Samobor facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Samobor
City
Grad Samobor City of Samobor
Top: Church of Saint Anastasia; Center left: Samobor Fountain; Center right: Main Square; Bottom left: Gradna; Bottom right: Samobor mustard sign
Samobor Location in Croatia
Country	Croatia
County	Zagreb
Free royal city	1242
Settlements	77 settlements
Government
• Type	Mayor-council
Area
• City	251.5 km2 (97.1 sq mi)
• Urban	16.6 km2 (6.4 sq mi)
Highest elevation	860 m (2,820 ft)
Lowest elevation	127 m (417 ft)
Population  (2021)
• City	37,435
• Density	148.847/km2 (385.51/sq mi)
• Urban	16,911
• Urban density	1,018.7/km2 (2,639/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	HR-10 430
Area code	+385 1
Vehicle registration	ZG
Patron saints	St. Anne

Samobor is a lovely town in Zagreb County, Croatia. It's located close to the big city of Zagreb. Samobor is known for its beautiful nature and long history.

Exploring Samobor: Location and Landscape

Samobor is found west of Zagreb. It sits between the eastern slopes of the Samobor hills, which are part of the Žumberak Mountains. The town is also in the valley of the Sava River. This area is part of the historical region called Croatia proper.

How Samobor is Run: City Government

Samobor has its own city government. This includes a court, police, health services, and a post office. These services help the town run smoothly for everyone who lives there. The mayor of Samobor is Petra Škrobot.

Samobor's Story: A Look Back in Time

Ruins of Samobor Castle

Samobor has a very old history! It became a special place called a free royal town way back in 1242. This was made official by King Béla IV. Being a "free royal town" meant it had special rights and freedoms directly from the king.

After 1699, Samobor became part of the Habsburg monarchy. Later, it was part of the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Samobor was an important district capital within the Zagreb County.

What Samobor Makes: Local Economy

One of the most important industries in Samobor is crystal cutting. The crystal products made here are famous across Europe and around the world. This shows the town's skill in crafting beautiful items.

Famous Faces from Samobor

Many interesting people were born or lived in Samobor. Here are a few:

• Mihalj Šilobod Bolšić (1724–1787): A priest and mathematician. He wrote the first Croatian arithmetic textbook.
• Ferdo Livadić: A famous piano composer. He wrote a well-known Croatian patriotic song called Još Hrvatska ni propala (meaning "Croatia Hasn't Perished Yet").
• Antun Gustav Matoš: A poet and writer who lived in Samobor for four years.
• Vladimir Šujster: An Olympic gold medalist in handball from the 1996 Atlanta games.

Samobor's People: Population Facts

In 2021, the total population of Samobor and its surrounding areas was 37,481 people. The main town of Samobor itself had 16,914 residents.

Samobor's Many Settlements

The larger area of Samobor includes 77 smaller villages and communities. Here are some of them:

Visiting Samobor: Monuments and Sights

King Tomislav Square, a central spot in Samobor

A view of the Gradna River in Samobor

The Samobor Museum, a place to learn about the town's history

A delicious Samoborska kremšnita, a famous local cake

Members of the "Samobor People's Guard", a historical military unit

Samobor was one of the first places in the region to attract tourists. People started visiting as early as 1810. They came for fishing, hunting, and hiking in the beautiful natural surroundings. Because it's close to Zagreb, Samobor remains a popular tourist spot today.

In 1846, the famous composer Franz Liszt visited Samobor. He came to see his friend Ferdo Livadić at the Livadić mansion. Today, this mansion is the town museum. On Tepec hill, just a short walk from the town center, you can still see the remains of Samobor Castle. This fortress was built in the 13th century.

Learning in Samobor: Schools and Education

Samobor has several schools for young people. There are two elementary schools:

• Osnovna škola Bogumil Toni (Bogumil Toni Elementary School)
• Osnovna škola Samobor (Samobor Elementary School)

There is also one high school, Srednja škola Samobor (Samobor High School). This high school offers different programs, including:

• Two academies for arts like economy and trade.
• The Gimnazija Antuna Gustava Matoša (Antun Gustav Matoš Comprehensive School).
• Srednja strukovna škola Samobor, which offers technical studies and hairdressing.

For those interested in music, there's also a music academy called Glazbena škola Ferdo Livadić.

Sports in Samobor: Get Active!

Sportska dvorana Samobor, a main indoor sports hall

Samobor is home to many sports clubs. Football is popular, with the main club being NK Samobor. Other football clubs include NK Bregana and NK Galgovo.

Handball is also a big sport. There's a women's club, ŽRK Samobor, and men's clubs like RK Mladost 09. Basketball fans can cheer for KK Samobor.

Samobor also has clubs for:

• Judo (Judo Klub Samobor)
• Karate (Karate klub Samobor)
• Athletics (Atletski klub Samobor 2007)
• Gymnastics (Gimnastički klub Samobor)
• Volleyball (Odbojkaški klub Samobor)
• Tennis (Tenis klub Samobor 1890)
• Table Tennis (Stolnoteniski klub Samobor)
• Taekwondo (Taekwondo klub Koryo Samobor)
• Mountain Biking (Brdsko-biciklistički klub Šišmiš)
• Kickboxing (TNT Samobor)
• Motocross (Moto Cross Klub TRP Marović)

The main football stadium is Gradski Stadion Samobor. For indoor sports, the Sportska dvorana Samobor can hold 700 people.

Samobor Around the World: Twin Towns

Samobor has special connections with other towns around the world. These are called "twin towns" or "sister cities." They often share cultural exchanges and friendships. Samobor is twinned with:

• Wirges, Germany
• Veles, North Macedonia
• Stari Grad, Croatia
• Pécs, Hungary
• Chassieu, France
• Parabiago, Italy