Travnik

Coordinates: 44°13′35″N 17°39′35″E / 44.22639°N 17.65972°E / 44.22639; 17.65972
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Travnik
Травник
Travnik
Travnik
Coat of arms of Travnik
Location of Travnik Municipality within Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Location of Travnik Municipality within Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Travnik is located in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Travnik
Travnik
Location of Travnik within Bosnia and Herzegovina
Coordinates: 44°13′35″N 17°39′35″E / 44.22639°N 17.65972°E / 44.22639; 17.65972
Country Bosnia and Herzegovina
EntityFederation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Canton Central Bosnia
Government
 • Municipal mayorKenan Dautović (SDA)
Area
 • Town and municipality529 km2 (204 sq mi)
Elevation
514 m (1,686 ft)
Population
 (2013 census)
 • Density101.10/km2 (261.8/sq mi)
 • Urban
15,344
 • Municipality
53,482
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
72270
Area code+387 30
Websitewww.opcinatravnik.com.ba

Travnik (Cyrillic: Травник) is a town and a municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the administrative center of Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, 90 kilometres (56 miles) west of Sarajevo. As of 2013, the town had a population of 15,344 inhabitants, while the municipality had 53,482 inhabitants.

Historically, it was the capital city of the governors of Bosnia from 1699 to 1850, and has a cultural heritage dating from that period.[1]

Geography[edit]

Travnik is located near the geographic center of Bosnia and Herzegovina at 44°14′N 17°40′E / 44.233°N 17.667°E / 44.233; 17.667. The river Lašva passes through the town, flowing from west to east before joining the Bosna. Travnik itself is built in the large Lašva valley, which connects the Bosna river valley in the east with the Vrbas river valley in the west.

Travnik is found 514 metres (1,686 feet) above sea level. Its most distinguishing geographic feature are its mountains, Vilenica and Vlašić. Vlašić, named after the Vlachs[citation needed], is one of the tallest mountains in the country at 1,933 metres (6,342 feet).

A large karst spring, the Plava Voda wellspring, rises under Vlašić mountain, just below Travnik Castle, in the very center of the Old Town of Travnik.

Climate[edit]

Travnik has a continental climate, located between the Adriatic sea to the South and Pannonia to the North. Average July temperature is 19.0 °C (66.2 °F). Average January temperature on the other hand is −1.0 °C (30.2 °F). It snows in Travnik every year.

Climate data for Travnik
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Daily mean °C (°F) −1.0
(30.2)
0.6
(33.1)
3.9
(39.0)
8.6
(47.5)
13.3
(55.9)
17.0
(62.6)
19.0
(66.2)
18.9
(66.0)
14.3
(57.7)
9.6
(49.3)
4.8
(40.6)
−0.2
(31.6)
9.1
(48.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 63.9
(2.52)
68.9
(2.71)
59.3
(2.33)
76.8
(3.02)
94.9
(3.74)
91.2
(3.59)
87.5
(3.44)
69.6
(2.74)
106.8
(4.20)
94.4
(3.72)
111.4
(4.39)
106.2
(4.18)
1,030.9
(40.58)
Average rainy days 6 7 11 16 15 13 10 11 10 12 10 8 129
Average snowy days 10 9 7 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 9 43
Average dew point °C (°F) −4
(25)
−2
(28)
0
(32)
2
(36)
7
(45)
11
(52)
12
(54)
11
(52)
10
(50)
6
(43)
0
(32)
−2
(28)
4
(40)
Source 1: Climate Charts(temperatures-precipitation 1993-2022)[2]
Source 2: unipage.net(Rain and snow days-dew point)[3]

History[edit]

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 Roman settlement in the region, including graves, forts, the remains of various other structures, early Christian basilicas, etc. In the town 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, 30 km (19 mi) away.

In the Middle Ages the Travnik area was known as the župa Lašva province of the medieval Bosnian Kingdom. The area is first mentioned by Bela IV of Hungary 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 town itself is first mentioned by the Ottomans during their conquest of nearby Jajce.

After the Ottoman conquest of Bosnia in the 15th century, much of the local population converted to Islam as part of the Islamization policy by the Ottoman Empire. The town quickly grew into one of the more important settlements in the region, as authorities constructed mosques, marketplaces, and various infrastructures. During 1699 when Sarajevo was set afire by soldiers of Field-Marshal Prince Eugene of Savoy, Travnik became the capital of the Ottoman province of Bosnia and residence of the Bosnian viziers. The town became an important center of government in the entire western frontier of the empire, and consulates were established by the governments of France and Austria-Hungary.

The period of Austrian occupation brought westernization and industry to Travnik, but also a reduction of importance. While cities such as Banja Luka, Sarajevo, Tuzla, and Zenica 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.

A large fire started by a spark from a locomotive in September 1903 destroyed most of the town's buildings and homes, leaving only some hamlets and the fortress untouched.[4] The cleanup and rebuilding took several years.[5]

From 1922 to 1929, Travnik was the capital of the Travnik Oblast. From 1929 to 1941, Travnik was part of the Drina Banovina of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

During the Bosnian War, the town mostly escaped damage from conflict with Serbian forces, hosting refugees from nearby Jajce, but the area experienced fighting between local Bosniak and Croat factions before the Washington Agreement was signed in 1994. After the war, Travnik was made the capital of the Central Bosnia Canton.

