Bajina Bašta
Encyclopedia
Bajina Bašta is a town located in the western mountains of Serbia
. The town lies in the valley of the Drina River
at the eastern edge of Tara National Park. It is the administrative seat of the Bajina Bašta Municipality in the Zlatibor District
.
The population of the town, according to 2011 census, is 9,133 inhabitants, while municipality has 26,043.
In 1834 Bajina Bašta was established on the remains of the old Turkish
community of Pljeskovo which was situated on the right bank of the Drina River
between the Rača and Pilica Rivers, under the east foothills of Tara Mountain
. By the end of the 19th century, in accordance with the Serbian-Turkish agreement, the local Muslims had to moved from this region directly across the Drina River into Bosnia
, where they built settlements in the villages of Skelani
and Dobrak
.
The name Bajina Bašta comes from the vast orchards and vegetable
gardens, that used to be located on the left bank of the Pilica River, which belonged to Turkish feudal owner, Baja Osman, who established the town's modern image in the mid-19th century. In English, the name Bajina Bašta literally means "Baja’s Garden". In 1858 the town became the administrative center of the Rača District. On September 15, 1872, Prince Milan Obrenović IV
issued a decree that officially gave Bajina Bašta its status as an officially recognized town. A decade later, Bajina Bašta received its urban plan
, long before many places in Serbia
.
Under the Ottoman Empire
, the Rača’s region became a part of Sokolska nahija or Zvornik Sandžak, and later on a part of Užice
nahija where it remained until its liberation from the Turks in 1834. In the following tumultuous decades, Bajina Bašta belonged to the Užice District, Užice canton, and region. Today, the town lies in the Zlatibor District
. In 1875 a mixed craftsmen guild
was founded with 88 different occupations, based on forestry and stock farming. In attempts to improve trade links between Serbia and Bosnia, the first customs station was opened in Skelani in 1880. The following year, the first post office with a telegraph was opened. The number of inhabitants increased from 374 in 1864 to 1,306 by 1910. Residents in the nearby village of Rača made a major contribution in liberation efforts between 1876–1878 when Serbia
became an independent principality, declared by the Congress of Berlin
. In the following Balkan Wars
and World War I
(1912–1918) over 300 people from this small village died for independence and Serbian freedom.
The areas around Bajina Bašta have significant historical heritage. In the village of Pilica, there are archeological remains of Roman architecture
dating from the 2nd and 3rd century and ornamented tombstones. Other archeological sites lie in the Kremna
valley (43 tombstones), Mokra Gora
(38), Perućac
, Rastište
and Dub
. The oldest historical findings in this area date from the Neolithic period
(5,000 year B.C.) – remains of these communities, Kremenilo and Jokin Breg, are found near Višesava
. The remnants of these settlements show that people lived in about 2.5 m deep dugout
s, on three underground levels. Judging by their characteristics, these remains are considered to have belonged to the Starčevo culture. Additionally, there is much evidence of the Iron Age
material culture of the Illyria
n tribe of Autariat (after which Tara Mountain most likely obtained its name). During Roman
, Byzantine
and Medieval period, Bajina Bašta was an important trade center and the cross-border with Bosnia.
Monastery Rača (7 km southwest of town) is considered the most significant historical treasure of the area. Built by King Dragutin (1276–1282), the monastery was the center of transcription and illumination of medieval religious manuscripts of Serbia. These monks became known as the Račani. Abundant wall paintings and iconostasis
cover the walls, dating after the church's reconstruction in 1835. The monastery houses a treasury and a library containing over 1,200 books and manuscripts. In the village of Dub (10 km from Bajina Bašta) there is a wooden church from 1792, of a specific architecture, covered with shingle roof. A variety of ornaments and icons, a gate from 17th century, make this church one of the more memorable churches in Serbia.
During the unification of the Southern Slavs of Europe
and creation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
, Bajina Bašta continued its urban expansion. In 1926, a metal bridge that linked to Skelani was built, replacing the ferry that crossed the Drina River. The electrification
of the town started in 1928 and two years later the first town’s hospital was built. The utilization of forests, the famed bajinac tobacco
and the construction of elementary schools in the region greatly helped improve the standard of living and educational level of the inhabitants. In 1940, the downtown area built its first water piping and sewage
system and cobblestone
streets.
