Kakanj Какањ
Location of Kakanj within Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Country	Bosnia
Entity	The Federation
Canton	Zenica-Doboj
Government
• Municipality president	Mensur Jašarspahić (SDP)
Population (1991 census)
• Total	55,857
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Area code(s)	+387 32
Website	www.kakanj.com.ba/

Kakanj (Serbian Cyrillic: Какањ), is an industrial town and a municipality in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, located north of Visoko and southeast of Zenica. It was built along the slopes of wide hills on either side of the Zgošća river. It is administratively part of the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation.

View of Kakanj.

Demographics[link]

In the census of 1991, the city of Kakanj itself had 12,016 inhabitants.

In 2005, estimates of population of the municipality included 88% Bosniaks and 11% Croats.

History[link]

Old history[link]

Neolithic artifacts have been found in Obre, a nearby village.

Settlements in the region are very ancient. They are claimed to be historical landmarks of the early Bosnian state. Kraljeva Sutjeska, a Franciscan monastery, is of particular historical note. Near the monastery is Bobovac, scene of the last stand of Bosnian Queen Katarina Kosača and medieval residence of Bosnian kings. In Kraljeva Sutjeska is one of the oldest mosques in Bosnia, built by order of Sultan Mehmed II the Victorious during his expedition to Bosnia and conquest of Bobovac. The Kakanj area enjoyed a renaissance during the rule of the Kotromanic dynasty.

One of the most beautiful tombs ever found in Bosnia, with a carving of a hunting cavalier, was found in Kakanj; it is currently displayed in the botanic garden of The State Museum in Sarajevo.

Town Kakanj was the first mentioned 1468 as settlement with 90 houses. Coal mine Kakanj was founded in 1900 under Austro-Hungarian rule around a developing coal mine, which began production in 1902. In the next hundred years, Kakanj developed organically without any urban planning, initially around the coalmine, and later along the banks of the Zgošća and Bosna rivers.

Kakanj in the Bosnian Conflict[link]

The situation of Kakanj at the beginning of the Bosnian conflict was rather quiet, confronted with the frontlines in the area of Zavidovici. The town was in the middle of the Bosniak Sarajevo-controlled territory, along the communication path with Zenica. Most of the Serb minority soon left the town, while there came other Bosniaks, refugees from Serb-controlled towns.

The town was run over by the Croat-Bosniak conflict in April 1993. In the first half of June, around 10,000 Croats left the town towards Vares, from where they reached refugee camps and HVO-controlled areas. During this phase, 50-100 victims were reported. More than 400 houses, mostly Croat-owned, were destroyed or severely damaged; around 1000 were slightly damaged, do to vandalism and plunder, after Croats left, more than to actual fighting. Around 1,200 Croats from Kakanj gathered from Vares, in September 1993, at the Pineta Camping in Novigrad, Croatian Istria, that was set up as a refugee camp for the winter.

Between March and June 1994, Croats and Bosniaks signed the Washington Agreement, forming the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The situation in Kakanj improved, but refugees did not came back. Health and sanitation conditions are poor, even though not severe; an hepatitis epidemic is recorded in 1994. Food Security is under control, thanks to humanitarian aid, even though prices remain prohibitive and most of the family survive with company-organized distribution and kitchen gardens. Almost all productive activities are stopped, and nobody receive any salary, but monthly food packages. Most of the young people are enrolled in Armija BiH.

Kakanj after the war[link]

Mosque in Kakanj

After the war the population of Kakanj sum up to 48,000, of which 43,000 are Bosnjaks, 4,000 are Croats, and few hundreds are Serbs. No case of discrimination is recorded, and religious life carries on regularly. Around 10,000-14,000 people have left, and the same number came to Kakanj, strengthening the Bosniak community. The main problem is that of around 6,000 Bosnjak refugees from Republika Srpska, occupying formerly Croat houses. From 1995 to 1998, some hundreds of Croats made individual returns to Kakanj, and 3,000 Bosniak refugees came back to their original towns.

The municipality was managed by a Bosniak SDA majority, while HDZ Croat refugees from Kakanj constituted a "shadow Municipality" in Čapljina, Herzegovina, pressing for re-possessing their houses and forming a separate, Croat Kakanj Municipality.

Economy in Kakanj as in Central Bosnia, notwithstanding promises, does not start off, and many young people leave or do not come back from gastarbeiter workplaces in Germany and elsewhere. Over 16,000 town inhabitants, more than 4,000 are unemployed. The cement factory (owned by a German company by 51%) does not work fully, and all the cement goes for construction works in Sarajevo. The coal mine hardly works: its coal is out of market because it's polluting. Cement factory workers earns the most, 800 DM/months; then came powerplant workers, and last the miners. The cost of life for a 4 persons family is around 1000 DM/month.

On 29 Septembre 1999, the High Representative (OHR) Wolfgang Petrisch removed from office the mayor of Kakanj, Kemal Brodilija, for obstructing the implementation of the Dayton Agreements and pursuing an extra-legal agenda.^[1]

Sport[link]

• The city is home to the football club FK Rudar Kakanj.
• The city is home to the volleyball club OK Kakanj.