Travnik Fortress

Administration[edit]

Villages within Travnik municipality
Travnik Municipality within the Central Bosnia Canton

Travnik is the administrative centre of the Municipality of Travnik, whose area of jurisdiction covers the town of Travnik itself and 89 other rural settlements.[6] Travnik is also the capital of the Central Bosnia Canton, one of the ten Cantons of Bosnia. The municipal government has various agencies dedicated to the operations of the region, ranging from the bureau of urbanization and construction, to the bureau of refugees and displaced persons.

    Party Number of representatives Current number of representatives
2000. 2004. 2008. 2012.
  SDA
14 / 31
15 / 31
11 / 31
                     
  SDP BiH
6 / 25
2 / 25
2 / 25
5 / 25
                     
  HDZ BiH
7 / 31
6 / 31
8 / 31
4 / 31
                     
  SBB BiH
4 / 31
                     
  HDZ 1990
0 / 31
2 / 31
                     
  HSS-NHI
2 / 31
1 / 31
1 / 31
1 / 31
                     
  HSS SR
1 / 31
                     
  LDS BiH
1 / 31
0 / 31
1 / 31
                     
Sources:[7][8][9][10]

Economy[edit]

The economy of the Travnik region suffered greatly during the war period of the early 1990s. In 1981 Travnik's GDP per capita was 63% of the Yugoslav average.[11] 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.

Tourism[edit]

Vizier's grave (turbe) in Travnik.

Like many Bosnian towns, Travnik's tourism is based largely on its history and geography. Nearby Mount Vlašić is one of the tallest peaks in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and an excellent spot for skiing, hiking and sledding. Whilst tourism is not very strong for the town, Mount Vlašić is probably its chief tourist attraction. The town 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 (sahat kula; Travnik is the only town in Bosnia and Herzegovina to have two clock towers) and fountains. The town's old town dates back to the early 15th century, making it one of the most popular widely accessible sites from that time.

Old watermill by Plava voda

Demographics[edit]

Population[edit]

Population of settlements – Travnik municipality
Settlement 1971 1981 1991 2013
Total 55,822 64,100 70,747 53,482
1 Bačvice 747 574
2 Bijelo Bučje 924 707
3 Bilići 335 287
4 Brajići 625 628
5 Brajkovići 521 394
6 Brankovac 298 255
7 Čosići 683 433
8 Čukle 1,348 524
9 Đelilovac 1,229 777
10 Dolac 700 480
11 Dolac na Lašvi 504 456
12 Donje Krčevine 497 317
13 Dub 962 988
14 Gladnik 330 332
15 Gluha Bukovica 1,041 878
16 Goleš 1,081 425
17 Gornje Krčevine 759 576
18 Gradina 609 383
19 Grahovčići 1,215 403
20 Grahovik 342 277
21 Guča Gora 847 511
22 Hamandžići 501 256
23 Han Bila 682 655
24 Jezerci 643 338
25 Kljaci 739 634
26 Krpeljići 722 629
27 Kula 450 528
28 Maline 1,483 1,095
29 Mosor 319 265
30 Mudrike 748 550
31 Nova Bila 770 692
32 Orahovo 399 328
33 Ovčarevo 564 496
34 Paklarevo 1,258 975
35 Podkraj 462 507
36 Podovi 1,039 1,076
37 Podstinje 722 538
38 Pokrajčići 1,378 1,540
39 Poljanice 296 250
40 Polje Slavka Gavrančića 415 344
41 Pulac 498 417
42 Putićevo 1,523 1,193
43 Radića Brdo 315 230
44 Radojčići 293 312
45 Ričice 653 584
46 Seferi 527 417
47 Selići 448 302
48 Šipovik 352 202
49 Slimena 934 1,231
50 Suhi Dol 576 482
51 Travnik 12,977 15,888 19,041 16,534
52 Turbe 4,549 3,890
53 Turići 795 650
54 Varošluk 736 693
55 Višnjevo 967 958
56 Vitovlje 708 576
57 Vlahovići 344 309
58 Zagrađe 631 447

Ethnic composition[edit]

