:
"Mursa" redirects here. For the barbel species, see Luciobarbus mursa.
Osijek ( 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 the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja county. Osijek is located on the right bank of the river Drava, upstream of its confluence with the Danube, at an elevation of .
Name
The name was given to the city due to its position on elevated ground which prevented the city being flooded by the local swamp waters. Its name
Osijek comes from the
Croatian word "oseka" which means "
ebb tide".
Due to its past and its history within the 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 names in other languages, notably Hungarian: Eszék, , , , . All those names were adjusted variations to the original Croatian given name. In Roman times Osijek was called Mursa Maior, but its official Roman name was Colonia Aelia Mursa, as it was established by emperor Hadrian.
History
Origins
The origins of human habitation of Osijek dates back to
Neolithic times, with the first known inhabitants belonging 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 taking place (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 of destruction in
Ottoman–Hungarian Wars as well as architectural changes during the Ottoman period.
The earliest mentions of Osijek date to 1196. The town was a feudal property of the Korogyi family between 1353 and 1472. The city was demaged by the Ottoman conquerors on 8 August 1526. The Turks rebuilt it in oriental style and it was mentioned in the Turkish census of 1579. In 1566, Suleiman the Magnificent built a famous, 8 kilometer-long wooden bridge of boats in Osijek, 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. It was a sanjak of Budin Eyalet.
Habsburg Empire
Osijek was restored to western rule when on 29 September 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 centre of the
Verőce county.
The Habsburg empire also facilitated the migration and settlement of German immigrants into the town and region.
architecture]]
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 Buda.
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.
20th century
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 immediately recognizable structures in the region — facilitated the development of
tourism. The Osijek oil refinery was a
strategic bombing target of the
Oil Campaign of World War II.
Immediately after the war, daily newspaper Glas Slavonije has been relocated in Osijek and is printed there ever since. History archive was established in the city in 1947 and city library in 1949. Children's theatre and the art gallery were open in 1950.
As a continuation of the reach tradition of promoting national heritage, especially in music, society of culture and art "Pajo Kolarić" has been established on 21 March 1954.
Osijek has been connected with republic's capital Zagreb and federal capital Belgrade by modern paved road since 1958. New Drava bridge to the north has been built in 1962.
The first faculty opened in Osijek was Faculty of Economy (in 1959 as Centre for economic studies of the Faculty of Economy in Zagreb), followed immediately by High school of agriculture, later renamed to Faculty of Agriculture and Faculty of Philosophy. Faculty of Law has been established in 1975. thus becoming the first new member of newly established University of Osijek.
As part of further development as a regional food industry and agricultural centre major (working) collective for agriculture and industry has been established in 1962.
During 1980s, new pedestrian suspension bridge over Drava has been build. Regional centre of JRT has also been opened.
During the war in Croatia from 1991 to 1995 the city avoided heavy destruction (unlike nearby Vukovar, for example) and sustained moderate damage, especially to the centre and Co-cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul and to the periphery. More than a thousand (over 1200) civilians also died in the daily shelling of the town. On the other hand, at least five Croatian officials were condemned for war crimes against Serb civilians in Osijek, including General Branimir Glavaš. While some buildings still have mild damage, most often the occasional superficial pockmark from artillery and mortar fire, 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.
Population
According to the 1910 census, the city had 31,388 inhabitants. One source lists 12,625 as
Croats, 11,269 as
Germans or
Danube Swabians, 7,500 as
Jews, and 3,729 as
Magyars, but note that these figures sum to more than the total population. After
World War II the entire
Danube Swabian population were expelled as a revenge for their participation in German occupation of Yugoslavia. Their property has become publicly owned and redistributed to the World War II victims.
According to the 1981 census, the total population had reached 158,790, including 90,770 (57.16%) Croats and 28,536 (17.97%) Serbs.
Prior to the Croatian War of Independence, the 1991 census recorded a total population of 165,253, composed of 110,934 (67.1%) Croats, 33,146 (20.0%) Serbs, 3,156 (1.9%) Hungarians, 276 (0.16%) Germans, and 17,741 (10.7%) people categorised as Yugoslavs or 'others'.
According to the latest census, taken in 2001, total population of Osijek dropped to 114,616. Croats make up the majority of Osijek's citizens, comprising 86.58 per cent of the city's population. Other ethnicities include 8,767 (7.65%) Serbs, 1,154 (1.01%) Hungarians, 480 (0.42%) Albanians, 211 (0.18%) Bosniaks, 175 (0.15%) Montenegrins, 178 (0.16%) ethnic Macedonians, 124 (0.11%) Roma, and others including 24 Jews.
Osijek's population includes 96,600 (84.28%) Roman Catholics, 78 (0.07%) Eastern-rite Catholics, 8,619 (7.52%) Orthodox Christians, and 966 (0.84%) Muslims and others.
Institutions and industries
Major institutions in the city include the
Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek (established in 1975), the
Croatian National Theatre, the
Museum of Slavonia (established in 1877), and the
printing house dating to 1735. The city 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.
The Saponia chemical factory is the largest factory located in the Osijek area. It is a major producer of detergents, soap and cosmetics whose products are recognized throughout the region as being of quality. It is by far the largest exporter in the city area. Other industries include a regional brewery, the Pivovara Osijek (first Croatian beer), and a sugar processing plant.
The Osijek area used to be much more industrialised and a broad range of goods and products were being manufactured there. One of the earliest factories was the Drava match factory, established in 1856, which no longer exists. Other industries included production of synthetic materials, agricultural machinery, metal furniture, wood and timber, textiles, footwear, and silk, as well as metal processing and printing. However, the 1990s saw most of these industries decline and in some cases close completely. However, the city remains at the centre of an important agricultural region.