During World War II
, Bajina Bašta was severely damaged. Events that marked world history
in the period between 1939–1945, were reflected in this region as well in a form of civil war
and liberation fights against the occupying Axis army. A Račan militia was formed in the first stages of the armed resistance against the occupants. From August 3–23, 1941, the militia solidified into a military formation consisting of 62 soldiers. The first free territory in the occupied Europe – "The Užice Republic", brought only temporary liberation to Bajina Bašta. In this region, the first People's Liberation Committee NOO
was formed. During the war, especially in 1943, Bulgaria
n forces caused many civilian casualties. Bajina Bašta was liberated from Nazi
and Četnik forces on September 12, 1944.
After the World War II ended, Bajina Bašta continued to develop into an economical, cultural and administrative center of the municipality
which extended 672 km² (418 miles²) around the town. The second half of the 20th century is marked by the expansion of trade, banking, agricultural cooperatives, sawmills and craftsmen guilds. Intensive economic growth began in 1966 when the Bajina Bašta Hydroelectric Power Plant in Perućac was put in operation. This is the second largest hydroelectric
power plant in Serbia today, after Đerdap on the Danube River
.
During the turmoil in Bosnia-Hercegovina 1992–1995 (Bosnian War
) Bajina Bašta came under occasionally shelling from Bosnian Muslims (Bosniaks
) offensive operations in Early 1993. Several villages north of Bajina Bašta along the Drina river on the Serbian side came under fire in this period.
First when the VRS
(Bosnian Serb army) later during 1993 launched counter offensive operations the sporadic attacks stopped.
with four distinct seasons. Summers are warm and pleasant with cool nights, and winters are sunny, with snow levels high enough for widespread winter sports. However, the humidity of the air increased greatly after the construction of the power plant in Perućac and the formation of the artificial Perućac Lake
and Zaovine Lake
, in the mountains. The average annual rainfall is 700–800 mm locally, contributing to a marked agricultural environment.
s and non-urban areas surrounding the town.
Most of the residing population are immigrants, who after the liberation of the area from the Turks in the 19th century, settled these areas, originally coming from Herzegovina
, the northwestern parts of Montenegro
, Sandžak
, Osat
(Bosnia), Dalmatia
(Pepelj) and Kremna
. At present, a considerable decrease in population is recorded due to economic migrations towards the regional centers of Serbia, such as Užice, Valjevo
, Čačak
, and Belgrade
.
Tara Mountain has long been a well-known tourist resort owing to its pleasant moderately continental and sub-continental climate. In 1981, Tara became a national park. It covers an area of 300 square kilometers and is the largest natural park in Serbia. The mountain has an abundance of flora and fauna. Apart from white pine tree, maple-trees and famous Serbian Spruce
(Picea omorika), here you can find rare game including bear
, roe deer
, and chamois
. The Drina River is a part of the local cultural identity and has great potential in rafting sports and fishing.
Moderate continental and mountainous climatic conditions are especially suitable for recovery and medical treatment of patients with bronchial asthma
, chronic bronchitis
, anemia
and other diseases. Special attention is paid to tourism development and different tourist manifestations utilizing the clean and clear air of Tara Mountain.
Industry had developed fairly well in Bajina Bašta, but recently saw a major downturn due to economic hardships and the civil wars that raged across the region in the 1990s. The major employers before the outbreak of the Yugoslav Wars
were:
The closing of some of these companies threw a majority of Bajina Bašta's and surrounding region's population into unemployment. The only company still functioning well is Drinske Hidroelektrane (Drina Hydroelectrics), headquartered in downtown Bajina Bašta. Drina Hyrdoelectrics are the owners of the Perućac and Višegrad hydroelectric power plants.
Thanks to exceptionally good climatic conditions, Bajina Bašta has exceptional potential for agricultural profit. High-quality types of tobacco and medicinal herbs flourish in the valley of the Drina, grown by Bajinovac, an agriculture company. Plums, used for the making of Bajina Bašta’s own regional juniper brandy Klekovača
, grow in abundance. Wheat
is a mainstay of the valley, growing well during both the summer and winter growing seasons. The Bajina Bašta municipality is famous for its raspberry
farms.
