Lepoglava

Lepoglava is a town in Varaždin County, northern Croatia, located southwest of Varaždin, west of Ivanec and northeast of Krapina, at around coord|46|12|38|N|16|2|8|E. It has a population of 4,084, with a total of 8,718 people in the municipality (2001 census).

Lepoglava is probably best known for hosting the main Croatian prison. In 1854, a monastery of the Pauline Fathers was transformed by the authorities into a penitentiary (this order would wait until 2001 for a part of its property there to be returned to the bishopric). In the 20th century, the prison became known as the home to numerous "unwanted" groups - during the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, the Communists and revolutionaries were incarcerated there, among them Josip Broz Tito, Moše Pijade, Rodoljub Čolaković, Radivoje Davidović, Mihajlo Javorski and others. During World War II and the Independent State of Croatia, the prison was used to incarcerate and liquidate over two thousand anti-fascists. After the war, Alojzije Stepinac spent some time in the Lepoglava prison. After the Croatian Spring, the prison held political prisoners including Franjo Tuđman, Vlado Gotovac, Dražen Budiša, Dobroslav Paraga, Ivan Zvonimir Čičak, Šime Đodan, Hrvoje Šošić and others.

External links

* [http://www.lepoglava.hr/ Lepoglava official web site]