Senj

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For the village in Iran, see Sanj, Lorestan.
Not to be confused with Sinj.
Senj
—  Municipality  —
Senj from the sea
Senj is located in Croatia
Senj
Location of Senj within Croatia
Coordinates: 44°57′N 14°54′E / 44.950°N 14.900°E / 44.950; 14.900Coordinates: 44°57′N 14°54′E / 44.950°N 14.900°E / 44.950; 14.900
Country Croatia
County Lika-Senj
Government
 • Mayor Zlatko Modrić (HDZ)
Area
 • Total 658 km2 (254 sq mi)
Elevation 0 m (0 ft)
Population (2001)[1]
 • Total 8,132
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 53 270
Area code(s) 053
Website senj.hr

Senj (pronounced [sɛ̂ːɲ]) is the oldest town on the upper Adriatic, and it was founded in the time before the Romans some 3,000 years ago (Senia) on the hill Kuk. It was the center of the Illyrian tribe Iapydes. The current settlement is situated at the foot of the slopes Mala Kapela and Velebit. The symbol of the town, the Fortress Nehaj (Croatian: Tvrđava Nehaj), that is found on the hill Nehaj, was completed in 1558, and has since then been the seat of the Uskoci until they were banished from the town in the 1617 after the Habsburg Monarchy made peace with the Republic of Venice. Senj is now found in the Lika-Senj County, and is also included in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gospić-Senj, and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rijeka within the Catholic Church.

Contents

Name [edit]

In Greek the town is known as Attienities (Αθυινιτες), in Latin as Senia or Segnia, in Hungarian as Zeng, in German as Zengg, and in Italian as Segna.

History [edit]

The Fortress Nehaj was built by Ivan Lenković in 1558, and is the most famous monument and symbol of Senj

Senj has been inhabited since the prehistoric times. A settlement called Attienities in today's Senj was mentioned in Greek documents dated 4th century BC. The Romans used Senia as a stronghold against the Illyrians in the 2nd century BC, and it was a thriving town in their province of Dalmatia. The Avars and the Croats settled Senj in the 7th century (AD).

The Senj Catholic diocese was established in 1169. Croatian-Hungarian king Béla III gave the town to the Templars in 1184, and in 1271 it became the property of the counts of Krk, the Frankopans.

In 1248 the bishop of Senj was allowed by the Pope Innocent IV to use the Glagolitic alphabet and the vernacular language in liturgy. A Glagolitic printing press was set up in 1494, and produced the incunabula "The Glagolic Missal" and "Spovid općena".

The military captaincy of Senj was established in 1469 in order to defend from the invading Ottoman and Venetian armies, and the town sheltered thousands of refugees from the nearby occupied areas. The fortress Nehaj was completed on the hill Nehaj in 1558 that in that time was beside the town. This hill is today in the towns borders. The wars with the Ottomans lasted well into the 17th century. In that time in Senj lived uskoci, that where a tribe that dwelled in the fortress Nehaj. For the wars with the Ottomans they were important because they were small units of men rowing swift boats, and so they proved to be very efficient guerrilla forces.

The 18th century brought some prosperity, especially with the construction of the Josephina (named after Emperor Joseph II) linking the Adriatic coast via Senj to Karlovac. The railway line built in 1873 between Fiume (Rijeka) and Karlovac didn't go past Senj and this deterred its further development.

Until 1918, the town was part of the Austrian monarchy (Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia after the compromise of 1867), in the Croatia-Slavonia Military Border District (Regiment III).[2]

Kingdom of Hungary stamp, issue 1888

In the fall of 1943, during World War II, when Fascist Italy capitulated, the Partisans took control of Senj and used it as a supply port. Subsequently, the Luftwaffe started bombarding the city. By the end of the year they had demolished over one half of the city buildings as well as caused numerous civilian casualties.[3]

Climate [edit]

Senj has a temperate climate which is usually described as temperate Oceanic or Marine west coast, with mild, windy winters and relatively dry and warm summers. According to the Köppen climate classification it falls within a cool, dry-summer subtropical zone (Csb), with cool-summer Mediterranean characteristics such as its usually dry summers.

Climate data for Senj
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 8
(46)		 9
(48)		 13
(55)		 17
(62)		 22
(71)		 26
(79)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 24
(76)		 19
(66)		 14
(58)		 8
(47)		 18.2
(64.7)
Average low °C (°F) 3
(37)		 3
(37)		 6
(43)		 9
(49)		 13
(56)		 18
(64)		 20
(68)		 19
(67)		 17
(62)		 12
(54)		 9
(48)		 3
(38)		 11
(51.9)
Precipitation mm (inches) 81
(3.2)		 71
(2.8)		 94
(3.7)		 104
(4.1)		 104
(4.1)		 99
(3.9)		 66
(2.6)		 84
(3.3)		 140
(5.5)		 198
(7.8)		 173
(6.8)		 140
(5.5)		 1,354
(53.3)
Source: Weatherbase[4]

Economy [edit]

Modern Senj is a seaside tourist town. Primary occupations are fishing, boating, and tourism.

The municipality of Senj [edit]

The Senj municipality within the Lika-Senj County

There are 27 settlements in the municipality and they include: Alan, Biljevine, Bunica, Crni Kal, Jablanac, Klada, Krasno, Krivi Put, Lukovo, Melnice, Mrzli Dol, Pijavica, Podbilo, Prizna, Senj, Senjska Draga, Starigrad, Stinica, Stolac, Sveta Jelena, Sveti Juraj, Velike Brisnice, Veljun Primorski, Volarice, Vrataruša, Vratnik i Vrzići.

Population [edit]

Administrative unit city of Senj has 8,132 inhabitants.

Population by nationality:

Notable people [edit]

Panoramic of Senj's harbor

Twin cities [edit]

See also: Town twinning

Pictures [edit]

 This section looks like an image gallery. Wikipedia policy discourages galleries of random images of the article subject; please improve or remove the section accordingly, moving freely licensed images to Wikimedia Commons if not already hosted there. (February 2012)

  • The view on a part of Senj's harbor

  • The fortress Nehaj on the hill Nehaj is the most famous monument and symbol of Senj

  • The statue Three seamen

  • The Sundial in the town of Senj that lies on the north 45th parallel shows that Senj lies exactly in the middle between the equator and the north pole

  • Senj, as seen from the hillside above on a windy day. On the left, there is the hill |Nehaj with the fortress, behind is the small island of Prvić, lying between the islands of Krk and Rab

A view of Senj seaside. On the right, there is the Nehaj hill with fortress, behind is the Vratnik mountain pass across the Velebit mountain range.

  • The view on a part of Senj's harbor chained with snow after a cold front
    (February 9, 2012)

  • A closeup of a part of Senj's harbor chained with snow after a cold front
    (February 9, 2012)

  • One of Senj's lighthouses in its harbor chained with snow after a cold front
    (February 9, 2012)

References [edit]

  1. ^ "Population contingents, by towns/municipalities, census 2001". Croatian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved December 29, 2008. 
  2. ^ Handbook of Austria and Lombardy-Venetia Cancellations on the Postage Stamp Issues 1850-1864, by Edwin MUELLER, 1961.
  3. ^ Mihael Sobolevski (December 1, 2003). "Bombardiranje Senja zrakoplovima u Drugom svjetskom ratu". The Review of Senj (in Croatian) (City Museum Senj – Senj Museum Society). ISSN 0582-673X. 
  4. ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Senj, Croatia". Weatherbase. 2011.  Retrieved on November 24, 2011.

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Senj
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Senj
Subdivisions of Lika-Senj County
Towns
Coat of arms of Lika-Senj County
Municipalities
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