Tuhelj

Tuhelj
Municipality
Tuhelj Spa in 2018
Tuhelj Location of Tuhelj within Croatia Show map of Krapina-Zagorje County Tuhelj Tuhelj (Croatia) Show map of Croatia
Coordinates: 46°04′36.84″N15°44′49.92″E / 46.0769000°N 15.7472000°E / 46.0769000; 15.7472000
Country	Croatia
County	Krapina-Zagorje County
Government
• Mayor	Mladen Hercigonja (SDP)
Area [1]
• Municipality	23.9 km2 (9.2 sq mi)
• Urban	1.4 km2 (0.5 sq mi)
Population  (2021) [2]
• Municipality	2,043
• Density	85/km2 (220/sq mi)
•  Urban	195
• Urban density	140/km2 (360/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	49215
Website	tuhelj.hr

Tuhelj is a village and a municipality in the Krapina-Zagorje County, northern Croatia. It is famous for its spa.

History

The name Tuhelj comes from the Old Slavic word "tuhl", which means pit. The parish church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Tuhelj is over 600 years old. The first written mention of the parish of Tuhelj is found in a document of the Apostolic Tribunal in Rome dated 21 October 1402. In it, judge Adam Usk states that in Tuhelj there exists "the parish church of St. Mary of Tuhelj, which has a bell tower, a bell, a baptistery and a cemetery." After the last renovation of the church, it was blessed by the Archbishop of Zagreb, Josip Bozanić, on September 23, 2001. ^[3] The parish church is home to a Crucifixion sculpture by Antun Augustinčić. ^[4]

The Municipality of Tuhelj was formed in 1993 by the Law on the Areas of Counties, Cities and Municipalities in the Republic of Croatia.

Demographics

In the 2021 census, there were a total of 2,043 inhabitants in the area, in the following settlements: ^[2]

• Banska Gorica, population 26
• Črešnjevec, population 264
• Glogovec Zagorski, population 72
• Lenišće, population 108
• Lipnica Zagorska, population 71
• Pristava, population 230
• Prosenik, population 191
• Sveti Križ, population 424
• Trsteno, population 124
• Tuhelj, population 195
• Tuheljske Toplice, population 338

In the same census, the majority of the population were Croats at 94.27%. ^[2]

Tuhelj: Population trends 1857–2021

v

population	2471	2816	2903	3339	3444	3755	3514	3680	3780	3515	2947	2708	2250	2161	2181	2104	2043
	1857	1869	1880	1890	1900	1910	1921	1931	1948	1953	1961	1971	1981	1991	2001	2011	2021

Sources: Croatian Bureau of Statistics publications

Administration

The current mayor of Tuhelj is Mladen Hercigonja and the Tuhelj Municipal Council consists of 9 seats.

Groups	Councilors per group
SDP	7 / 9
HDZ	2 / 9
Source: [5]

References

1. Register of spatial units of the State Geodetic Administration of the Republic of Croatia. Wikidata   Q119585703.
2. "Population by Age and Sex, by Settlements" (xlsx). Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in 2021. Zagreb: Croatian Bureau of Statistics. 2022.
3. "Povijest". www.tuhelj.hr. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
4. Antun Augustinčić (Klanjec, 4.5.1900 - Zagreb, 10.5.1978.) ^{[ dead link ]}
5. "II. KRAPINSKO-ZAGORSKA ŽUPANIJA" (PDF). State Election Committee of the Republic of Croatia. Retrieved 21 July 2025.