, the former center of the Rača district, as well as Kostojevići
, Pilica
, and other localities.
The expansion and development of Bajina Bašta by the modern urbanization plan was directed along the main streets which are part of the main routes from Užice to Perućac (Kneza Milana Obrenovića Street) and Rogačica to Tara (Svetosavska Street). These routes intersect in the town’s center. Bajina Bašta is considered a modern urban settlement with potential for horizontal expansion. Downtown Bajina Baš is a mixture of commercial, residential, and administrative buildings of different facades and height. The heart of the town is Dušana Jerkovića Square, which is surrounded by the old-style architecture found in Serbia during the mid to late 19th century.
and Rača Monastery are important parts of Serbia's cultural legacy. In Tara National Park, Kaluđerske bare and the hotels Omorika (spruce), Javor (maple) and Beli bor (white pine), as well as the children's resort of Mitrovac
, are the representative tourist destination which offer swimming pool
s, ski
ing and sport
s facilities.
Karate club TARA
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
. The town lies in the valley of the Drina River
Drina
The Drina is a 346 kilometer long river, which forms most of the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. It is the longest tributary of the Sava River and the longest karst river in the Dinaric Alps which belongs to the Danube river watershed...
at the eastern edge of Tara National Park. It is the administrative seat of the Bajina Bašta Municipality in the Zlatibor District
Zlatibor District
Zlatibor District is a district in the western, mountainous part of the Republic of Serbia. The district was named after the mountain region of Zlatibor. According to the 2011 Census Data, the Zlatibor District has a population of 284,729 people...
.
The population of the town, according to 2011 census, is 9,133 inhabitants, while municipality has 26,043.
History
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
community of Pljeskovo which was situated on the right bank of the Drina River
Drina
The Drina is a 346 kilometer long river, which forms most of the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. It is the longest tributary of the Sava River and the longest karst river in the Dinaric Alps which belongs to the Danube river watershed...
between the Rača and Pilica Rivers, under the east foothills of Tara Mountain
Tara Mountain
Tara , is a mountain located in western Serbia. It is part of Dinaric Alps and stands at 1,000-1,500 metres above sea level. The mountain's slopes are clad in dense forests with numerous high-altitude clearings and meadows, steep cliffs, deep ravines carved by the nearby Drina River and many karst,...
. By the end of the 19th century, in accordance with the Serbian-Turkish agreement, the local Muslims had to moved from this region directly across the Drina River into Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, where they built settlements in the villages of Skelani
Skelani
Skelani is a village in the municipality of Srebrenica, in the Republika Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.- Location :Altitude: 242 m...
and Dobrak
Dobrak
Dobrak is a village in the municipality of Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina.-References:...
.
The name Bajina Bašta comes from the vast orchards and vegetable
Vegetable
The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
gardens, that used to be located on the left bank of the Pilica River, which belonged to Turkish feudal owner, Baja Osman, who established the town's modern image in the mid-19th century. In English, the name Bajina Bašta literally means "Baja’s Garden". In 1858 the town became the administrative center of the Rača District. On September 15, 1872, Prince Milan Obrenović IV
Milan Obrenovic IV
Milan Obrenović was a Serbian monarch reigning as Prince Milan IV of Serbia from 1868 to 1882 and King Milan I of Serbia from 1882 to 1889.-Early years:...
issued a decree that officially gave Bajina Bašta its status as an officially recognized town. A decade later, Bajina Bašta received its urban plan
Urban planning
Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
, long before many places in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
.
Under the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, the Rača’s region became a part of Sokolska nahija or Zvornik Sandžak, and later on a part of Užice
Užice
Užice is a city and municipality in western Serbia, located at the banks of the Đetinja river. It is the administrative center of the Zlatibor District...
nahija where it remained until its liberation from the Turks in 1834. In the following tumultuous decades, Bajina Bašta belonged to the Užice District, Užice canton, and region. Today, the town lies in the Zlatibor District
Zlatibor District
Zlatibor District is a district in the western, mountainous part of the Republic of Serbia. The district was named after the mountain region of Zlatibor. According to the 2011 Census Data, the Zlatibor District has a population of 284,729 people...