Ethnic composition – Travnik
2013 1991 1981 1971
Total 15,344 (100,0%) 19,041 (100,0%) 15,888 (100,0%) 12,977 (100,0%)
Bosniaks 10,899 (71,03%) 7,373 (38,72%) 5,822 (36,64%) 5,730 (44,16%)
Croats 2,847 (18,55%) 6,043 (31,74%) 5,026 (31,63%) 4,538 (34,97%)
Others 1,276 (8,316%) 694 (3,645%) 89 (0,560%) 122 (0,940%)
Serbs 322 (2,09%) 2,131 (11,19%) 1,901 (11,97%) 1,894 (14,60%)
Yugoslavs 2,800 (14,71%) 2 867 (18,05%) 486 (3,745%)
Montenegrins 89 (0,560%) 102 (0,786%)
Albanians 48 (0,302%) 30 (0,231%)
Slovenes 30 (0,189%) 44 (0,339%)
Macedonians 9 (0,057%) 21 (0,162%)
Hungarians 7 (0,044%) 10 (0,077%)
Ethnic composition – Travnik municipality
2013 1991 1981 1971
Total 53,482 (100,0%) 70,747 (100,0%) 64,100 (100,0%) 55,822 (100,0%)
Bosniaks 35,648 (66,65%) 31,813 (44,97%) 27,691 (43,20%) 24,480 (43,85%)
Croats 15,102 (28,24%) 26,118 (36,92%) 24,411 (38,08%) 22,645 (40,57%)
Others 2,092 (3,912%) 1,296 (1,832%) 325 (0,507%) 246 (0,441%)
Serbs 640 (1,197%) 7,777 (10,99%) 7,487 (11,68%) 7,554 (13,53%)
Yugoslavs 3,743 (5,291%) 3,920 (6,115%) 626 (1,121%)
Montenegrins 126 (0,197%) 133 (0,238%)
Albanians 63 (0,098%) 36 (0,064%)
Slovenes 32 (0,050%) 49 (0,088%)
Macedonians 22 (0,034%) 25 (0,045%)
Roma 16 (0,025%) 18 (0,032%)
Hungarians 7 (0,011%) 10 (0,018%)

Culture[edit]

Travnik's gymnasium is a classic example of the "Two schools under one roof" system. The right side of the building hosts the Croatian-curriculum high school and was renovated with funds from the Republic of Croatia. The left side of the building hosts the Bosnian-curriculum high school and is dilapidated. The courtyard is separated by a fence.
Birthplace of Ivo Andrić

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, which dates back to the period of Bosnian independence during the first half of the 15th century. Numerous mosques and churches exist in the region, as do tombs of important historical figures and excellent examples of Ottoman architecture. The town museum, built in 1950, is one of the more impressive cultural institutions in the region.

One of the main works of Ivo Andrić, a native of Travnik, is the Bosnian Chronicle (or Travnik Chronicle),[12] depicting life in Travnik during the Napoleonic Wars and itself written during World War II.

The Bosnian Tornjak, one of Bosnia's two major dog breeds and national symbol, originated in the area, found around Vlašić mountain.

Sport[edit]

The local football team is NK Travnik, established in 1922.

Transport[edit]

A 1910 postcard of te now disused Travnik railway station during Austro-Hungarian rule (circa 1910)

Rail[edit]

Travnik, like the Central Bosnia currently has no rail links. In the past, the city was served by a narrow-gauge railway which has since been abandoned.

Notable people[edit]

Twin towns – sister cities[edit]

Travnik downtown from castle

Travnik is twinned with:[13][14]

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "OVGuide | Online Video Guide". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  2. ^ Zepner, Laura; Karrasch, Pierre; Wiemann, Felix; Bernard, Lars (2020), "Travnik, Federation of B&H, Bosnia and Herzegovina", ClimateCharts.net – an interactive climate analysis web platform, International Journal of Digital Earth, doi:10.1080/17538947.2020.1829112, retrieved 14 March 2024, Data Source: CRU Time Series v4.07
  3. ^ "Weather, climate, temperature by months in Travnik". Unipage. Retrieved 14 March 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  4. ^ Clancy, Tim (2013). Bosnia and Herzegovina; page 243. ISBN 9781841624495. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  5. ^ Henderson, Percy Edward (1909). A British Officer in the Balkans; page 196. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  6. ^ "B&H, 2013 census". Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  7. ^ "LOKALNI IZBORI 2012 | PRELIMINARNI, NEZVANIČNI I NEKOMPLETNI / NEPOTPUNI REZULTATI". www.izbori.ba.
  8. ^ "Općinski izbori 2000: izvor glasova. Izbori za općinsko vijeće: Općina Travnik" (PDF). izbori.ba. Središnje izborno povjerenstvo Bosne i Hercegovine. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  9. ^ "Izbori 2004. godine: glasovi za kandidate. Izbori za općinsko vijeće: Općina Travnik" (PDF). izbori.ba. Središnje izborno povjerenstvo Bosne i Hercegovine. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  10. ^ "Potvrđeni izborni rezultati: lokalni izbori 2008. Izbori za općinsko vijeće: Općina Travnik". izbori.ba. Središnje izborno povjerenstvo Bosne i Hercegovine. Archived from the original on 6 November 2013. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  11. ^ Radovinović, Radovan; Bertić, Ivan, eds. (1984). Atlas svijeta: Novi pogled na Zemlju (in Croatian) (3rd ed.). Zagreb: Sveučilišna naklada Liber.
  12. ^ "Bosnian Chronicle". Ivoandric.org.rs. Archived from the original on 23 December 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  13. ^ "Bratimljeni gradovi". opcinatravnik.com.ba (in Bosnian). Travnik. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  14. ^ "Zakazana 39.redovna sjednica Općinskog vijeća". opcinatravnik.com.ba (in Bosnian). Travnik. 9 May 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2020.

External links[edit]