Sisak

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Sisak
other_name =
settlement_type = Town
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image_caption = old storehouse


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seal_size = 100px
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pushpin_map_caption = Location of Sisak within Croatia
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Croatia
subdivision_type1 = County
subdivision_name1 = Sisak-Moslavina
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government_type =
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Dinko Pintarić, (CDU)
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area_total_km2 = 422.75
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population_as_of = 2001
population_footnotes = [http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gcis&lng=en&dat=32&srt=npan&col=aohdq&geo=-98]
population_note =
population_total = 52,236
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timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2
latd=45 |latm=29|lats= |latNS=N
longd=16|longm=22|longs= |longEW=E
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 100
elevation_ft =
postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code = 44000
area_code = 044
blank_name =
blank_info =
website = [http://www.sisak.hr sisak.hr]
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Sisak (German: "Sissek", Hungarian: "Sziszek",
Italian: "Siscia") is a city in central Croatia. The city's population in 2001 was 52,236 [http://www.dzs.hr/hrv/censuses/Census2001/Popis/H01_01_01/h01_01_01_zup03.html] and it is the administrative centre of Sisak-Moslavina county. Sisak is located at the confluence of the Kupa, Sava, and Odra rivers, 57 km southeast of the Croatian capital Zagreb.

Geography

Sisak is usually considered to be where the Posavina (Sava basin) begins, with an elevation of 99 m.

Sisak is Croatia's biggest river port and a centre of river shipping industry ("Dunavski Lloyd"). Sisak lies on the main road Zagreb-Sisak-Petrinja (M12.2) and the railroad Zagreb-Sisak-Sunja.

History

The long history of urban life here (around 2,500 years) as well the extremely favourable position on the confluence of three rivers, (the Sava, the Kupa and the Odra), have made Sisak an important town in the history of Croatia.

Prior to the invasion by the Roman Empire, the region was Celtic and the city there was named Segestica. [cite book | title = Celtic Culture | author = John T. Koch | year = 2006 | page = p.1662 | isbn = 1851094407 ]

During the Roman Empire when Sisak was known as Siscia, Christian martyr Saint Quirinus of Sescia was tortured and nearly killed during Diocletian's persecution of Christians. Legend has it that they tied him to a millstone and threw him into a river, but he freed himself from the weight, escaped and continued to preach his faith. Today he is the patron saint of Sisak.

Braslav of Pannonia reigned from Sisak until this last bastion of the Pannonians was invaded. [cite book | title = When Ethnicity Did Not Matter in the Balkans | author = John Van Antwerp Fine, John V. A. Fine, Jr. | page = p.28 | publisher = University of Michigan Press | year = 2006 | isbn = 047211414X ] According to Historia Salonitana maior, Tomislav I of Croatia soon reclaimed it soon after. [cite book | title = When Ethnicity Did Not Matter in the Balkans | author = John Van Antwerp Fine, John V. A. Fine, Jr. | page = p.178 | publisher = University of Michigan Press | year = 2006 | isbn = 047211414X ] [cite book | title = History of Medieval Croatia | author = Stanko Guldescu | page = p.113 | publisher = Mouton | year = 1964 ]

The 16th century triangular fortress of the Old Town, well-preserved and turned into the Native Museum, is the main destination of every tourist. The fortress is famous for the victory of the joint forces of Croats and Carniolans over the Turks in 1593, known as the Battle of Sisak. It was the very first significant defeat of the up-to-then invincible Turkish army on European territory. The Croatian Ban Toma Bakač Erdedi who led the defense in this battle became famous throughout Europe.

The Baroque palace of "Mali Kaptol", the classicist "Veliki Kaptol", the brick "Stari most" ("Old Bridge") over the Kupa, and the ethnological park are the most frequently visited landmarks.

During World War II, Sisak was the site of the Sisak Children's Concentration Camp which was part of the large Jasenovac cluster where Serbs, Roma, and Jews were killed they were children mostly.

Demographics

According to the 2001 census, Sisak had a total population of 52,236.

43,402 of its citizens are Croats (83.09%), 3,897 are Serbs (7.46%), 795 are Bosniaks (1.52%), 436 are Roma (0.83%), 149 are Albanians (0.29%), 40 are Montenegrins (0.08%), and the rest are other ethnicities.

Population by religion are 41,204 Roman Catholics (78.88%), 3,801 Orthodox Christians (7.28%), 2,537 Muslims (4.86%), and others.

Miscellaneous

Chief occupations are farming, ferrous metallurgy (iron works), chemicals, leather (footwear), textiles and food processing plants (dairy products, alcoholic beverages), building material, crude oil refinery, and thermal power.

Sisak features the largest Croatian metallurgic factory and the largest oil refinery in Croatia

The city hosts University of Zagreb's Faculty of Metallurgy and the department of the Nautical Faculty.

Sisak has many rich mineral springs (spas) with healing properties in the temperature range from 42 to 54 °C.

Sports and recreation facilities in the town and the surroundings include mainly the waters and alluvial plains a public beach on the Kupa. All rivers ("Kupa", "Odra", "Sava") with their backwaters offer fishing opportunities. There are hunting grounds in the regions of Turopolje and Posavina. Sisak is the starting point for sightseeing tours into Lonjsko Polje (Field of Lonja river) nature park.

The local football club is HNK Segesta.

Sisak is extremely popular during the summer because there are many cafés situated on the river Kupa. During the day and night the cafés are usually full due to their location. Although the population is not great in number many people from the surrounding cities visit the town. In the last year numerous cafés have opened and their popularity has been bolstered through nights sponsored by beer manufacturers like Tuborg. The events consist of hostesses promoting the beer and there are drinking competitions, where prizes can be won, including t-shirts, whistles and key rings.

Notable people

*Ljudevit Posavski - 9th century prince
*Oktavijan August -
*Sveti Kvirin Sisački - patron saint, bishop
*Tamás Erdődy - ban
*Franjo Lovrić -
*Antun Radić -
*Stjepan Radić - Croatian politician
*Fran Bubanović -
*Vlado Janić
*Janko Bobetko - Croatian general
*Mika Špiljak - Croatian politician
*Slavko Striegl -
*Norbert Weber -
*Vera Horvat-Pintarić -
*Milan Steiner -
*Davorko Vidović -
*Marijan Mrmić - footballer/coach
*The Bambi Molesters - a surf punk bandDavorin Mario Filich

Twin towns

* Gabrovo, Bulgaria
* Heidenheim, Germany
* Remchingen,Germany
* Szombathely, Hungary
* Leszno,Poland
* Jihlava, Czech Republic

ee also

* Sisak (eponym)

External links

:1913CE|Dalmatia:1913CE|Croatia
* [http://www.sisak.hr/ Official Website]
* [http://www.sisak.info/ Sisak News Portal]
* [http://radiosisak.hr/ Radio Sisak - Hometown radio station]
* [http://www.sisakturist.com/ Sisak Tourism]

References

* http://www.dzs.hr/default_e.htm