. In 1875 a mixed craftsmen guild
Guild
A guild is an association of craftsmen in a particular trade. The earliest types of guild were formed as confraternities of workers. They were organized in a manner something between a trade union, a cartel, and a secret society...
was founded with 88 different occupations, based on forestry and stock farming. In attempts to improve trade links between Serbia and Bosnia, the first customs station was opened in Skelani in 1880. The following year, the first post office with a telegraph was opened. The number of inhabitants increased from 374 in 1864 to 1,306 by 1910. Residents in the nearby village of Rača made a major contribution in liberation efforts between 1876–1878 when Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
became an independent principality, declared by the Congress of Berlin
Congress of Berlin
The Congress of Berlin was a meeting of the European Great Powers' and the Ottoman Empire's leading statesmen in Berlin in 1878. In the wake of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78, the meeting's aim was to reorganize the countries of the Balkans...
. In the following Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
and World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
(1912–1918) over 300 people from this small village died for independence and Serbian freedom.
The areas around Bajina Bašta have significant historical heritage. In the village of Pilica, there are archeological remains of Roman architecture
Roman architecture
Ancient Roman architecture adopted certain aspects of Ancient Greek architecture, creating a new architectural style. The Romans were indebted to their Etruscan neighbors and forefathers who supplied them with a wealth of knowledge essential for future architectural solutions, such as hydraulics...
dating from the 2nd and 3rd century and ornamented tombstones. Other archeological sites lie in the Kremna
Kremna
Kremna is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, Kremna had a population of 722 people. Kremna is well known for world famous prophets Miloš Tarabić and his nephew Mitar Tarabić...
valley (43 tombstones), Mokra Gora
Mokra Gora
Mokra Gora , meaning the Wet Mountain in English, is a village in Serbia on the northern slopes of mountain Zlatibor. Emphasis on historical reconstruction has made it into a popular tourist center with unique attractions....
(38), Perućac
Perucac
Perućac is a village in western Serbia in the immediate proximity of the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated near the 346 km-long Drina River, which constitutes the natural border between Serbia and Bosnia....
, Rastište
Rastište
Rastište is a village in the municipality of Bajina Bašta, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 473 people.-References:...
and Dub
Dub (Prachatice District)
Dub is a market town in Prachatice District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic.The town covers an area of , and has a population of 418 ....
. The oldest historical findings in this area date from the Neolithic period
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
(5,000 year B.C.) – remains of these communities, Kremenilo and Jokin Breg, are found near Višesava
Višesava
Višesava is a village in the municipality of Bajina Bašta, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 1566 people.-References:...
. The remnants of these settlements show that people lived in about 2.5 m deep dugout
Dugout (shelter)
A dugout or dug-out, also known as a pithouse, pit-house, earth lodge, mud hut, is a shelter for humans or domesticated animals and livestock based on a hole or depression dug into the ground. These structures are one of the most ancient types of human housing known to archeologists...
s, on three underground levels. Judging by their characteristics, these remains are considered to have belonged to the Starčevo culture. Additionally, there is much evidence of the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
material culture of the Illyria
Illyria
In classical antiquity, Illyria was a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula inhabited by the Illyrians....
n tribe of Autariat (after which Tara Mountain most likely obtained its name). During Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
, Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
and Medieval period, Bajina Bašta was an important trade center and the cross-border with Bosnia.
Monastery Rača (7 km southwest of town) is considered the most significant historical treasure of the area. Built by King Dragutin (1276–1282), the monastery was the center of transcription and illumination of medieval religious manuscripts of Serbia. These monks became known as the Račani. Abundant wall paintings and iconostasis
Iconostasis
In Eastern Christianity an iconostasis is a wall of icons and religious paintings, separating the nave from the sanctuary in a church. Iconostasis also refers to a portable icon stand that can be placed anywhere within a church...
cover the walls, dating after the church's reconstruction in 1835. The monastery houses a treasury and a library containing over 1,200 books and manuscripts. In the village of Dub (10 km from Bajina Bašta) there is a wooden church from 1792, of a specific architecture, covered with shingle roof. A variety of ornaments and icons, a gate from 17th century, make this church one of the more memorable churches in Serbia.
