Travnik
Encyclopedia
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...
, 90 km west of Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
. It is the capital of the Central Bosnia Canton
Central Bosnia Canton
The Central Bosnia Canton is one of the ten cantons of The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Geography:It is located in the center of the country, to the west of Sarajevo...
, and is located in the Travnik Municipality. Travnik today has some 27,000 residents, with a metro (municipality) population that is probably close to 70,000 people. It is famous for being the capital city of the governors of Bosnia from 1697 to 1850, and having a cultural heritage dating from that period.
Geography
Travnik is located near the geographic center of Bosnia and Herzegovina at 44°14′N 17°40′E. The river Lašva passes through the city, flowing from west to east before joining the Bosna. Travnik itself is built in the large Lašva river valley, which connects the Bosna river valley in the east with the VrbasVrbas River
The Vrbas is a major river in western Bosnia and Herzegovina.It is a right tributary of the river Sava. The city of Banja Luka is located on the river banks...
river valley in the west.
Travnik is found 514 meters above sea level. Its most distinguishing geographic feature are its mountains, Vilenica and Vlašić. Vlašić, named after the Vlachs
Vlachs
Vlach is a blanket term covering several modern Latin peoples descending from the Latinised population in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. English variations on the name include: Walla, Wlachs, Wallachs, Vlahs, Olahs or Ulahs...
, is one of the tallest mountains in the country at 1933 meters (6342 ft).
Climate
Travnik has a continental climateContinental climate
Continental climate is a climate characterized by important annual variation in temperature due to the lack of significant bodies of water nearby...
, located between the Adriatic sea to the South and Pannonia to the North. Average summer temperature is 18.2°C
Celsius
Celsius is a scale and unit of measurement for temperature. It is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius , who developed a similar temperature scale two years before his death...
(64.8°F
Fahrenheit
Fahrenheit is the temperature scale proposed in 1724 by, and named after, the German physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit . Within this scale, the freezing of water into ice is defined at 32 degrees, while the boiling point of water is defined to be 212 degrees...
). Average winter temperature on the other hand is a cold 0.5°C
Celsius
Celsius is a scale and unit of measurement for temperature. It is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius , who developed a similar temperature scale two years before his death...
(33°F
Fahrenheit
Fahrenheit is the temperature scale proposed in 1724 by, and named after, the German physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit . Within this scale, the freezing of water into ice is defined at 32 degrees, while the boiling point of water is defined to be 212 degrees...
). It snows in Travnik every year.
History
Although there is evidence of some settlement in the region dating back to the Bronze Age, the true history of Travnik begins during the first few centuries AD. Dating from this time there are numerous indications of RomanRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
settlement in the region, including graves, forts, the remains of various other structures, early Christian basilicas, etc. etc. In the city itself, Roman coins and plaques have been found. Some writing found indicates the settlement is closely connected to the known Roman colony in modern day Zenica
Zenica
Zenica is an industrial city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the capital of the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity...
, 30 km (18.6 mi) away.
In the Middle Ages the Travnik area is known as the župa Lašva province of the medieval Bosnian kingdom. The area is first mentioned by Bela IV of Hungary
Béla IV of Hungary
Béla IV , King of Hungary and of Croatia , duke of Styria 1254–58. One of the most famous kings of Hungary, he distinguished himself through his policy of strengthening of the royal power following the example of his grandfather Bela III, and by the rebuilding Hungary after the catastrophe of the...
in 1244. Travnik itself was one of a number of fortified towns in the region, with its fortress Kaštel becoming today's old town sector. The city itself is first mentioned by the Ottomans during their conquest of nearby Jajce
Jajce
Jajce is a city and municipality located in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is part of the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity...
.
After the Ottoman conquest of Bosnia, much of the local population converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. The city quickly grew into one of the more important settlements in the region, as authorities constructed mosques, marketplaces, and various infrastructure. During 1699 when Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
was set afire by soldiers of Field-Marshal Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene of Savoy , was one of the most successful military commanders in modern European history, rising to the highest offices of state at the Imperial court in Vienna. Born in Paris to aristocratic Italian parents, Eugene grew up around the French court of King Louis XIV...
, Travnik became the capital of the Ottoman province of Bosnia and residence of the Bosnian viziers. The city became an important center of government in the whole Western frontier of the empire, and consulate
Consul (representative)
The political title Consul is used for the official representatives of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship between the peoples of the two countries...
s were established by the governments of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
.
The period of Austrian occupation brought westernization and industry to Travnik, but also a reduction of importance. While cities such as Banja Luka
Banja Luka
-History:The name "Banja Luka" was first mentioned in a document dated February 6, 1494, but Banja Luka's history dates back to ancient times. There is a substantial evidence of the Roman presence in the region during the first few centuries A.D., including an old fort "Kastel" in the centre of...
, Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
, Tuzla
Tuzla
Tuzla is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the time of the 1991 census, it had 83,770 inhabitants, while the municipality 131,318. Taking the influx of refugees into account, the city is currently estimated to have 174,558 inhabitants...
, and Zenica
Zenica
Zenica is an industrial city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the capital of the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity...
grew rapidly, Travnik changed so little that during 1991 it had a mere 30,000 or so people, with 70,000 in the entire municipality.
During the 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...
, the town mostly escaped damage from conflict with Serbian forces, but the area experienced fighting between local Bosniak and Croat factions before the Washington Agreement
Washington Agreement
The Washington Agreement was a ceasefire agreement between the warring Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia and the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, signed in Washington on 18 March 1994 and Vienna. It was signed by Bosnian Prime Minister Haris Silajdžić, Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granić and...
was signed. After the war, Travnik was made the capital of the Central Bosnia Canton
Central Bosnia Canton
The Central Bosnia Canton is one of the ten cantons of The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Geography:It is located in the center of the country, to the west of Sarajevo...
.
1971
55.822 total- Bosniaks - 24.480 (43,85%)
- Croats - 22.645 (40,56%)
- Serbs - 7.554 (13,53%)
- Yugoslavs - 626 (1,12%)
- others - 517 (0,94%)
1991
Demographic statistics for Travnik are scarce. According to the 1991 Yugoslav census, the area had a population of 70,747. Of these, 31,813 were Bosniaks (45%), 26,118 were Croats (37%), 7,777 were Serbs (11%), and 5,039 "others" (7%). In city itself there was a Croat majority;| Settlement | Bosniaks | Serbs | Croats | Yugoslavians | Others | Sum | B% | S% | C% | Y% | O% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bojna | 0 | 1 | 94 | 5 | 0 | 100 | 0% | 1% | 94% | 5% | 0% |
| Centar | 4166 | 1367 | 2300 | 1736 | 391 | 9960 | 42% | 14% | 23% | 17% | 4% |
| Gornji Dolac | 647 | 31 | 976 | 93 | 47 | 1794 | 36% | 2% | 54% | 5% | 3% |
| Kalibunar | 1516 | 556 | 3173 | 770 | 112 | 6127 | 25% | 9% | 52% | 13% | 2% |
| Pirota | 216 | 135 | 1225 | 92 | 80 | 1748 | 12% | 8% | 70% | 5% | 5% |
| Stari Grad | 1024 | 36 | 77 | 122 | 50 | 1309 | 78% | 3% | 6% | 9% | 4% |
Croats made 37,29% city population, Bosniaks 35,98%, Serbs 10,11%, Yugoslavs 13,4%, and others 3,22%.
Croats made majority in Bojna, Gornji DOlac, Kalibunar and Poirota, while Bosniaks were majority in Centar and Stari grad (old city).
1997
After the war were great population shifts, as well as possible ethnic cleansing in the region. Thousands of Croats and Serbs left the area, while thousands of Bosniak refugees came in. By December 1997, the area's population was only 59,367. Of these, 48,861 were Bosniaks (82%), 539 Serbs (1%), 9,144 Croats (15%), and 823 others (1.4*).2004
Latest population figures are mostly estimates. It is assumed that since 1997, a combination of returning refugees and steady birth rate has resulted in the area's population increasing to about 70,000 residents. As for the city itself, international organizations estimated that by 2004 there were 26,510 people in the city itself.2005
In 2005, most of the inhabitants of the Travnik municipality were ethnic Bosniaks (86%), while ethnic Croats comprised 14%.Government
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, very few cities actually have what would be considered "city governments". Instead, the country's municipalities are essentially based from chief settlement to chief settlement. Thus, though Travnik doesn't really have a city government of its own, it is part of "Municipality Travnik" which for all practical purposes is the de facto city government since its area of jurisdiction covers Travnik and the outlying villages and small towns. An exception to this rule are cities so large they cover more than one municipality (for example, Sarajevo).Asides from being the obvious center of municipality government, Travnik is also the capital of the Central Bosnia Canton
Central Bosnia Canton
The Central Bosnia Canton is one of the ten cantons of The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Geography:It is located in the center of the country, to the west of Sarajevo...
, one of the 10 Cantons of Bosnia. Its current mayor is Tahir Lendo;. The municipality government has various bureau's dedicated to help in the running of the region, ranging from the bureau of urbanization and construction, to the bureau of refugees and displaced persons.
