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Sisak (; also known by other alternative names) is a city in central Croatia, spanning the confluence of the Kupa, Sava and Odra rivers, southeast of the Croatian capital Zagreb, and is usually considered to be where the Posavina (Sava basin) begins, with an elevation of 99 m. The city's total population in 2021 was 40,185 of which 27,886 live in the urban settlement (naselje).
Sisak is the administrative centre of the Sisak-Moslavina County, Croatia's biggest river port and a centre of river shipping industry (Dunavski Lloyd). It lies on the D36 state road and the Zagreb-Sisak-Novska railway. Sisak is a regional economic, cultural and historical center. The largest oil refinery in Croatia is located in Sisak.[1]
In German language the town is known as , , and in Kajkavian and Slovene language as .
The Christianity martyr Quirinus of Sescia, presumed the first bishop of the Diocese 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. When Diocletian split Pannonia into four provinces, Siscia became the capital of Pannonia Savia, the southwestern one, for which Siscia contained the treasury; at the same time it was the station of the small fleet kept on the Savus. Siscia maintained its importance until Sirmium began to rise, for in proportion as Sirmium rose, Siscia sank and declined.
The Baroque palace of Mali Kaptol, the Classicism Veliki Kaptol, the brick Stari most ("Old Bridge") over the Kupa, and the ethnological park are the most frequently visited landmarks.
On 22 June 1941, the day Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union, the Sisak People's Liberation Partisan Detachment, also known as the 1st Sisak Partisan Detachment, was formed by the outlawed Croatian Communist Party in the Brezovica Forest, near Sisak. It was the first Partisan armed Anti-fascism resistance unit formed in occupied Yugoslavia following the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers in April 1941.
It had 79 members, mainly Croats with the exception of one notable Serb woman, Nada Dimić, and was commanded by a Croat, Vladimir Janjić-Capo.
With the outbreak of the Croatian War of Independence in 1991, Sisak remained in Government hands while the territory to the south was controlled by rebelling Serbs. During the war, the Serb forces often shelled the city, causing dozens of civilian casualties and extensive damage to the city's industry. According to Amnesty International, Serb civilians in Sisak and surrounding areas were subjected to abductions, killings, assault and threats with at least 33 killed between 1991 and 1992, while local human rights activists in Croatia claim that Sisak killings. The frontline dramatically moved eastwards as a result of Operation Storm (1995), effectively ending the war.
Sisak suffered much damage during the 2020 Petrinja earthquake. The town, located roughly northeast of the epicenter, reported damage to the hospital as well as city hall and various churches. Most of the damage was inflicted on old buildings in the center of the town. However, early figures estimate that 700 to 1,000 homes were damaged in Sisak and nearby villages.
In the 2011 census, the population by religion was 37,319 Roman Catholics (78.13%; since 2009 again served by their own Diocese of Sisak), 3,279 Eastern Orthodox (6.86%), 2,442 Muslims (5.11%) and others.
The local administrative boards are:
Sisak features the largest metallurgic factory and the largest oil refinery in Croatia. Sisak has many rich mineral springs (hot spring) with healing properties in the temperature range from .
The city hosts University of Zagreb's Faculty of Metallurgy.
The local chapter of the Croatian Mountaineering Society (HPS) is HPD "Gvozd", which had 61 members in 1936 under the Viktor Borovečki presidency. At the time, it had a skiing section. Membership fell to 43 in 1937. Membership fell to 41 in 1938.
Middle Ages
Braslav of Lower Pannonia reigned from Sisak until he was killed in the Hungarian invasion ca. 898. According to Historia Salonitana, Duke Tomislav reclaimed it soon after.
Early modern
The 16th-century triangular Fortification 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, Austrians and (Slovenes) over the Ottoman Empire in 1593, known as the Battle of Sisak. It was one of the early significant defeats of the up-to-then invincible Ottoman army on European territory. The Croatian Ban Thomas Erdődy who led the defense in this battle became famous throughout Europe. However this victory didn't prevent Sisak from Ottoman conquest on 24 August 1593. During their brief rule, it was called Siska. Its fortress was manned, a sanjak beg was appointed and a mosque was built in the fortress. On 11 August 1594, Ottoman forces fled and set the fortress on fire after a powerful Habsburg-Croat army approached.Ive Mažuran: Povijest Hrvatske od 15. stoljeća do 18. stoljeća, p. 148
Modern
In the late 19th and early 20th century, Sisak was a district capital in the Zagreb County of the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia.
Modern history
From 1929 to 1939, Sisak was part of the Sava Banovina, and from 1939 to 1941, of the Banovina of Croatia within the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. During World War II, the Sisak children's concentration camp was set up by the Croatian Axis powers Ustaše government for Serbian, Jewish and Romani children. It is estimated that 1,160–1,600 children lost their lives at the camp.
Population
In the 2011 census, of the total population of 47,768 there were 40,590 Croats (84.97%), 3,071 Serbs (6.43%), 1,646 Bosniaks (3.45%), 648 Romani people (1.36%), 179 Albanians (0.37%), 29 Montenegrins (0.06%), and the rest were other ethnicities.
Municipal makeup
The city's administrative area is composed of the following naselje:
Administrative division
The administrative sections of Sisak are the city neighborhoods (gradske četvrti) and local administrative boards (mjesni odbori). The city neighborhoods are:
Politics
Minority councils and representatives
Directly elected minority councils and representatives are tasked with consulting tasks for the local or regional authorities in which they are advocating for minority rights and interests, integration into public life and participation in the management of local affairs. In the most recent election to the Sisak ethnic minority council, the local Bosniak, Roma, and Serb minorities each fulfilled the legal requirements to elect a total of 15 deputies to the minority council of the City of Sisak; while the local Albanian minority elected a representative.
Miscellaneous
Chief occupations are farming, Ironworks (iron works), chemicals, leather (footwear), textiles and food processing plants (dairy products, alcoholic beverages), building material, Petroleum Oil refinery and thermal power.
Sports
Sports and recreation areas in the town and its surroundings are mainly rivers and alluvial plains. The Kupa, Odra, and Sava rivers, with their headwaters, offer fishing opportunities; there is a public beach on the Kupa. There are hunting grounds in the regions of Turopolje and Posavina. Sisak is the starting point for sightseeing tours into Lonjsko Polje (The Field of the Lonja River) nature park. The local football club is HNK Segesta. Sisak features the oldest ice hockey club in Croatia, KHL Sisak, established in 1934.
Geography
Climate
Since records began in 1949, the highest temperature recorded at the local weather station at an elevation of was , on 24 August 2012. The coldest temperature was , on 12 January 1985.
International relations
Twin towns – Sister cities
Sisak is twinned with:
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See also
Bibliography
(2006). 9781904978701, Time Out Group Ltd & Ebury Publishing, Random House 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SV1V 2SA. . ISBN 9781904978701
Notes
External links
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