Samobor is a town in the county of Zagreb with a population of 36,200. It is located west of Zagreb, in the central Croatian region between the eastern side of Samoborsko and the eastern part of the Žumberak Mountains, in the valley of the Sava River. The National Park Tepec – Palacnik I Stražnik in the west offers a simple escape into nature.
According to a document of the Endowment Funds by King Bela IV, Samobor has held the status of a free royal town since 1242. Samobor has a rich historical and cultural heritage. It was one of the first attractions in the region, with its first tourist facilities dating back to 1810. At the beginning, the offers were more oriented towards fishing, hunting and hiking. The town’s beautiful setting and its carefully preserved traditions have contributed to the development of local tourism.
Many famous Croatians were born or lived in Samobor. Among them, we can mention Ferdo Livadić Wiesner, pianist, author and composer of one of the most famous Croatian patriotic songs, whose title is “Croatia has not yet perished”. We can also name Antun Gustav Matoš, a poet and writer, who stayed in Samobor for only four years, and Milan Lang, an educational reformer in Croatia and a teacher at the school in Samobor. In 1846, Samobor was visited by the composer Franz Liszt, who was in Zagreb on one of his many tours. Franz Liszt, also a famous music lover, came to the city to see his friend Ferdo Livadić Wiesner.
One of the most important industries in Samobor is the crystal industry. Some of the best and highly prized crystals in the world come from here.