Bijeljina
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Bijeljina (Cyrillic: Бијељина) is a town and municipality in northeastern Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The town is situated on the flat rich planes of Semberija. Bijeljina is 6 km far from the border of Serbia, 40 km from Croatia and 35 km from Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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[edit] Architecture
The oldest building in Bijeljina is the Serbian Orthodox Saint George church (Svetog Djordja) which was built in 1872. The second oldest building is the Semberija Museum which was built in 1876. The city park (Gradski Park) was founded in 1892.
[edit] Transportation
There is only one railway line in Bijeljina. That Railway Line stretches from Bijeljina to Šid in Serbia. From Šid you join a line where you can go east towards Belgrade or go west to Croatia.
Bijeljina also has an airfield.
[edit] Geography
Semberija is a flat region which is bound by the rivers Sava, Drina and the Majevica mountains. The entire Semberija area is typically a agricultural region which has fertile land and suitable weather conditions.
Semberija has the most developed agricultural area in Republika Srpska. The focus of the production is on wheat and corns, vegetables, cabbage, paprika, tomato and water-melon. Also, cattle-breeding (fattening of cows and pigs) and growing fruits.
 Sign at Raca after crossing the border from Serbia (Sava river) |
 Pavlović Bridge (River Drina) |
[edit] Tourism
Bijeljina holds many events. Bijeljina holds an international Folklore Festival known as Semberija folk fest, Rhythm of Europe. The aim of the Festival is to cherish and promote the folklore tradition of the people from all over the world.
 SKUD Semberija at the Semberija folk fest in Bijeljina 2006 |
 Ethno village Stanišić |
[edit] History
Although the name Bijeljina was first mentioned in 1446, this name was in use only after 1918. During Austro-Hungarian period, the town had the name Bjelina and, before that, Belina or Bilina.
In front of the city hall is a statue of King Petar Karadjordjevic. The monument is of the Serbian king from 1903-1918. During the Second World War the Ustaše removed it. After World War Two the communist government refused to return the monument. The first non-communist local government returned the monument in 1991.
[edit] Monastery Tavna
Monastery Tavna is located in the southern part of Bijeljina municipality. It was originally built by Dragutin's sons Vladislav i Urosic. Stefan Dragutin was the King of Serbia from 1276 to 1282 and king of Srem from 1282 to 1316. The present church of monastery Tavna, is built in the same place as the original. Tavna is older than the other monasteries in the region such as Ozrena, Liplja, Vozuce and Gostovica. Tavna was damaged in the first years of Turkish rule, but was restored by the people. This was not the only time the monastery was damaged. It was damaged many times during the Turkish period and also during World War Two. Between 1941 and 1945 Tavna was bombed by the Ustase. On one of the gravestones it says "Zdravko Jovacnovic Killed 1943 by the Ustasa Blue Division protecting and defending the monastery". After World War Two Tavna was rebuilt.
 Monastery Tavna. |
 Inside Monastery Tavna. |
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[edit] Bosnian war
In 1991-1992 Bijeljina was the center of the local Serb Autonomous Region, organized by the local Serb authorities - SAO Semberija i Majevica.
During the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bijeljina saw a significant demographic change. Before the war, the town contained Serbs and Bosniaks, while its vicinity consisted of mostly Serbian villages, except for the large village of Janja. Bijeljina was one of the first places to be dragged into the war, being located at a key strategic location. In the first days of April 1992, the town was attacked by Serb paramilitary groups led by Arkan. According to contemporary news reports, up to 100 civilians were killed, and the non-Serb population was driven out. This was one of the first instances of ethnic cleansing in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is surmised that Bijeljina was attacked first because of its strategic location in the north-eastern corner of Bosnia near the Serbian border.[1]
During the war, Bijeljina saw a large influx of Bosnian Serbs expelled by Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats from other regions of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
[edit] Archeological find
When the mosque in Bijeljina was destroyed during the Bosnian war it was discovered to have been built over a Serbian Orthodox Church and Serbian Graves.[2]
 The wall of the destroyed Serbian church. |
 Grave Stone. Writing is in old Serbian Cyrillic. |
 The writing on this stone says "Here rests Borislav Lucic next to his church". |
[edit] Demographics
According to the 1910 census, the absolute majority in the Bijeljina municipality were Orthodox Christians (70.57%).
At the 1991 census, Bijeljina municipality had 96,796 inhabitants, including:
- 57,541 (59%) Serbs (See: Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- 30,314 (34%) Muslims by nationality
- 4,256 Yugoslavs
- 517 Croats (See: Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- 4,168 others
At present, the municipality has about 150, 000 to 200,000 inhabitants (estimate), with most of whom are Serbs.
[edit] Bijeljina Municipality
Places in Bijeljina Municipality:
Amajlije, Balatun, Banjica, Batar, Batković, Bijeljina, Bjeloševac, Brijesnica, Brodac Donji, Brodac Gornji, Bukovica Donja, Bukovica Gornja, Crnjelovo Donje, Crnjelovo Gornje, Čađavica Donja, Čađavica Gornja, Čađavica Srednja, Čardačine, Čengić, Ćipirovine, Dazdarevo, Dragaljevac Donji, Dragaljevac Gornji, Dragaljevac Srednji, Dvorovi, Glavičice, Glavičorak, Glogovac, Gojsovac, Golo Brdo, Hase, Janja, Johovac, Kacevac, Kojčinovac, Kovanluk, Kriva Bara, Ljeljenča, Ljeskovac, Magnojević Donji, Magnojević Gornji, Magnojević Srednji, Međaši, Modran, Novo Naselje, Novo Selo, Obrijež, Ostojićevo, Patkovača, Piperci, Popovi, Pučile, Ruhotina, Suho Polje, Triješnica, Trnjaci, Velika Obarska, Velino Selo, Vršani, Zagoni.
[edit] Sport
Bijeljina has one major football stadium known as Bijeljina Gradski Stadion. That Stadium is home to FK Radnik Bijeljina. The first football was brought to Bijeljina in 1916. The first football club was FK Podrinje which was formed in 1919. Later came the clubs FK Zora in 1920, FK Građanski in 1923, and FK Semberija in 1935. After World War Two, FK Radnik Bijeljina was formed.
Bijeljina has basketball clubs KK Budućnost Bijeljina, KK Radnik Bijeljina and KK Bijeljina Plus.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ * Noel Malcolm - Bosnia - a short history (Macmillan, 1994)
[edit] Gallery
 Serbian Orthodox Church "Saint George" |
 Bijeljina Town Hall |
 Museum Semberija |
 Monument dedicated to the Serbian soldiers and civilians |
 View of Bijeljina |
 Manastir Vasilija Ostroskog Cudotvorca |
 Image of Jesus that appeared on a tree |
 One of many popular places in Bijeljina |
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