Politics
At the November 2007 elections, no party held a majority, which is not unusual for Croatia as local elections have
proportional representation. However, the three mathematically possible coalitions had political problems that made coalition building unusually difficult. The November elections were early (izvanredne) elections caused by the breakdown of the coalition of the two main parties, the
Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) and the
Croatian Democratic Assembly of Slavonia and Baranja (HDSSB). The cause of the breakdown was disagreement over the building of a new sports stadium.
At the elections held on the 25 November 2007, the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) and the Croatian Democratic Assembly of Slavonia and Baranja (HDSSB) gained 7 seats each, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) 6 seats, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) 4, and the Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats (HNS) 1. A possible coalition between HDSSB and SDP provoked criticism of the Social Democrats for lack of principle such as from Damir Kajin, who called it a 'sellotape coalition', alluding to the charges of war crimes that the HDSSB leader Branimir Glavaš is facing.
After the parties failed to agree a coalition, the Croatian government called new elections for the city.
Society and culture
Cultural events
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 surroundings of Osijek provide 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.
Cuisine
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). Two brands of
beer are brewed in Osijek: Osječko and Esseker. There is also the Baranja
wine offered in restaurants.
Sports
The recreational and sports centre
Copacabana, opened in 1980, 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.
NK Osijek are the city's main football team,which are followed by their supporters group called Kohorta Osijek, playing in the
Croatian First League at
Gradski vrt stadium. The city is also home to a number of smaller teams including
NK Grafičar Vodovod and
NK Metalac. Before the
Second World War, the city's most successful club was
Slavija Osijek, which collapsed in 1941. A new sports hall (
Dvorana Gradski vrt) was built as the
2009 World Men's Handball Championship venue. Osijek also hosts an extreme sports contest
Pannonian challenge which features competitions in
skateboarding,
inline skating,
freestyle BMX and
MTB dirt racing.
Tourism, Sights and Attractions
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. The city is home to a monument to Ante Starčević.
The Church of St. Peter and Paul (Sv Petar I Pavao) is a Neo-Gothic structure with the second highest tower in Croatia after the Zagreb Cathedral. The tower measure and can be seen from throughout Osijek. Because of its size most locals refer to it as the cathedral but it is only a parish church. The Church of St Peter and St Paul was designed by Franz Langenberg and contains 40 stained glass windows, although they are not all intact after the bombing in the 1990s. The church also contains sculptures by Eduard Hauser.
Transport
Transport links to and from Osijek include major
railway and
highway junctions, a
river port, and
Osijek Airport. International flights from the airport to
Cologne/Bonn Airport in
Germany commenced in March 2008. A four-lane highway, part of the Pan-European
Corridor Vc, linking Osijek to the rest of the Croatian modern highway network, is completed and opened in April 2009. From Osijek it is possible to take the train to numerous destinations including
Zagreb,
Rijeka,
Požega,
Virovitica,
Našice,
Slavonski Brod,
Slavonski Šamac,
Erdut,
Vrpolje,
Dalj,
Đakovo and
Beli Manastir, from where there are connections on to
Hungary. There is also a daily service from
Budapest to
Sarajevo that stops in Osijek.
A small tram network runs through the city, which has been in continuous operation since 1884 and is the only tram network still in operation in Croatia outside of Zagreb. The network is currently being completely overhauled and more than doubled in length, and the city's old trams have been thoroughly modernized.
Famous people from Osijek
Famous people who were born or have lived in Osijek include Matija Petar Katančić, an 18th century Croatian writer, professor of archaeology, translator of the Bible into Croatian, and author of the first paper over the archaeology in Croatia), Josip Juraj Strossmayer, a Croatian Maecenas bishop, Franjo Šeper, Archbishop of Zagreb from 1960–1968, and Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith from 1968–1981, Francis, Duke of Teck, a German prince and father of Mary of Teck (later the Queen Consort of George V) hence the great grandfather of Queen Elizabeth II, politicians Vladimir Šeks and Branimir Glavaš, painters Adolf Waldinger and Bela Čikoš Sesija, musicians Franjo Krežma, Miroslav Škoro, Branko Mihaljević and Krunoslav Slabinac, historian Ferdo Šišić, TV journalist Vladimir Herzog, Hollywood producer Branko Lustig, footballers Davor Šuker and Franjo Glaser, sport shooter Jasna Šekarić and tennis player Jelena Dokić. Nobel Prize winners Lavoslav (Leopold) Ružička and Vladimir Prelog also lived in the city, as did meteorologist and seismologist Andrija Mohorovičić, and world known mathematician and climatologist Milutin Milanković.
International relations
Twin towns - sister cities
Osijek is
twinned with:
{| cellpadding="10"
|- valign="top"
|
Pécs,
Hungary, since 1972
Maribor,
Slovenia, since 1995
Pforzheim,
Germany, since 1994
Ploieşti,
Romania, since 1996
Tuzla,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, since 1996
||
Lausanne,
Switzerland, since 1997
Nitra,
Slovakia, since 1997
Budapest,
XIII district,
Hungary, since 2001
Subotica,
Serbia, since 2004
|}
References
Bibliography
Notes
External links
Wikitravel Osijek site
Osijek 031 city portal
Osijek Online
Osijek tourist information
Category:Cities and towns in Croatia
Category:Oil Campaign of World War II
Category:Populated places in Osijek-Baranja County