Economy
The economy of the Travnik region, which was never anything extraordinary, suffered greatly during the war period of the early 1990s. In 1981 Travnik's GDP per capita was 63% of the Yugoslav average. Nowadays, most of the region deals with typical rural work such as farming and herding. As for urban industry, Travnik has several factories producing everything from matches to furniture. Food processing is also a strong industry in the region, especially meat and milk companies.Culture
Travnik has a strong culture, mostly dating back to its time as the center of local government in the Ottoman Empire. Travnik has a popular old town district however, which dates back to the period of Bosnian independence during the first half of the 15th century. Numerous mosques and CroatianCroats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
churches exist in the region, as do tombs of important historical figures and excellent examples of Ottoman architecture. The city museum, built in 1950, is one of the more impressive cultural institutions in the region.
Travnik became famous by important persons who were born or lived in Travnik. The most important are Ivo Andrić
Ivo Andric
Ivan "Ivo" Andrić was a Yugoslav novelist, short story writer, and the 1961 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. His writings dealt mainly with life in his native Bosnia under the Ottoman Empire...
(writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
for literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
in 1961), Miroslav Ćiro Blažević
Miroslav Blaževic
Miroslav "Ćiro" Blažević is a Bosnian Croat football manager. He is the current head coach of Mes Kerman in Iran Pro League....
(soccer coach of Croatian national team, won third place 1998 in France), Josip Pejaković
Josip Pejakovic
Josip Pejaković is a Bosnian Croat actor and writer born in Travnik, Yugoslavia. At one time he was the lead singer for the Travnik based rock group Veziri. He was also an antiwar activist at the start of the Bosnian war. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the left-wing magazine Novi Plamen...
(actor), Seid Memić Vajta
Vajta
Vajta is a Bosnian singer and the vocalist for the Yugoslav rock band Teška industrija.From 1975 to 1976 Vajta was a vocalist for Teška industrija, who enjoyed great commercial success throughout the Balkan countries but later dissolved.He became popular in the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest during...
(pop-singer) and Davor Džalto
Davor Džalto
Davor Džalto is an artist and art historian born in Travnik, Bosnia and Herzegovina on May 17, 1980.He graduated from the High School of Art in Niš. His academic career started in Belgrade where he received an M.A. degree from the University of Belgrade Faculty of Philosophy in History of Art...
(artist and art historian, the youngest Ph.D. in Germany and in the South-East European region) and Josip Pavić (actor, Croatian National Theatre, b 1887 d 1936.)
Tourism
Like many Bosnian towns, Travnik's tourism is based largely on its history and geography. Nearby Mt.VlašićVlašic (mountain)
Vlašić is a mountain in the very center of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its peak is called Vlašićka Gromila and has an elevation of 1,969 meters above sea level. The mountain is a major center for winter tourism due to its excellent accommodation for skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports...
is one of the tallest peaks in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and an excellent spot for skiing, hiking, and sledding. Though tourism isn't very strong for the city, Vlašić
Vlašic (mountain)
Vlašić is a mountain in the very center of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its peak is called Vlašićka Gromila and has an elevation of 1,969 meters above sea level. The mountain is a major center for winter tourism due to its excellent accommodation for skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports...
is probably its chief tourist attraction
Tourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities....
. The city itself is also of interest. Numerous structures dating to the Ottoman era have survived in near perfect condition, such as numerous mosques, oriental homes, two clock towers (it is the only city in Bosnia and Herzegovina to have two clock towers), and fountains. The city's old town dates back to the early 15th century, making it one of the most popular widely accessible sites from that time.
Miscellaneous
Ivo AndrićIvo Andric
Ivan "Ivo" Andrić was a Yugoslav novelist, short story writer, and the 1961 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. His writings dealt mainly with life in his native Bosnia under the Ottoman Empire...
, who won the Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
for literature, was born in Travnik on September 10, 1892. A popular work of his, Travnička hronika ("The Chronicles of Travnik" 1945, title translated as "The Days of the Consuls" or "Bosnian Chronicle"), is set here. The Bosnian Tornjak, one of Bosnia's two major dog breeds and national symbol, originated in the area, found around Mt.Vlašić
Vlašic (mountain)
Vlašić is a mountain in the very center of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its peak is called Vlašićka Gromila and has an elevation of 1,969 meters above sea level. The mountain is a major center for winter tourism due to its excellent accommodation for skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports...
. The local football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
team is NK Travnik
NK Travnik
NK Travnik is a football club centered in the city of Travnik, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was founded in 1922. Currently, NK Travnik competes in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina.- Current squad :...
, established in 1922.
External links
- http://www.opcinatravnik.com.ba
- Information about city
- Travnik — A city guide
- http://www.eko-fis.com.ba