During the unification of the Southern Slavs of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and creation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
, Bajina Bašta continued its urban expansion. In 1926, a metal bridge that linked to Skelani was built, replacing the ferry that crossed the Drina River. The electrification
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
of the town started in 1928 and two years later the first town’s hospital was built. The utilization of forests, the famed bajinac tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
and the construction of elementary schools in the region greatly helped improve the standard of living and educational level of the inhabitants. In 1940, the downtown area built its first water piping and sewage
Sewage
Sewage is water-carried waste, in solution or suspension, that is intended to be removed from a community. Also known as wastewater, it is more than 99% water and is characterized by volume or rate of flow, physical condition, chemical constituents and the bacteriological organisms that it contains...
system and cobblestone
Cobblestone
Cobblestones are stones that were frequently used in the pavement of early streets. "Cobblestone" is derived from the very old English word "cob", which had a wide range of meanings, one of which was "rounded lump" with overtones of large size...
streets.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Bajina Bašta was severely damaged. Events that marked world history
History of the world
The history of the world or human history is the history of humanity from the earliest times to the present, in all places on Earth, beginning with the Paleolithic Era. It excludes non-human natural history and geological history, except insofar as the natural world substantially affects human lives...
in the period between 1939–1945, were reflected in this region as well in a form of civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
and liberation fights against the occupying Axis army. A Račan militia was formed in the first stages of the armed resistance against the occupants. From August 3–23, 1941, the militia solidified into a military formation consisting of 62 soldiers. The first free territory in the occupied Europe – "The Užice Republic", brought only temporary liberation to Bajina Bašta. In this region, the first People's Liberation Committee NOO
Nõo
Nõo is a small borough in Tartu County, Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Nõo Parish.-External links:*...
was formed. During the war, especially in 1943, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n forces caused many civilian casualties. Bajina Bašta was liberated from Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
and Četnik forces on September 12, 1944.
After the World War II ended, Bajina Bašta continued to develop into an economical, cultural and administrative center of the municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
which extended 672 km² (418 miles²) around the town. The second half of the 20th century is marked by the expansion of trade, banking, agricultural cooperatives, sawmills and craftsmen guilds. Intensive economic growth began in 1966 when the Bajina Bašta Hydroelectric Power Plant in Perućac was put in operation. This is the second largest hydroelectric
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
power plant in Serbia today, after Đerdap on the Danube River
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
.
During the turmoil in Bosnia-Hercegovina 1992–1995 (Bosnian War
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
) Bajina Bašta came under occasionally shelling from Bosnian Muslims (Bosniaks
Bosniaks
The Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia...
) offensive operations in Early 1993. Several villages north of Bajina Bašta along the Drina river on the Serbian side came under fire in this period.
First when the VRS
Army of Republika Srpska
The Army of Republika Srpska ; Serbian, Bosnian, Croatian Vojska Republike Srpske ) also referred to as the Bosnian Serb Army, was the military of today's Republika Srpska which was then the "Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina", a self-proclaimed state within the internationally recognized...
(Bosnian Serb army) later during 1993 launched counter offensive operations the sporadic attacks stopped.
Climate
Bajina Bašta's climate is moderate continentalContinental climate
Continental climate is a climate characterized by important annual variation in temperature due to the lack of significant bodies of water nearby...
with four distinct seasons. Summers are warm and pleasant with cool nights, and winters are sunny, with snow levels high enough for widespread winter sports. However, the humidity of the air increased greatly after the construction of the power plant in Perućac and the formation of the artificial Perućac Lake
Perućac lake
Perućac Lake , also known as Lake Perućac, is an artificial lake partly in the municipalities of Srebrenica and Višegrad in Bosnia and Herzegovina and partly in the municipality of Bajina Bašta, Serbia...
and Zaovine Lake
Zaovine Lake
Zaovine Lake is an artificial lake in central-west Serbia, on the Tara Mountain...
