History
The first written record of Stubičke Toplice was found on the charter of hungarian - croatian king Andrew II from 1209, where toponyms Toplice and Stubica were mentioned.
In the Middle Ages, Stubičke Toplice were mentioned in 1567 in an investigation against Franjo Tahy, when the area was a part of Susedgrad - Stubica estate. The final battle of the great peasant revolt from 1573 took place on the hill Kapelščak. At the top of the hill there was a small chapel of St. Catherine`s which used to be a parish church according to visitation from 1622.
Thermal water sources in Stubičke Toplice were firstly described by a Hungarian historian Nikola Isthvánffy in the 17th century. In the 18th century Stubičke Toplice were owned by the Counts Vojkffy - Vojković from Donje Oroslavje. In 1776, Count K. Vojkffy had an inn and a swimming pool built next to the sources themselves, presenting the beginning of the future health resort i.e. future balneological tradition.
A significant period in the development of Stubičke Toplice started in 1806 when Zagreb`s Bishop Maximilian Vrhovac (Karlovac, 23rd November 1752 - Zagreb, 16th December 1827) purchased the nearby castle Golubovec from Domjanić family, and afterwards the thermal springs in Stubičke Toplice from Counts Vojkffy - Vojković. Bishop Maximilian Vrhovac was a great benefactor of the Croatian culture and the central figure in the history of Stubičke Toplice. Up to 1811, he was systematically buying surrounding land, thus increasing the property of spa and transforming it into a large complex on which a modern spa resort was to be built.
The construction of the main bathing building - Maximilian`s bath began in 1811. The drafts were made by the official constructor of Bishop Vrhovac - friar Christianus Heinrich Vesteburg. Skillfully composed and functionally resolved, performed in a baroque style, Maximilian`s bath was a large scale investment in its time and the first arranged thermal spa in Croatia which, with some changes, still operates today. In the garden, behind Maximilian`s bath, Diana's steam bath was built as an octagonal pavilion. On the windows of this building neo-Gothic motifs were applied. The neo-Gothic pointed arches were performed by Vesteburg in 1806 during the renovation of the court chapel in the nearby Golubovec castle presenting the first application of neo-Gothic style in our country. The third building of the health - spa complex is the classicist chapel of st. Catherine`s constructed by the same author. It was built and dedicated in 1814. It is important to emphasize that the same author applied three different styles (baroque tradition, neo-Gothic, Classicism) in the same period, on three different facilities, thereby announcing the sequence and mixture of historical styles throughout the 19th century.
At the invitation of Bishop Maximilian Vrhovac, most eminent physicians and surgeons came to Stubičke Toplice to explore and confirm the healing properties and possible medical application of thermal springs.
During the 19th century the owners of the health resort were heirs of Maximilian Vrhovac in Stubički Golubovec - nobles Novosel, counts Sermage, barons Rauch and last owners barons Steeb. The health resort did not change its methods of work until 1918.
The oldest existing tourist document of Stubičke Toplice „The Thermal Bath and Health Resort Stubičke Toplice“ was printed in 1914 when Levin baron Rauch was the owner of the health resort.
This document speaks of a well-organized health resort, opened from May to October. In addition to medical facilities, guests were provided with various entertainment contents. Before the railroad Zabok - Gornja Stubica was constructed in 1916, Stubičke Toplice were connected with Zabok via their own bathing car. The First World War interrupted the activities of the bath and the spa. Between the two world wars, the resort became a stock company, outdoor swimming pools were built, along with restaurants and other objects. Stubičke Toplice were becoming the most popular and most visited resort of Zagreb`s surroundings. In the second half of the 20th century there was a considerable upgrade of the health - spa resort and a new hotel was constructed.