Svilajnac
Encyclopedia
SvilajnacSvilajnac ( pronounced /sviːlaɪnʌt͡s/; Serbian Cyrillic: Свилајнац, Romanian
: Svilaina) is a town and municipality located in central Serbia
at 44.13° North, 21.12° East, 100 km (62 mi) south-east of Belgrade
, on the banks of the river Resava
, and bordering the river Morava
. Its name stems from the word for silk
in Serbian. It is the de facto administrative center of the Resava region. The population of the town is 9,131 while municipality has 23,391.
Svilajnac was first mentioned in Turkish
records in 1467 as a village of a hundred households. The village, and later town, gained prominence through its silk (Serbian
:svila) production, from which it derives it's name. Location at the crossroads between north-east, south-east and western Serbia helped it flourish as a trading center, where silk, wool and livestock were traded.
Svilajnac and the area around it have been the birthplace of one of the most important and famous people in Serbian history
, one of the leaders of the First Serbian Uprising
, Stevan Sinđelić. A statue in his honor was raised in the central square of Svilajnac.
One of only several bridges across the Morava is located in Svilajnac, giving it a unique strategic value. During the Second World War, the original bridge was destroyed by the retreating Yugoslav Army. After the war, the bridge was rebuilt with German war reparations.
On 3 September 2007 there was a Democratic Party
initiative to depose the president of the municipality Bidža (Serbian Radical Party
). It failed, partially due to the opposition of the Democratic Party of Serbia
.
that returns over the summer. Apart from commercial services, Svilajnac's economy is largely agricultural, with the exception of the Compo (now defunct) furniture factory.
The state-owned factory contributed substantially to the local economy, until the 1990s, when economic crisis lead to the partial closure of the plant. The factory has been privatised in recent years, and is expected to reach its former production output, greatly aiding the local economy.
Recently, the municipal government signed a deal with the German car-parts manufacturer, Reum GmbH, on the construction of a new manufacturing plant, which should eventually employ 200 workers, and produce up to 50 million euro worth of exportable goods.
. Built in 1969, only several hundred meters upriver from the bridge, it has an energy output of 125 MW.
Svilajnac is also the location of a, now decommissioned, military barracks
, which could house up to 5,000 soldiers at any one time.
Romanian language
Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
: Svilaina) is a town and municipality located in central 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...
at 44.13° North, 21.12° East, 100 km (62 mi) south-east of 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...
, on the banks of the river Resava
Resava
Resava refers to several toponyms and related topics, all of them located around the river Resava in central Serbia:* Resava , a river* Resava, a region, surrounding the river* Resava, a monastery...
, and bordering the river Morava
Velika Morava
The Great Morava is the final section of the Morava , a major river system in Serbia.- Length :...
. Its name stems from the word for silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
in Serbian. It is the de facto administrative center of the Resava region. The population of the town is 9,131 while municipality has 23,391.
History
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...
records in 1467 as a village of a hundred households. The village, and later town, gained prominence through its silk (Serbian
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
:svila) production, from which it derives it's name. Location at the crossroads between north-east, south-east and western Serbia helped it flourish as a trading center, where silk, wool and livestock were traded.
Svilajnac and the area around it have been the birthplace of one of the most important and famous people in Serbian history
History of Serbia
The history of Serbia, as a country, begins with the Slavic settlements in the Balkans, established in the 6th century in territories governed by the Byzantine Empire. Through centuries, the Serbian realm evolved into a Kingdom , then an Empire , before the Ottomans annexed it in 1540...
, one of the leaders of the First Serbian Uprising
First Serbian Uprising
The First Serbian Uprising was the first stage of the Serbian Revolution , the successful wars of independence that lasted for 9 years and approximately 9 months , during which Serbia perceived itself as an independent state for the first time after more than three centuries of Ottoman rule and...
, Stevan Sinđelić. A statue in his honor was raised in the central square of Svilajnac.