, in the mountains. The average annual rainfall is 700–800 mm locally, contributing to a marked agricultural environment.
Demographics
According to the 2011 Census Data, the municipality of Bajina Bašta has 26,043 people. The town itself hosts 9,133 people while the other 16,910 live in thirty-five outlying villageVillage
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
s and non-urban areas surrounding the town.
Most of the residing population are immigrants, who after the liberation of the area from the Turks in the 19th century, settled these areas, originally coming from Herzegovina
Herzegovina
Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there is no official border distinguishing it from the Bosnian region, it is generally accepted that the borders of the region are Croatia to the west, Montenegro to the south, the canton boundaries of the Herzegovina-Neretva...
, the northwestern parts of Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, Sandžak
Sandžak
Sandžak also known as Raška is a historical region lying along the border between Serbia and Montenegro...
, Osat
OSAT
OSAT may refer to:*Open Source Appropriate Technology*Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test, see :Category:Assembly and Test semiconductor companies...
(Bosnia), Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
(Pepelj) and Kremna
Kremna
Kremna is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, Kremna had a population of 722 people. Kremna is well known for world famous prophets Miloš Tarabić and his nephew Mitar Tarabić...
. At present, a considerable decrease in population is recorded due to economic migrations towards the regional centers of Serbia, such as Užice, Valjevo
Valjevo
Valjevo is a city and municipality located in western Serbia. It is the center of the Kolubara District, which includes five other smaller municipalities with a total population of almost 180,000 people...
, Čačak
Cacak
Čačak is a city in central Serbia. It is the administrative center of the Moravica District of Serbia. Čačak is also the main industrial, cultural and sport center of the district...
, and Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
.
Economy
The greatest natural resources of the municipality are the Drina River and Tara Mountain. The Drina is especially significant for its water power potentials. Specialists have estimated that it is possible to erect several hydroelectric power plants on this river. The annual flow of the Drina River is about 12.5 cubic kilometers of water. The Bajina Bašta Hydroelectric power plant was built on the Drina to harness that energy. The dam is located 12 km west of Bajina Bašta, near Perućac. Its average annual production amounts to 1,625 GWh of electric power. For the sake of better utilization of water power potential, the first reversible hydro-electric power plant in Europe was built in Zaovine, near the top of Tara Mountain.Tara Mountain has long been a well-known tourist resort owing to its pleasant moderately continental and sub-continental climate. In 1981, Tara became a national park. It covers an area of 300 square kilometers and is the largest natural park in Serbia. The mountain has an abundance of flora and fauna. Apart from white pine tree, maple-trees and famous Serbian Spruce
Serbian Spruce
Picea omorika is a rare, local spruce, endemic to the Drina River valley in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina near Višegrad and western Serbia, with a total range of only about 60 ha, between 800–1,600 m altitude...
(Picea omorika), here you can find rare game including bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
, roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
, and chamois
Chamois
The chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, is a goat-antelope species native to mountains in Europe, including the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand...
. The Drina River is a part of the local cultural identity and has great potential in rafting sports and fishing.
Moderate continental and mountainous climatic conditions are especially suitable for recovery and medical treatment of patients with bronchial asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
, chronic bronchitis
Bronchitis
Acute bronchitis is an inflammation of the large bronchi in the lungs that is usually caused by viruses or bacteria and may last several days or weeks. Characteristic symptoms include cough, sputum production, and shortness of breath and wheezing related to the obstruction of the inflamed airways...
, anemia
Anemia
Anemia is a decrease in number of red blood cells or less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood. However, it can include decreased oxygen-binding ability of each hemoglobin molecule due to deformity or lack in numerical development as in some other types of hemoglobin...
and other diseases. Special attention is paid to tourism development and different tourist manifestations utilizing the clean and clear air of Tara Mountain.
