The past of the Bednja region
In a far away past, in Myocen, this part of the Hrvatsko zagorja region was covered by Sarmatian Sea which was rich with different species of fish, snails, shells, sea- urchins, sea turtles and sharks. Shark teeth from that period were found in surrounding area of Lepoglava and on Ravna gora and hills Hum and Želimor near Bednja fossils of leaves, fish and shells were discovered (see Prehistorical Department of the City Museum of Varaždin).
From Diluvial, Glacial Age, a number of remains of mammoth, one of the biggest living animal of that age, were found scattered all over the Bednja river. In Neolithic period, the culture that belongs to the earlier Glacial Age, settlements of cattle-raisers and crop-growers were crowded. The remains of their culture can be found in places where they used to live. In the surrounding area of Trakošćan, in Bednja, Brezova Gora, Cvetlin, Jamno and Jazbina a number of artefacts such as stone axes and other farming tools have been discovered (Archeological Museum of Zagreb). The remained artefacts in ceramics, a fragment of a bronze axe and a fragment of a Celtic rotating hand-mill date from late Bronze Age. They were found on Želimor hill above Bednja which indicates the existence of a permanent settlement (The Archeological Department of Varaždin City Museum).
In the period of the Roman Empire, the Bednja region, as well as the entire Hrvatsko zagorje region, belonged to the Province of Upper Panonia. From ancient Roman descriptions of roads and stations with lodgings to stay overnight and change horses, as well as from the written sources off the Middle Age, we are able to follow directions of the old Roman roads which usually ran parallel with river valleys and often overlapped with modern motorways. The Roman bridge built over the Plitvica river at Jalkovac, until recently existing Roman bridge over the Bednja river near Novi Marof, the stone carvings of the God Mitra at Pregrada, altar consecrated to the God Jupiter from Mihaljekov jarek near Krapina and Roman coins from the 2nd century A.D. in Bednja indicate that Roman roads ran in the river valleys of Krapina, Sutla, Plitvica and Bednja.
During the Middle Ages, the Bednja region was the part of the Trakošćan feudal estate which formed, together with feudal estates in Kamenica, Kostel, Krapina, Belec and Oštrc, the County of Zagorje. The County was owned by the most influential lords of Slavonia. The first famous land-owner of the County of Zagorje, which at the time included esta¬tes Varaždin together with the Manor, Krapina, Lobor, Oštrc, Belec, Kostel, Cesargrad, Vrbovec (Veliki Tabor Manor), Vinica, Trakošćan and Kamenica became lord Herman Celjski with his family, in 1399.
Distribution of settlements within the Bednja region showed and confirmed, even as early as in the Middle Age, that villages were scattered and not connected at all and which is very important characteristic of the Middle Age settlements in this area. In addition to that, the Beyschlag Map of the Varaždin Province which dates back to 1801 shows that the citadels (of Bednjanska Purga and Purga near Šaša) are equally indicated as the castles of baronets and minor noblemen and curias (Curia Nobiliaris of Šaša, of Prašnica, of Zajčevo and Rinkovci).
In the 16th century the County of Zagorje falls apart. At the time the Trakošćan manor was one of the largest manors in the country. The data from 1487 shows that there were 380 households in the Trakošćan manor but most of them were abandoned and ruined, probably due to the Turkish attacs. During the 16th and the 17th century more and more people settle in the manor.
In 1569 the Drašković family became the owner of the Trakošćan manor. The image and power of the Bednja region was getting stronger.
In 1848 sefdom was abolished and the feudal land was parcelled and gave away to the local people. But in the 19th and 20th century the Bednja region was overcrowded and local people were very poor. The biggest organised mode of migration took place in 1945 after the Law on Agrarian Reform and colonisation was approved. By mid-seventies of the 20th century, again a new flow of immigrants left their home "in search of their own piece of bread" and towards foreign destinations.