec was born in Pula, Croatia. From 1956 to 1985 she lived in Zagreb, and currently resides in Velika Gorica.Smolec was, at one time, a member of the art group '69', but eventually neglected her interest in painting due to family commitments....
- Croatian writer - Ivan ŠukerIvan ŠukerIvan Šuker is a Croatian politician and economist. He served as Minister of Finance from 23 December 2003 to 27 December 2010, and also as member of the Croatian Democratic Union.He currently resides in Velika Gorica.-Education:...
- former Croatian Minister of Finance - Martina DalićMartina DalićMartina Dalić is a Croatian economist and finance official currently serving as Croatia's Minister of Finance having been appointed to the office on 29 December 2010...
- current Croatian Minister of Finance - Robert TrohaRobert TrohaRobert Troha is a Croatian professional basketball player. He is currently free agent due to recovery from knee operation.-Sources:* * *...
- basketball player - Ivana BanfićIvana BanficIvana Banfić is a Croatian dancer and pop singer. She became famous under the stage name I BEE in the 1990s during the period of popularity of dance music in Croatia....
- Croatian singer - Rene MedvešekRene MedvešekRene Medvešek is a Croatian actor. He was born in Velika Gorica.According to the IMDb he appeared in 10 films and one TV series...
- Croatian actor - Gordan KožuljGordan KožuljGordan Kožulj is a former backstroke swimmer from Croatia, who competed in four consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 1996....
- Croatian swimmer
Monuments and Sightseeing
Main Velika Gorica's sight is the Turopolje Museum which traces human presence in Turopolje since NeolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
. There are also a number of monuments scattered around the city and its environs.
Vrata od krča ("The Timber Gate") is a unique wooden monument to human labour, risen up in forest near the city. Monument was risen in 1779 as a symbol of reclaiming the fertile land from forest. It was torn down by the flood in 1914 and restored two years later.
Old town Lukavec is a very well preserved fortification first mentioned in 1256 as Caput Lukavec. It was build by wood as a defense from Ottoman invasion. It was first owned by Zagreb noblemen and Turopolje noblemen gained control over castle in 1553 when it already became a ruin. It was soon rebuild in stone and became a regular site of assembly of Turopolje noblemen.
Wooden chapels from Turopolje and Pokuplje
Pokuplje
Pokuplje is the name for the Kupa river basin in Croatia....
are unique in the world. They can be traced far back in the early Middle Ages
Early Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages was the period of European history lasting from the 5th century to approximately 1000. The Early Middle Ages followed the decline of the Western Roman Empire and preceded the High Middle Ages...
, but most of the preserved ones date from the 17th century. Today there are only 11 preserved wooden chapels left, three in Turopolje, two in Vukomeričke gorice
Vukomeričke gorice
Vukomeričke gorice or Vrhovje, is a wooded low mountain range in Zagreb County, central Croatia. It is located on southwestern border of Turopolje region. The name of the mountains comes from the village Vukomerić which got its name from Vukomer, leader of Vukota tribe that once lived in this...
and six in Pokuplje. They were built by groups of timber-workers and as a rule they were made of oak-tree.
There are several small monuments to World War II anti-fascist resistance movement (most famous being The Bomber Man in near city center) and also many monuments to Croatian soldiers who fought in Croatian War of Independence
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
. The city has a beautiful new monument to soldiers from the city who lost their lives in the Croatian War of Independence
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
.
In a competition held among 5,300 European cities, Velika Gorica was awarded the Silver Flower of Europe – an award presented by the European Association for Flowers and Landscape Entente Florale
Entente Florale
The Entente Florale is an international horticultural competition established to recognise municipalities and villages in Europe for excellence in horticultural displays. Trophies are presented annually by tourist boards and horticultural societies of European countries...
. The award was accepted on 9 September 2004, in the French town of Aix-les-Bains.
Education
Velika Gorica has four elementary schools (Eugen Kvaternik, Eugen Kumičić, Juraj Habdelić and Nikola Hribar) and one high school. In addition, there is a higher education institute, the Velika Gorica University of Applied Sciences.People's Open University
Established in 1960, the People's Open University (POU) began a phase of rich and complex development in its first home, a building which was previously an inn, and which was situated opposite the present-day building of this institution at 37 Zagrebačka Street. In the year of its establishment the institution as connected with the already existing Public Library, and three years later, in 1963, by the Cinema Company “Prosvjeta”. Together, they conducted their activities in the former House of Cooperatives “Zadružni dom”, where the present administration is situated and a part of the POU's activities are still performed today.By initiating and developing numerous activities the University has spread out to new locations. The most important step was made in 1980, when the Cultural Centre was built, with an art gallery, an additional library and a chamber hall in Galženica, a part of Velika Gorica.