Industry had developed fairly well in Bajina Bašta, but recently saw a major downturn due to economic hardships and the civil wars that raged across the region in the 1990s. The major employers before the outbreak of the Yugoslav Wars
Yugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
were:
- Crni Vrh, a wood-processing and furniture factory (Open)
- IKL, a manufacturer of metal parts and ball bearings (Closed)
- Kadinjača, a textileTextileA textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
s corporation (Open, but with limited capacity) - Tarateks, a ready-wear manufacturer (Closed)
- Sloboda a manufacturer of electronics and household appliances (Closed)
- Elektroizgradnja Bajina Bašta, makers of power line towers and industrial electronic equipment (Open)
- Razvoj, a construction corporation (Open)
- Laminat, a manufacturer of cardboard and cardboard containers (Closed)
- Zemljoradnička zadruga Bajina Bašta, a farmers' co-operative – production of highest grade raspberry, as well as different kinds of fruits (plums, pears, apples), vegetables (potatoes, beans, cabbage, corn) (Open)
The closing of some of these companies threw a majority of Bajina Bašta's and surrounding region's population into unemployment. The only company still functioning well is Drinske Hidroelektrane (Drina Hydroelectrics), headquartered in downtown Bajina Bašta. Drina Hyrdoelectrics are the owners of the Perućac and Višegrad hydroelectric power plants.
Thanks to exceptionally good climatic conditions, Bajina Bašta has exceptional potential for agricultural profit. High-quality types of tobacco and medicinal herbs flourish in the valley of the Drina, grown by Bajinovac, an agriculture company. Plums, used for the making of Bajina Bašta’s own regional juniper brandy Klekovača
Klekovača
Klekovača is a mountain in the Dinaric Alps of western Bosnia and Herzegovina, located near Drvar and Bosanski Petrovac. The highest peak is the Velika Klekovača at ....
, grow in abundance. Wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
is a mainstay of the valley, growing well during both the summer and winter growing seasons. The Bajina Bašta municipality is famous for its raspberry
Raspberry
The raspberry or hindberry is the edible fruit of a multitude of plant species in the genus Rubus, most of which are in the subgenus Idaeobatus; the name also applies to these plants themselves...
farms.
Urbanization
The town has preserved architecture from the end of the 19th and the first half of the 20th century, which goes along well with the more recent urban structures. Rural settlements are more archaic in layout and building structure, the most attractive and significant ones are RogačicaRogačica
Rogačica is a village in the municipality of Bajina Bašta, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 768 people.-References:...
, the former center of the Rača district, as well as Kostojevići
Kostojevići
Kostojevići is a village in the municipality of Bajina Bašta, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 495 people.-References:...
, Pilica
Pilica
Pilica is a river in central Poland, the longest left tributary of the Vistula river, with a length of 319 kilometres and the basin area of 9,273 km2 .-Towns:*Szczekociny*Koniecpol*Przedbórz*Sulejów*Tomaszów Mazowiecki...
, and other localities.
The expansion and development of Bajina Bašta by the modern urbanization plan was directed along the main streets which are part of the main routes from Užice to Perućac (Kneza Milana Obrenovića Street) and Rogačica to Tara (Svetosavska Street). These routes intersect in the town’s center. Bajina Bašta is considered a modern urban settlement with potential for horizontal expansion. Downtown Bajina Baš is a mixture of commercial, residential, and administrative buildings of different facades and height. The heart of the town is Dušana Jerkovića Square, which is surrounded by the old-style architecture found in Serbia during the mid to late 19th century.
Tourism
There are some traces of the Neolithic age, Iron Age Illyria, and Roman settlements for those interested in history. The ruins of the ancient town Solotnik, the log cabin church in the village DubDub (Prachatice District)
Dub is a market town in Prachatice District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic.The town covers an area of , and has a population of 418 ....
and Rača Monastery are important parts of Serbia's cultural legacy. In Tara National Park, Kaluđerske bare and the hotels Omorika (spruce), Javor (maple) and Beli bor (white pine), as well as the children's resort of Mitrovac
Mitrovac
Mitrovac is a village located on the Tara Mountain, in the Bajina Bašta municipality. The village has a recreation centre, and is home to several hotel facilities, esp. for young students....
, are the representative tourist destination which offer swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
s, ski
Ski
A ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...
ing and sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
s facilities.
