Vinkovci
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| Vinkovci | |
[[Image:
  Vinkovci
Vinkovci (Croatia)
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country |  Croatia |
| County | Vukovar-Srijem |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Mladen Karlić (HDZ) |
| Elevation | 90 m (295 ft) |
| Population (2006) | |
| - Total | 33,328 |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| - Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Website: vinkovci.hr | |
Vinkovci is a Croatian town in eastern Slavonia, with a population of 32,455 (2001) making it the largest town of the Vukovar-Srijem county. Absolute majority of its citizens are Croats with 88.99% (2001 census).
Vinkovci is located on the bank of the Bosut river, 19 km southwest of Vukovar, 24 km north of Županja and 43 km south of Osijek; elevation 90 m.
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[edit] History
The site of Vinkovci (German: Winkowitz, Hungarian: Vinkovce, Latin: Cibalis) was inhabited well before the Roman period The area of the town has been inhabited continually from the Neolithic period. Under the romans the town was known as Colonia Aurelia Cibalae (also Cibalis) and was the birthplace of Roman emperors Valentinian I and Valens. The Roman thermal bath is still preserved as are several other Roman buildings located near the center of today's Vinkovci.
The city and its surroundings were gravely impacted by the Croatian War of Independence. The city was close to the front lines between the Republic of Croatia and the rebel Serbs, but it managed to avoid the fate of Vukovar (in the infamous Battle of Vukovar). The eastern sections of the town were substantially damaged by shelling, and the nearby village of Cerić was almost completely destroyed. The most significant destruction in the center of the city were the city library, which burned down to the ground, the law courts, the Catholic and Orthodox churches, both hospitals, the theatre, two cinemas and a host of businesses and factories. In December 1995-1996, the Vinkovci rail station served as a rail offloading base for the United States Army's, 1st Armored Division in route to Zupanja to cross the Sava River into Bosnia during Operation Joint Endeavor.
[edit] Geography
Vinkovci is located on the bank of the Bosut river, 19 km southwest of Vukovar, 24 km north of Županja and 43 km south of Osijek; elevation 90 m.
[edit] Culture
The town features extremely rich cultural and historical heritage, the most interesting attraction being the pre-Romanesque church on Meraja from 1100, with the coats of arms of the kings Koloman and Ladislas, as one of the most important medieval cultural monuments in Croatia. Unfortunately, this monument has recently had the ancient timber beams removed and a new, modern, brick upper section and roof added, totally destroying it's appearance. Luckily the building is hidden by mature trees.
The most famous annual event, one of the biggest in Slavonia, is the folk music festival "Vinkovci Autumns" (Vinkovačke Jeseni), which includes the folklore show and the presentation of folk customs of Slavonia. It is characterized by a number of original folk music performances, beautiful traditional costumes, a beauty contest, competitions of the manufacturers of kulen (smoked paprika-flavoured sausage), plum brandy and other traditional foodstuffs, and especially by the magnificent closing parade.
Vinkovci's music school Josip Runjanin is named after the composer of the Croatian national anthem Lijepa nasa domovino. The Vinkovci gymnasium is named after Matija Antun Reljković, a Slavonian writer who lived in the city in the 18th century.
[edit] Economy & transportation
Its economy is primarily based on trade, transport and food and metal processing. Industries include foodstuff, building material, wood and timber, metal-processing, leather and textile. Due to the surrounding farmland, also notable are farming and livestock breeding, and the town hosts a Crop Improvement Centre.
Vinkovci is the main railway junction of eastern Croatia, of railroads leading from Bosnia and Herzegovina toward Hungary and from the capital Zagreb toward Belgrade. The large railway junction, after Zagreb the second largest in Croatia, underlies the importance of transit in Vinkovci. Vinkovci is also the meeting point of the Posavina and Podravina roads and the intersection of the main road (M1.7) Županja-Vinkovci-Vukovar and several regional roads.
[edit] Sport
A local football club still carries the latin name for Vinkovci, Cibalia.
[edit] Famous natives and residents
- Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipović mixed martial arts fighter
- Branko Karačić footballer/manager
[edit] Twin cities
- See also: Town twinning
Camponogara, Italy
Emmendingen, Germany
Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia- Koprivnica, Croatia
Kőbánya (Budapest), Hungary
Široki Brijeg, Bosnia and Herzegovina
[edit] External links
- Official site - (Croatian) (German) (English)
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