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Osijek

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Osijek
File:Osijek Coat of Arms.gif
Coat of Arms
Latitude 45.55°N
Longitude 18.68°E
Mayor Anto Đapić
Surface (km²) 169 km²
Population
(2001)		 114,616 [1]
Time zone (UTC) UTC+1 Central European Time

Osijek (pronounced: [ˈɔsjɛk]) is the fourth largest city in Croatia with a population of 114,616 in 2001.

It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of Slavonia (eastern Croatia), as well as the administrative center of the Osijek-Baranja county.

Osijek is located on the right bank of the river Drava, 25 km upstream of its confluence with the Danube, at an elevation of 94 m. Transportation links include major railway and highway junctions, a river port, and a regional airport. A full motorway, linking the important city to the rest of the Croatian Motorway network and the major Pan-European corridor 5c, is well under construction and will reach Osijek by 2008.

Name

The name was given to the city due to its place on the elevated ground which prevented the city being flooded by the local swamp waters. Its name Osijek comes from the word "oseka" which means "ebb tide" and was referred to the place where it is ebb tide and was suitable for settlement.

Due to its past and its history within Habsburg Monarchy and briefly in the Ottoman Empire and also due to the presence of German and Hungarian minorities throughout its history, Osijek also has (or had) its name versions in other languages, Hungarian: Eszék, German: Esseg, Latin: Essec, Turkish: Ösek. All those names were adjusted variations to the original Croatian given name. In Roman times Osijek was called Mursa.

Institutions and industries

Osijek is located in Croatia
Osijek
Osijek
Osijek (Croatia)

Major institutions in the city include the University Josip Juraj Strossmayer (established in 1975), the Croatian National Theatre, the Museum of Slavonia (established in 1877), and the printing house dating to 1735.

It also has several gymnasiums, the oldest of which dates to 1729, a drawing school from the 19th century, a zoological garden, a centre for the promotion of livestock breeding, and an institute for sugar beet farming.

Osijek is a major industrial centre that manufactures a broad range of goods and products. The match factory Drava was established here in 1856 and the factory Saponia is an important chemical refinery.

Other industries include production of synthetic materials, agricultural machinery, metal furniture), wood and timber, textiles, footwear, and silk, as well as metal processing and printing. The local agricultural economy is strong, based upon farming, livestock breeding and fishing, with mills, a sugar processing plant, and a brewery.

History

St. Michael's Church, in Osijek's Baroque Tvrđa

The beginnings of man's residence in Osijek goes back to Neolithic times, and the first known inhabitants belong to the Illyrian tribes. Roman emperor Hadrian raised the old settlement of Mursa to a colony with special privileges in 131. After that, Mursa had a turbulent history, with several decisive battles that took place here (among which the Battle of Mursa Major in 351 and the battle between Aureolus and Ingenuus in 260), deciding the destiny of the whole region. After their migration, the Croats made a settlement near the ruins of Mursa, giving it its present name, Osijek. Life was thriving here in the Middle Ages, but only traces of that life can be found today because the Turks destroyed everything they found and made a town to suit their style.

The earliest mentions of Osijek date to 1196. The town was a feudal property of the Korog family between 1353 and 1472. The city was sacked and destroyed by the Ottoman Empire on August 8, 1526. The Turks rebuilt it in oriental style and it was mentioned in the Turkish census of 1579. Suleiman I built here his famous, 8 kilometers long wooden bridge, considered to be one of the wonders of the world. The town was officially promoted to a city by the end of the 17th century.

Osijek was restored to western rule when on September 29, 1687 it was occupied by the Habsburg Empire. Between 1712 and 1721, new Austrian authorities built a new fortress (authored by the architect Maximilian de Gosseau), known as Tvrđa. It is a unique urban and military complex that lies in the heart of the town. Its main central Holy Trinity Square is closed on the north by the building of the Military Command, on the west there is the Main Guard building and on the east is the Magistrate building (presently Museum of Slavonia). In the middle there is a monument to the plague, erected in 1729 by general Petras' widow. The Gornji Grad (Upper Town) was founded in 1692 and Donji Grad (Lower Town) followed on 1698. Tvrđa, Gornji and Donji grad continued as separate municipalities until 1786. In late 18th century it took over from Virovitica as the center of the Verőce county.

Secession Façade of Osijek

In 1809 Osijek was granted the title of a Free Royal City and during the early 19th century it was the largest city in Croatia. The city developed along the lines of other central European cities, with cultural, architectural and socio-economic influences filtering down from Vienna and Budapest.

During the 19th century, cultural life mostly revolved around the theatre, museums (the first museum was opened in 1877 by private donations), collections and printing houses (the Franciscans). City society, whose development was accompanied by a prosperous economy and developed trade relations, was related to religious festivals, public events (fairs), entertainment and sports.