- Tara National ParkTara MountainTara , is a mountain located in western Serbia. It is part of Dinaric Alps and stands at 1,000-1,500 metres above sea level. The mountain's slopes are clad in dense forests with numerous high-altitude clearings and meadows, steep cliffs, deep ravines carved by the nearby Drina River and many karst,...
- Perućac LakePerućac lakePerućac Lake , also known as Lake Perućac, is an artificial lake partly in the municipalities of Srebrenica and Višegrad in Bosnia and Herzegovina and partly in the municipality of Bajina Bašta, Serbia...
- Zaovine LakeZaovine LakeZaovine Lake is an artificial lake in central-west Serbia, on the Tara Mountain...
- Drina RiverDrinaThe Drina is a 346 kilometer long river, which forms most of the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. It is the longest tributary of the Sava River and the longest karst river in the Dinaric Alps which belongs to the Danube river watershed...
- Rača monasteryRaca monasteryThe Rača monastery is a Serbian Orthodox monastery 7 km south of Bajina Bašta, Serbia. The monastery was built by Stefan Dragutin . In 1826 it was reconstructed due to being burned down several times while Serbia was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire....
Communications and media
- Radio Bajina BaštaRadio Bajina BaštaRadio Bajina Bašta is a radio station in Bajina Bašta, Western Serbia. It started broadcasting on May 15, 1992, during a time when, only a few hundred meters west of the radio station, a civil war was raging in Bosnia and Herzegovina....
- TV Bajina Bašta
- Radio Primus
- RTV Prima
- Bajinobaštanska Baština – a quarterly printed publication (In Serbian)
- BBGlas – a monthly printed magazine (In Serbian)
Sports organizations
- Football (Soccer) Club "SlogaFK Sloga Bajina BaštaFK Sloga is a football club based in Bajina Bašta, Serbia.-History:FK Sloga Bajina Bašta is the most successful team from Bajina Bašta. Many professional players started their professional career in FK Sloga. Among them the best is Milan Jovanović, nicknamed Lane.-References:* at Srbijafudbal....
" - Football (Soccer) Club "Kosmos"
- Football (Soccer) Club "Perucac"
- Indoor soccerIndoor Football Club "Bajina Bašta"
- BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
Club "Bajina Bašta" - BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
Club "Bonus" - KarateKarateis a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
Club "Bajina Bašta" - KarateKarateis a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
Club "Omladinac" - ShootingShootingShooting is the act or process of firing rifles, shotguns or other projectile weapons such as bows or crossbows. Even the firing of artillery, rockets and missiles can be called shooting. A person who specializes in shooting is a marksman...
Club "Radenko Jovanović-Raša" - VolleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
Club - CanoeCanoeA canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
Club "Drina" - ChessChessChess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
Club - HandballTeam handballHandball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
Club - AutomobileAutomobileAn automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
Sports Club "GINA" - Scout Group "Bajina Bašta"
- Karate club TARA
Annual sports and cultural events
- FIA EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an RallyRallyingRallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
Championship – YU Rally - Tara Rally Memorial
- International FishingFishingFishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
Competition "Dani mladice" (HuchenHuchenThe huchen or Danube salmon is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. It is the type species of its genus...
Days) - The Drina RegattaRegattaA regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...
- Bajina Bašta AthleticsAthletics (track and field)Athletics is an exclusive collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and race walking...
Gathering - The Days of Rača by the Drina
Karate club TARA
Education
- Elementary School "Rajak Pavićević"
- Elementary School "Sveti Sava"
- High School "Josif Pančić"
- Technical SchoolTechnical schoolTechnical school is a general term used for two-year college which provide mostly employment-preparation skills for trained labor, such as welding, culinary arts and office management.-Associations supporting technical schools:...
External links
- Zavicajno udruzenje Bajina Basta - Beograd
- Bajina Bašta Portal
- Bajina Bašta Sports-Tourism Center
- Bajina Bašta on the Internet
- Bajina Bašta Heaven On Earth
- Bajina Bašta Forum
- Tourist Center "Taratours"
- Rogačica in short view
- Bajina Basta internet presentation
- Bajina Basta, informacije, privreda, obrazovanje, sve na jednom mestu