One of only several bridges across the Morava is located in Svilajnac, giving it a unique strategic value. During the Second World War, the original bridge was destroyed by the retreating Yugoslav Army. After the war, the bridge was rebuilt with German war reparations.
On 3 September 2007 there was a Democratic Party
Democratic Party (Serbia)
The Democratic Party is a political party in Serbia. It is described as a social liberal or social democratic party.-Pre-war history:The Democratic Party was established on 16 February 1919 from unification of Sarajevo parties independent radicals, progressives, liberals and the Serbian part of...
initiative to depose the president of the municipality Bidža (Serbian Radical Party
Serbian Radical Party
The Serbian Radical Party is a far-right Serbian nationalist political party in Serbia, founded in 1991. Currently the second-largest party in the Serbian National Assembly, it has branches in three of the nations that currently border Serbia – all former federal republics of Yugoslavia...
). It failed, partially due to the opposition of the Democratic Party of Serbia
Democratic Party of Serbia
The Democratic Party of Serbia is a political party in Serbia.-Foundation:The Democratic Party of Serbia was founded when a faction of the Democratic Party that supported its involvement in the Democratic Movement of Serbia split from the party and formed their own in 1992.Soon after the March...
.
Demographics
In 2011 the town has total population of 9,131, while municipality has a population of 23,391. A substantial part of the population (around 7,000) works abroad.Economy
Today, Svilajnac is a fairly wealthy city, though its wealth can be attributed to the fact that 7,000 of its residents work abroad. The city's economy is largely based on its service sector that caters to the diasporaDiaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
that returns over the summer. Apart from commercial services, Svilajnac's economy is largely agricultural, with the exception of the Compo (now defunct) furniture factory.
The state-owned factory contributed substantially to the local economy, until the 1990s, when economic crisis lead to the partial closure of the plant. The factory has been privatised in recent years, and is expected to reach its former production output, greatly aiding the local economy.
Recently, the municipal government signed a deal with the German car-parts manufacturer, Reum GmbH, on the construction of a new manufacturing plant, which should eventually employ 200 workers, and produce up to 50 million euro worth of exportable goods.
Important Objects
Svilajnac is also the location of a coal power plantFossil fuel power plant
A fossil-fuel power station is a power station that burns fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas or petroleum to produce electricity. Central station fossil-fuel power plants are designed on a large scale for continuous operation...
. Built in 1969, only several hundred meters upriver from the bridge, it has an energy output of 125 MW.
Svilajnac is also the location of a, now decommissioned, military barracks
Barracks
Barracks are specialised buildings for permanent military accommodation; the word may apply to separate housing blocks or to complete complexes. Their main object is to separate soldiers from the civilian population and reinforce discipline, training and esprit de corps. They were sometimes called...
, which could house up to 5,000 soldiers at any one time.
See also
- ŠumadijaŠumadijaŠumadija is a geographical region in Serbia. The area is heavily covered with forests, hence the name...
- PomoravljePomoravljePomoravlje may refer to:* Pomoravlje , a geographical area around the Morava river, Serbia* Pomoravlje District, a district in Serbia...
- ResavaResavaResava refers to several toponyms and related topics, all of them located around the river Resava in central Serbia:* Resava , a river* Resava, a region, surrounding the river* Resava, a monastery...
- List of cities in Serbia
- Dublje (Svilajnac)Dublje (Svilajnac)Dublje is a village in Serbia. It is located in the Svilajnac municipality, in the Pomoravlje District. According to 2002 census, its population numbers 1,050 people.-Geography:...
- Grabovac (Svilajnac)Grabovac (Svilajnac)Grabovac is a village in the municipality of Svilajnac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 1012 people. Name of the village derives from the grab forest that once stood in it's spot. The Birth house of Stevan Sindjelic is located in the center of the village and...
External links
- www.svilajnac001.co.rs (in Serbian)
- www.svilajnac.com (in Serbian)
- www.kdsvilajnac.g0g.net (in Serbian)