The Novi Grad (New Town) section of the city was built in the 19th century, as well as Retfala to the west. The newest additions to the city include Sjenjak, Vijenac, Jug and Jug II, which were built in the 20th century.

The city's geographical riverside location, and noted cultural and historical heritage — particularly the baroque Tvrđa, one of the most attractive structures in the region — facilitated the development of tourism.

During the war in Croatia from 1991 to 1995 the city avoided heavy destruction (as in Vukovar f.e.) and sustained moderate damage, especially to the center and main church of St. Peter and Paul[2] and to the periphery. More than thousand (over 1200) civilians also died in the daily bombarding of the town during the aggression.[3] While some buildings still have mild damage, most often the occasional superficial pockmark from shelling, the city's facades are generally in good shape, due to extensive restoration in recent times, preserving the charm of its intricate Austro-Hungarian Baroque architecture in the older quarters of town. A small tram network runs through the city, effectively transporting the town's inhabitants. The network is currently being completely overhauled and more than doubled in length, and the city's old trams are being modernized.

Population

The total population of Osijek is 114,616. Croats make up the majority of Osijek's citizens, comprising 86.58% of the city's population according to the 2001 census.[1] Other ethnicities include 480 (0.42%) Albanians, 211 (0.18%) Bosniaks, 175 (0.15%) Montenegrins, 1,154 (1.01%) Hungarians, 178 (0.16%) ethnic Macedonians, 124 (0.11%) Roma, 8,767 (7.65%) Serbs and others.

Population by religion are 96,600 (84.28%) Roman Catholics, 78 (0.07%) Eastern-rite Catholics, 8,619 (7.52%) Orthodox Christians, 966 (0.84%) Muslims and others.

According to the 1910 census, the city had 31,388 inhabitants, of which 12,625 (40.2%) were Croats, 11,269 (35.9%) Germans, 7,500 (13.7%) Jews, and 3,729 (11.88%) Magyars.[2] Please note that this amounts to a total of 101.6%.

Sights and events

Kino Urania (Urania Cinema), Osijek
Osijek tram

Osijek remains a popular domestic tourist destination for its Baroque style, open spaces and ample recreational opportunities. The most important sights in the city include the main square, Trg Ante Starčevića, Tvrđa the 18th century Baroque citadel, the promenade along the Drava ("promenada"), and the suspension pedestrian bridge toward Baranja.

The Municipal Park of King Petar Krešimir IV and the Tomislav Park date from the beginning of the 20th century, and are protected national landmarks. Osijek is also home to one of the few Croatian zoological gardens, along the Drava river.

Numerous events take place in the city throughout the year. The most important of them are the Croatian Tambura Music Festival (in May), attended by tambura orchestras from all over Croatia and the Osijek Summer Nights (during June, July and August), a series of cultural and entertainment programs in the open, accompanied by excellent food and fairs. The Day of the City of Osijek is celebrated with a cultural and artistic activities and exhibitions.

The recreational and sports centre Copacabana, located on the left bank of the Drava river, provides opportunities for various water sports (outdoor swimming pools and a sand beach with various facilities) during the summer months. The city offers various playgrounds: football, handball, basketball, tennis courts, etc.

Football club NK Osijek is playing in Croatian First League at Gradski vrt stadium.

Surroundings

The surroundings of Osijek provide excellent opportunities for hunting and angling on the Drava river and its backwaters. Hunting in the area known as Kopački Rit (in Baranja) is famous beyond the borders of Croatia.

The abundance of game and agriculture has made Osijek the country's semi-official gastronomical capital. Local dishes include traditional Slavonian-style specialities (kulen, paprika-flavoured sausage, other kinds of sausages, ham, bacon, dairy products), as well as venison and fish dishes such as the famous riblji paprikaš (fish stew made with paprika).

The Osijek beer (Osječko pivo) and Baranja wines are offered in restaurants in the town and its surroundings.

Famous people from Osijek

Main article: List of people from Osijek

Famous people from Osijek include:

Twin towns

Sign showing Osijek's twin towns

Osijek is twinned with:

References

  1. ^ Population by ethnicity, by towns/municipalities, census 2001, Crostat, accessed 27 September 2006
  2. ^ László Zentai and Pál Kósa (eds.) Talma Kiadó Atlas and Gazetteer of Historic Hungary 1914, Talma Kiadó, 2001
  • Osječka promenada
    Osječka promenada
  • Osječka fontana
    Osječka fontana
  • Osječki most
    Osječki most
  • Secesija Osijek
    Secesija Osijek
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