Vitez

Infobox Settlement
official_name = PAGENAME
settlement_type =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = BIH
timezone=CET
utc_offset=+1
map_caption =Location of PAGENAME within Bosnia and Herzegovina.
timezone_DST=CEST
utc_offset_DST=+2
latNS=N
longEW=E
leader_title=Municipality president
native_name =Витез
|

leader_name = Vlado Alilović (HDZ)|area_total_km2 = 159
population_total = 27859|population_footnotes=
population_as_of=1991 census
population_density_km2 =
latd =
latm=
longd=
longm=
area_code = +387 30
parts =
website = http://www.gradvitez.info

Vitez (Cyrillic: Витез) is a town and municipality in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is administratively part of the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Name

The word "vitez" literally means knight in Croatian, Bosnian, Slovenian,Hungarian and Serbian. The Russian cognate is Vityaz.

Demographics

1971

20.628 total
* Croats - 10.196 (49,42%)
* Bosnian Muslims (i.e. Bosniaks) - 8.527 (41,33%)
* Serbs - 1.502 (7,28%)
* Yugoslavs - 178 (0,86%)
* Others - 225 (1,11%)

1991

In 1991 the population of the Vitez municipality was 27,859, of which were 45,49% Croats (12.675), 41,32% Muslims by nationality (i.e. Bosniaks) (11.514), 5,38% Serbs (1.501), 4,94% Yugoslavs (1.377), 2,87% others and unknown (792).

The population of the town itself was:

total: 7,200

* Bosnian Muslims (i.e. Bosniaks) - 2,647 (36.76%)
* Croats - 2,607 (36.20%)
* Yugoslavs - 937 (13.01%)
* Serbs - 741 (10.29%)
* others and unknown - 268 (3.72%)

2005

In 2005, population of Vitez municipality included 60% Catholics and 40% Muslims.

History

Area around Vitez was inhabited since earliest ages, which has been proved by various excavations. The first settlements belonged so called "Butmir's culture". One of the most famous artifacts found from that age in Veliki Mošunj, is a "Big Bronze Sword", uniquely crafted. During Roman time, the first urban settlements are being built. Through the river Lašva valley there were communication routes in which the caravans, armies, missionaries, etc. used to travel.On "Castoriusovoj Tabuli Peutingeriani", there were caravan's routes from which the important one goes through this valley to connect from "Pannonia" at the North to "Aegnatia" at the South. U lower levels of the valley there were findings and lots of tombs, foundations, ... According to excavated articles from the middle age significant findings are discovered in Zabilje, Počulica, Kremenik, Gačice, Večeriska, Preočica etc. Around the area of once active railroad station, the archeologists found stone with engraved Celtic god Sokol which proves that this region was once inhabited by Celts. During Big Migration in Europe, caused by the decay of Roman Empire, in this region the Slavs begin to come from nowadays Ukraine and Poland, and are organizing their first states. At nearby Bilino Polje (Zenica) the great Bosnian ruler Kulin Ban left the oldest written document of all South Slavic states (April 8, 1203)written in Bosancica (Old Bosnian Alphabet) in which the borders of Bosnia were described. (From river Sava at the North, River Drina at the East and river Una at the West). During his rule Kingdom of Bosnia enjoyed peace and prosperity. In the time of Ban "Stjepan Kotromanić" there was a census in which old Bosnia had 7 counties. It is also known that Vitez was part of Bosnia until the decay of Bosnia when Ottoman empire occupied this region. This was the period in Vitez got its name. According to the legend, one of the knights of Bosnian kingdom was killed in Lasva valley, but his horse brought him in today's Vitez where he finally fell down. The inhabitants of the area named that place Vitez. There are, off course, many more of +those legends. It is known that the first settlement in nowadays urban area was formed around the mosque, built in 1590. Knowing that mosques are being erected in urban areas, it is logical to say that this settlement existed even before. During Ottoman's time Turkish traveler "Evlija Ćelebi" mentioned Vitez 3 times but without any precise information. Vitez is mentioned once again during an uprising against Turks lead by "Husein-kapetan Gradaščević", when he defeated Turkish Army at Kosovo, after which he was named for Bosnian de-facto ruler (Vezir) in the residence of Hadži Mujaga Zlatar (Zlatarević) in Zabilje near Vitez. According to the Austrian officer "Božića" (1785), Vitez had 18 houses, mosque and Motel (Han). After many centuries under the Ottoman rule, 1878 Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Vitez got occupied by Austro-Hungary Monarchy, and later 1908 annexed. During this time there were many changes in Bosnian society, both political and economical. For a short period they built many roads, railroads, mines,... But, unluckily only with goal to exploit Bosnian natural resources. At the place of old Turkish wood plant, Austrian entrepreneur "Guido Rütgers" built the enterprise for mechanical wood processing which was a milestone in a development of urban area. In 1879. Vitez had 510 inhabitants. Other companies existed as well, but were all owned by foreigners. It this period many people from parts of Monarchy came to work in Vitez, especially from Slovenia, Croatia, Czechoslovakia, Hungary , Switzerland.

port

The town is home to the football club NK FIS Vitez, FK Vitez , basketball club HKK Vitez Paladij, handball club Impregnacija Vitez, table tennis club STK Vitez.

References

* 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.

External links

*http://gradvitez.info/
*http://www.vitez.info/
*http://www.vitezani.com/
*http://www.nisvet-hrustic.com
*http://www.vitezani.com
*http://www.fis-bih.com
*http://www.ambyenta.com
*http://www.gsbih.com
*http://www.am2000vitez.com