In the late 1980s the University was also using space in the old Secondary School at 5 Zagrebačka Street (the Music School), in the House of Social Protection (Dom društvene samozaštite), today’s Fire Brigade building (the radio-station) and in the Podbrežnica settlement (the library). In 1993 the Music School moved to a new building in Kolarova Street where it has remained until the present day.
It was on the premises of the People's Open University that many people in Velika Gorica saw their first film or theatre performance, borrowed their first book or attended their first concert or exhibition. There they learned to play their first notes and master the basics of a foreign language. They entered a disco for the first time in their lives. They learned how to drive a car or heard their own voices on a radio station. Some of them, thanks to this broad spectrum of activities, published their first books or displayed their first exhibitions right here.
In recent years, the building of the Open University has been renovated and technically equipped. The philosophy of the institution has been to listen attentively to the needs of the local populace and design programmes in accord with their changing requirements.
Today, the People's Open University seeks to satisfy the diverse cultural needs of Velika Gorica's citizens through its theatre, gallery, concerts, publishing, cinema and other activities that encourage people to meet and exchange ideas. A great deal was achieved between 2006 and 2010, when actress Senka Bulić served as Head of the POU and brought the University's theatre, Scena Gorica, to the attention of the theatre-going public throughout the country. During her tenure Klub 100, a multimedia space for the development of urban culture, was additionally founded and became an important part of the cultural landscape for young people especially.
Libraries and galleries
Libraries and reading rooms have a long tradition in Turopolje, since there is a deeply rooted interest in and love for books in this region. The Velika Gorica city library is the descendant of the Reading Room in Velika Gorica, established in 1886. Since October 1999 it has operated independently in two locations: the Central Library at 37 Zagrebačka Street and the Regional Galženica Library at 5 S. Radić Square.Turopolje Museum
Founded in 1960, the Turopolje Museum is concerned with the preservation and promotion of the cultural heritage of the historic Turopolje, Pokuplje, Posavina and Vukomeričke gorice regions. The Museum is housed in a building dating from 1750, which previously served as the city hall of the Noble Commune of Turopolje. It is situated in the centre of Velika Gorica, on the eastern edge of the main park. This two-storey building with a colonnade on the ground floor was built in a Baroque style with elements of the traditional Turopolje architectural style. Assemblies called “spravišća” were once held in the large hall on the upper floor. The rooms next to the hall were archives where the important documents of the Noble Commune were kept. The ground floor at one time housed prison cells. The Museum has a collection comprising some 3,500 objects and over 10,000 photographical records. The Museum library has around 700 volumes on subjects relating to the region's history.Public monuments
At the end of the 1970s in particular, moderately intensive development of Velika Gorica's city centre and the surrounding districts took place. In an attempt to accommodate the need both for green space and for an aesthetic dimension to development, over the city history a number of parks have been created, most of which contain pieces of public sculpture.Sport
Notable sports clubs in Velika Gorica include the football clubs HNK GoricaHNK Gorica
HNK Gorica is a Croatian football club based in the town of Velika Gorica, located just south of the Croatian capital Zagreb. They play their home matches at the Stadion Radnik, which has a capacity of 8,000. They won the 2010–11 Druga HNL title and were initially promoted to Prva HNL, but their...
and NK Udarnik, a men's handball club HRK Gorica, a women's volleyball club OK Azena and a men's basketball club KK Gorica
KK Gorica
Košarkaški klub Gorica is a semi-professional basketball club based in Velika Gorica, Croatia. It competes in the A-2 Liga - Centre .-Name changes:*Gorički omladinski košarkaški klub *KK Radnik...
.
HNK Gorica
HNK Gorica
HNK Gorica is a Croatian football club based in the town of Velika Gorica, located just south of the Croatian capital Zagreb. They play their home matches at the Stadion Radnik, which has a capacity of 8,000. They won the 2010–11 Druga HNL title and were initially promoted to Prva HNL, but their...
plays its home games at Stadion Radnik
Stadion Radnik
Stadion Radnik, also known as Gradski stadion Velika Gorica or Stadion ŠRC Velika Gorica, is an association football stadium in Velika Gorica, Croatia. It serves as home stadium for the HNK Gorica football club. The stadium has a capacity of 8,000....
, built for 1987 Summer Universiade
1987 Summer Universiade
The 1987 Summer Universiade, also known as the XIV Summer Universiade, took place in Zagreb, Croatia . It involved participants from 111 countries and over 6,000 individual sportspersons and members of teams.-Medal table:...
while NK Udarnik has its own field in Kurilovec neighborhood. Indoor sports are mainly played in sports hall located in high school complex. New sports hall is currently under construction. There also three elementary school sports halls in the city that are used by sports clubs for trainings and youth categories.