Gradačac () is a city located in the Tuzla Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in the northeastern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, roughly south of the Sava river. As of 2013, it has a population of 39,340 inhabitants. The city is well known for its castle.
Settlements • Avramovina • Biberovo Polje • Blaževac • Cetnica • Donja Međiđa • Donja Tramošnica • Donje Krečane • Donje Ledenice • Donji Lukavac • Donji Skugrić • Gajevi • Gornja Međiđa • Gornja Tramošnica • Gornje Krečane • Gornje Ledenice • Gornji Lukavac • Gradačac • Hrgovi Donji • Jasenica • Jelovče Selo • Kerep • Krčevljani • Mionica • Novalići • Porebrice • Rajska • Samarevac • Sibovac • Srnice Donje • Srnice Gornje • Tolisa • Turić • Vida • Vučkovci • Zelinja Donja • Zelinja Gornja i Zelinja Srednja.
Demographics
Population Population of settlements – Gradačac municipalitySettlement1971.1981.1991.2013.Total48,38454,28156,58141,8361Biberovo Polje8157302Donja Međiđa1,4751,3533Donje Ledenice1,6386044Donji Lukavac8038365Gornja Međiđa1,4471,3106Gornje Ledenice4624757Gornji Lukavac1,2591,3848Gradačac7,60610,66112,86812,7649Hrgovi Donji67134910Jasenica57922311Jelovče Selo1,3151,36912Kerep89190813Mionica5,4855,48314Novalići47844415Rajska1,03995616Sibovac9211,00917Srnice Donje98940418Srnice Gornje91181819Turić1,61022120Vida1,6511,92621Vučkovci2,6572,67922Zelinja Donja1,6201,55123Zelinja Srednja1,2951,253
Ethnic composition Ethnic composition – Gradačac town2013.1991.1981.1971.Total12,764 (100,0%)12,868 (100,0%)10,661 (100,0%)7,606 (100,0%)Bosniaks11,811 (92,53%)9,454 (73,47%)7,758 (72,77%)6,121 (80,48%)Others483 (3,784%)362 (2,813%)76 (0,713%)59 (0,776%)Croats227 (1,778%)681 (5,292%)563 (5,281%)452 (5,943%)Serbs111 (0,870%)1,348 (10,48%)980 (9,192%)730 (9,598%)Roma106 (0,830%)1 (0,009%)Albanians23 (0,180%)25 (0,234%)14 (0,184%)Macedonians2 (0,016%)1 (0,009%)2 (0,026%)Slovenes1 (0,008%)4 (0,038%)5 (0,066%)Yugoslavs1 023 (7,950%)1 231 (11,55%)207 (2,722%)Montenegrins16 (0,150%)13 (0,171%)Hungarians6 (0,056%)3 (0,039%) Ethnic composition – Gradačac municipality2013.1991.1981.1971.Total41,836 (100,0%)56,581 (100,0%)54,281 (100,0%)48,384 (100,0%)Bosniaks37,130 (94,38%)33,856 (59,84%)31,219 (57,51%)26,905 (55,61%)Croats918 (2,334%)8,613 (15,22%)9,011 (16,60%)8,447 (17,46%)Others789 (2,006%)1,455 (2,572%)222 (0,409%)193 (0,399%)Serbs345 (0,877%)11,221 (19,83%)11,727 (21,60%)12,455 (25,74%)Roma127 (0,323%)1 (0,002%)Albanians23 (0,058%)35 (0,064%)16 (0,033%)Yugoslavs4 (0,010%)1 436 (2,538%)2 010 (3,703%)321 (0,663%)Macedonians3 (0,008%)10 (0,018%)5 (0,010%)Slovenes1 (0,003%)8 (0,015%)10 (0,021%)Montenegrins29 (0,053%)28 (0,058%)Hungarians9 (0,017%)4 (0,008%)
History The župa of Gradačac was first mentioned in 1302, while the town's first written mention dates from 1465 (also as Gračac). The town became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1512, its nahija (municipality) was first recorded in the defter of 1533, while its kadiluk (county) was recorded in 1634.
In 1701, the settlement was given the status of a palanka (city), and it became the headquarters of a military captaincy in 1710. The captains of the Gradaščević family led the development of the city, and the most famous of them, Husein-kapetan Gradaščević or Zmaj od Bosne ("Dragon of Bosnia"), led an uprising that raised to arms most of the Bosnian captains in 1831.
The town has a fort with 18-meter high walls built between 1765 and 1821, and a 22-meter high watchtower built in 1824 by Husein-kapetan Gradaščević on foundations made originally by the Romans. Husejnija Mosque was built in 1826.
From 1929 to 1939, Gradačac was part of the Vrbas Banovina and from 1939 to 1941 of the Banovina of Croatia within the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
In 1964 and 1967, Gradačac suffered serious floods, which led to significant interventions in the local streams in the 1970s.
It was severely bombed during the Bosnian War 1992–1995. It is located near the narrow northern Brčko corridor that connects two major portions of the Bosnian Serb entity Republika Srpska. Gradačac became part of the Tuzla Canton in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina after the war.
Thermal springs The first spa facility, Ilidža Spa Treatment Centre was built on the thermal springs in Gradačac in 1882. The water temperature is 29.30˚C found at depth of 286 meters. In the area nearby are also two lakes Hazna and Vidara. Both lakes were built as part of project for protecting city from floods who took final stroke in 1964 and 1967, when the city's industrial part was underwater due to extensive floods.
Economy The most important industries in Gradačac are textile, chemical, mechanical and food processing. Gradačac is the place where the traditional international fair for plums "Sajam šljive" (also known as "Šljivarevo") is held. In August 2015, the traditional international plum fair "Sajam šljive" was held. It was attended by 250 presenters from Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Germany, Turkey and Hungary. One of the more notable local firms is "Kula", who was founded in 1960 as a small local factory producing clothing. Today, Kula is modern and respective company in Eastern Europe with 700 employees and annual production of 300.000 pieces. Kula visits fashion fairs in country and Europe. Kula's models were seen in fashion fairs in Brussel, Leipzig, Düsseldorf and Brno.
Education In the municipality there are two high schools, seven elementary and 14 regional schools.
Sport NK Zvijezda Gradačac KK Gradacac KIK Zmaj Gradačac
Notable people Ahmed Muradbegović, writer Ana Šimić, high jumper Dario Damjanović, footballer Ervin Sejdic, researcher Hasan Kikić, poet Husein Kavazović, Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2012-) Husein Gradaščević, nobleman Ivona Brandić, computer scientist Julijana Matanović, writer Meliha Smajlović, volleyball player Mustafa Imamović, historian Stjepan Šiber, general
Twin towns – sister cities
Gradačac is twinned with: Düren, Germany
Sivas, Turkey Stryi, Ukraine
Gallery
See also Gradačac Castle
References
External links
Gradacac.com Official Site gradacac.net Gradačački Info Portal