Bihać () is a city and the administrative centre of Una-Sana Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated on the banks of river Una in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosanska Krajina region close to the border with Croatia. In 2013 its population was 56,261.
History According to documents and historical sources, the first medieval urban settlements and towns around the Una river, began to appear in the middle of the 13th century. Bihać, as the centre of Pounje, was first mentioned on 26 February 1260, in the charter of Hungarian King Béla IV, and was described as a town built on the river's Island of St. Ladislav, owned by the Benedictine abbey of Topusko. Just two years later, in 1262, Béla proclaimed Bihać a royal free city and placed it under the direct authority of the Hungarian throne, with all rights and privileges pertaining thereto, which ensured its ability to develop completely independent from the political powers of local lords. The following mention in the charter of 1271 confirms that Bihać at that time enjoyed the status of a free city. At the head of the municipality was the town elder or major villae, who was often called a judge, and whose decision could only be changed by the king. Bihać also had a curia or magistrates, an assembly of local citizens who took the oath of office for this duty, and notaries who kept court and other civil records.
In 1530 Austria sent troops to defend seven key strongholds in Croatia, one of them was Bihać and another the nearby Ripač. The Ottomans occupied Bihać in 1592 after a siege and from that time Bihać was the most important forts in Bosnia until the 19th century. Ottoman rule was briefly interrupted by Auguste Marmont, general-governor of Illyrian Provinces on 5 May 1810. He sought to prevent Ottomans from raiding French Croatia and finishing the Ottoman occupation of Cetin. After fulfilling these goals, he withdrew from Bihać. Ottoman rule in Bihać ended de facto after the Congress of Berlin.
During World War II, the town was occupied by Axis troops and was included into Pavelić's Independent State of Croatia (NDH). The fascist Ustaše regime committed the Genocide of the Serbs and the Holocaust. From July to September 1941, some 15,000 Serbs were massacred along with some Jews and Roma victims by the Ustaše at the Garavice, an extermination location near Bihać. When the German and Italian Zones of Influence were revised on 24 June 1942, Bihać fell in , administered civilly by Croatia and militarily by Croatia and Germany. The town was the capital of a short-lived territory, the Bihać Republic, for two months in late 1942 and early 1943, until it was recaptured by German forces. From 1943 Judita Alargić served near to Bihać as an instructor of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia. Bihać returned to Bosnian territory on 28 March 1945.
Bihać was besieged for three years from 1992 to 1995 during the Bosnian War.
Demographics
According to the 2013 census, the city of Bihać has a population of 56,261 inhabitants.
Ethnic groups The ethnic composition of the municipality: Ethnic group Population2013Bosniaks49,550 (88.1%)Croats3,265 (5.8%)Serbs910 (1.62%)Yugoslavs21 (0.04%)Others/Unspecified2,536 (4.47%)Total56,261 (100%)
In the 1991 population census in Bosnia and Herzegovina the ethnic composition of the municipality was 46,737 Bosniaks, 12,689 Serbs, 5,580 Croats, 4,356 Yugoslavs and 1,370 Others.
Religion According to the 2013 census, the religious makeup of Bihać includes: 49,550 Islam (88.01%) 3,265 Catholic (5.08%) 910 Orthodox (1.62%) 2,536 others (4.47%)
Settlements The following settlements comprise the administrative area of the city of Bihać:
Bajrići Brekovica Bugar Ćukovi Doljani Donja Gata Dubovsko Gorjevac Grabež Grmuša Hrgar Izačić Jezero Kalati Kulen Vakuf Lohovo Lohovska Brda Mala Peća Mali Skočaj Međudražje Muslići Ostrovica Papari Pokoj Praščijak Pritoka Račić Rajinovci Ripač Spahići Srbljani Velika Gata Veliki Skočaj Veliki Stjenjani Vikići Vrsta Zavalje i Zlopoljac
Geography Climate
Economy The agricultural sector is significant, due to the large and fertile soil.
Notable people Mehmed Alajbegović, politician and lawyer Mersada Bećirspahić, basketball player Christopher Corvinus (Christopher Hunyadi, 1499–1505), Prince of Hungary and the last male member of the Hungarian Royal House of Hunyadi Zlatko Dedić, Slovenian footballer Ferid Džanić, World War II Axis soldier (SS Handschar Division) Nihad Hasanović, writer and translator Alen Islamović, singer, lead vocalist of the bands Divlje Jagode and Bijelo Dugme Donna Ares, singer-songwriter and musician (1977–2017) Zele Lipovača, musician, leading member of Divlje Jagode Irfan Ljubijankić, facial surgeon, classical music composer, politician and diplomat of Bosnia and Herzegovina Dejan Matić, singer Saša Matić, pop singer Džanan Musa, basketball player, European U16 champion Milan Muškatirović, water polo goalkeeper and professor of organic chemistry Mustafa Hilmi Hadžiomerović, Grand Mufti for Bosnia and Herzegovina (1882 to 1893) Saša Radulović, Serbian engineer, politician and former Minister of Economy Branka Raunig, archaeologist and museum curator Faruk Šehić, poet Borislav Stanković, Serbian basketball player, coach and secretary General of FIBA
Twin towns – sister cities
Bihać is twinned with:
Bondeno, Italy Kikinda, Serbia Kuşadası, Turkey Nagykanizsa, Hungary Novo Mesto, Slovenia Reșița, Romania Villefranche-de-Rouergue, France Kartepe, Turkey Gospić, Croatia
See also Fethija mosque Turbe Mausoleum Siege of Bihać (disambiguation) University of Bihać, opened in 1997 NK Jedinstvo Bihać, local soccer club Željava Air Base Bihać Republic Una National Park Bihać Oblast
Notes Official results from the book: Ethnic composition of Bosnia-Herzegovina population, by municipalities and settlements, 1991. census, Zavod za statistiku Bosne i Hercegovine - Bilten no.234, Sarajevo 1991.
References
Bibliography
External links
Official city presentation Preminger Brewery