Villages in the municipality (1991)[link]

The name "Kakanj" also refers to one of the many villages in the municipality: Alagići • Bastašići • Bašići • Bičer • Bijele Vode • Bijelo Polje • Bilješevo • Bistrik - Crkvenjak • Bištrani • Bjelavići • Bosna • Brežani • Brnj • Brnjic • Bukovlje • Crnač • Čatići • Danci • Desetnik • Doboj • Donja Papratnica • Donji Banjevac • Donji Kakanj • Donji Lučani • Dračići • Drijen • Dubovo Brdo • Dumanac • Gora • Gornja Papratnica • Gornji Banjevac • Gornji Lučani • Govedovići • Gradac • Groce • Halinovići • Haljinići • Hausovići • Hodžići • Hrasno • Hrastovac • Ivnica • Javor • Jehovina • Jerevice • Jezero • Kakanj • Karaula • Karaulsko Polje • Klanac • Kondžilo • Koprivnica • Kraljevska Sutjeska • Krševac • Kučići • Kujavče • Lipnica • Lučići • Lukovo Brdo • Marijina Voda • Miljačići • Mioči • Modrinje • Mramor • Nažbilj • Obre • Papratno • Pavlovići • Pedići • Podbjelavići • Podborje • Poljani • Poljice • Pope • Popržena Gora • Ratanj • Ribnica • Ričica • Rojin Potok • Saranovići • Sebinje • Semetiš • Seoce • Slagoščići • Slapnica • Slivanj • Slivnice • Sopotnica • Starposle • Subotinje • Termoelektrana • Teševo • Tičići • Tršće • Turalići • Turbići • Varalići • Veliki Trnovci • Viduša • Vrtlište • Vukanovići • Zagrađe • Zgošća • Zlokuće • Željeznička Stanica Kakanj i Živalji.

Ethnic structure by settlements, 1991 census[link]

Absolute ethnic majority:

Relative ethnic majority:

References[link]

1. ^ http://www.ohr.int/decisions/removalssdec/default.asp?content_id=273

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kakanj

External links[link]

• kakanj.com.ba (Bosnian)

v t e Municipalities of the Zenica-Doboj Canton Breza Doboj Jug Kakanj Maglaj Olovo Tešanj Usora Vareš Visoko Zavidovići Zenica Žepče

v t e Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina v t e Entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Republika Srpska v t e Cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina      Una-Sana  Central Bosnia  Posavina  Herzegovina-Neretva  Tuzla  West Herzegovina  Zenica-Doboj  Sarajevo  Bosnian Podrinje  Canton 10 v t e Districts of Bosnia and Herzegovina Brčko distrikt v t e Municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina Capital Sarajevo Municipalities of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Banovići Bihać Bosanska Krupa Bosanski Petrovac Bosansko Grahovo Bugojno Busovača Bužim Čapljina Cazin Čelić Centar, Sarajevo Čitluk Drvar Doboj East Doboj South Dobratići Domaljevac-Šamac Donji Vakuf Foča-Ustikolina Fojnica Glamoč Goražde Gornji Vakuf-Uskoplje Gračanica Gradačac Grude Hadžići Ilidža Ilijaš Jablanica Jajce Kakanj Kalesija Kiseljak Kladanj Ključ Konjic Kreševo Kupres Livno Ljubuški Lukavac Maglaj Mostar Neum Novi Grad, Sarajevo Novo Sarajevo Novi Travnik Odžak Olovo Orašje Pale-Prača Posušje Prozor-Rama Ravno Sanski Most Sapna Široki Brijeg Srebrenik Stari Grad, Sarajevo Stolac Teočak Tešanj Tomislavgrad Travnik Trnovo (FBiH) Tuzla Usora Vareš Velika Kladuša Visoko Vitez Vogošća Zavidovići Zenica Žepče Živinice Municipalities of Republika Srpska Berkovići Bijeljina Bileća Brod Bratunac Čajniče Čelinac Derventa Doboj Donji Žabar Foča Gacko Grad Banja Luka Grad Istočno Sarajevo Gradiška Han Pijesak Istočni Drvar Istočna Ilidža Istočni Mostar Istočni Stari Grad Istočno Novo Sarajevo Jezero Kalinovik Kneževo Kostajnica Kozarska Dubica Kotor Varoš Krupa na Uni Kupres Laktaši Ljubinje Lopare Milići Modriča Mrkonjić Grad Nevesinje Novi Grad Novo Goražde Osmaci Oštra Luka Pale Pelagićevo Petrovac Petrovo Prijedor Prnjavor Ribnik Rogatica Rudo Šamac Šekovići Šipovo Sokolac Srbac Srebrenica Teslić Trebinje Trnovo Ugljevik Višegrad Vlasenica Vukosavlje Zvornik

Coordinates: 44°07′52″N 18°05′50″E / 44.13111°N 18.09722°E / 44.13111; 18.09722