Užice

Užice Ужице
City
City of Užice
From top: Panorama of Užice, Museum village Drvengrad, Church of St. George, Hotel Palas, Užice National theatre, Kadinjača Memorial complex, Old fortress near Užice, River Đetinja
Coat of arms
Location of the city of Užice within Serbia
Coordinates: 43°51′N 19°51′E / 43.850°N 19.850°E / 43.850; 19.850Coordinates: 43°51′N 19°51′E / 43.850°N 19.850°E / 43.850; 19.850
Country	Serbia
Region	Šumadija and Western Serbia
District	Zlatibor
Municipalities	2
Settlements	38
Government
• Mayor	Jelena Raković Radivojević (SNS)
Area [1]
• Urban	41.10 km2 (15.87 sq mi)
• Administrative	667.00 km2 (257.53 sq mi)
Elevation	411 m (1,348 ft)
Population  (2011 census)[2]
• Rank	14th in Serbia
• Urban	59,747
• Urban density	1,500/km2 (3,800/sq mi)
• Administrative	78,040
• Administrative density	120/km2 (300/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	31000
Area code	+381(0)31
ISO 3166 code	SRB
Car plates	UE
Website	www.uzice.rs

Užice (Serbian Cyrillic: Ужице, pronounced [ûʒit͡se] (listen)) is a city and the administrative centre of the Zlatibor District in western Serbia. It is located on the banks of the river Đetinja. According to the 2011 census, the city proper has a population of 59,747. The City municipality of Užice (Serbian Cyrillic: Градска општина Ужице, romanized: Gradska opština Užice) is one of two city municipalities (with the City municipality of Sevojno) which constitute the City of Užice. According to the 2011 census results, the municipality has 70,939 inhabitants.^[3][2]

History[]

Ancient era[]

The region surrounding Užice was settled by Illyrians, specifically the Parthini and the Celtic-influenced Autariatae tribes. Their tombs are found throughout the region. In the 3rd century BC, the Scordisci featured prominently after the Gallic invasion of the Balkans. The region was conquered by the Roman Empire in 168 BC, and was organized into the province of Illyricum in 32–27 BC and, after 10 AD, the province of Dalmatia. The Roman municipium (town) of Capedunum existed here during Roman times; its name indicates a Celtic origin (dun, fortress),^[4] similar to Singidunum, the founding name of Serbia's capital, Belgrade.

Middle Ages[]

The settlement of Slavs in the region has been recorded since the 520s, when Slavic tribes pillaged the Eastern Roman Empire; during Justinian I's rule (527–565), up to 100,000 Slavs raided areas far to the south of the city in Thessalonica. The region (Drina županija) was part of the Vlastimirović dynasty when they established the medieval Principality of Serbia, the first Serb state. Across the Drina, in Bosnia, the army of Časlav fought the invading Magyars in the 950s. The region was annexed by the Byzantine Empire after 969, becoming part of the Catepanate of Ras. Later, the area around the city became a part of the Theme of Sirmium.

Stari Grad (Old town),
Castle fort built in the 1300s by Serbian nobleman Nikola Altomanović

The region may have been returned to Serbian hands in the 1040s during the revolt against the Eastern Roman Empire led by Stefan Vojislav, progenitor of the Vojislavljević dynasty. In 1083, brothers Vukan and Marko were appointed princes in Raška. In 1091, Vukan became independent of Byzantine rule, creating the Grand Principality of Serbia, while Duklja (up until this, the most powerful Serbian principality, situated to the southwest) slowly crumbled, eventually coming under the rule of inner Serbia.

The Serbian Grand Principality remained in the hands of the Vukanović dynasty until another line of the same dynasty was set to rule by Manuel I Komnenos (r. 1143–1180). Zavida, thought to be a brother of Uroš II and Desa, fled after trying to acquire an appanage or the throne itself. Zavida's four sons divided the rule, each holding česti (parts): Stracimir, župan of West Morava, ruled the country surrounding Užice. ^[5] Stefan Nemanja eventually wrestled rule from the other four sons^{[clarification needed]} when he defeated Tihomir, Stracimir's brother, in 1171. Stracimir continued ruling in Nemanja's name.

When King Dragutin of house Nemanjić abdicated in favor of his brother Milutin, he retained control of Užice region and was given the Mačva region by the Hungarian king, from which he formed the Kingdom of Srem. After King Dragutin died, his lands were annexed to Serbia. The old Fortress on the hill was founded in the mid 14th century. After the death of Emperor Dušan the Mighty, in the period known as the 'fall of the Serbian Empire', Užice came under the control of Vojislav Vojinović, a nobleman in the service of Emperor Uroš the Weak. When Vojislav died, his nephew Nikola Altomanović controlled the region. When Uroš died childless, the former Imperial provincial lords begin fighting each other. Serbian Autokrator Lazar Hrebeljanović and Tvrtko I of Bosnia defeated Nikola Altomanović, and divided his lands between themselves. Nikola was blinded in the fortress on the orders of Stefan Musić. Užice came under the control of Lazar, then the Serbian Despotate under his son Stefan Lazarević.

Ottoman period[]

Užice fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1463, and was part of the Sanjak of Smederevo until 1807, when it was liberated by the Serbian revolutionaries during the First Serbian Uprising.

Modern Serbia[]

Užice in the 1890s.

Užice was the first town in Serbia with a hydroelectric power plant producing alternating current. It was built on the Đetinja river in 1900.

World War II[]

Monument to fallen Partisans, Kadinjača.

In 1941, after Nazi occupation, Užice was liberated by the Yugoslav Partisans, who chose it as the capital of the Republic of Užice. This republic was a short-lived military mini-state that existed in the autumn of 1941 in the western part of Nazi-occupied Serbia.

The Republic of Užice comprised most of western Serbia, with a population of more than 300,000 people. It was located between the Skrapež river in the north, the river Drina in the west, the river Zapadna Morava in the east, and the Uvac river in the south.

In November 1941, the German army re-occupied this territory, and the majority of Partisan forces escaped to Bosnia, Raška and Montenegro.

Yugoslav era[]

The train station in the 1970s

Within the former Yugoslavia (established after the Second World War), Užice was renamed 'Titovo Užice' (Титово Ужице). From 1992, following the collapse of the pro-communist administration, 'Titovo' (meaning Tito's) was removed, leaving the original city name Užice. It was one of eight towns renamed Tito's town in Yugoslavia. Due to being 'Titove' and central-planning communist system, Užice received significant amounts of investment in infrastructure and local factories, which made the city one of the most highly developed for its size in former Yugoslavia. Following the break-up of the region, all the towns dropped the 'Titove' title.

1990s[]

During the 1990s, Užice's economy shrank rapidly due to war and instability in the region.

In 1999 the city was bombed multiple times during Operation Allied Force. The largest scale bombing occurred on May 6, 1999 when NATO forces bombed many roads and highways, the airport, civilian buildings and government buildings.^[6] After this, thousands of people turned out at the city's main square to protest the bombings and destruction of the city and killings of civilians.

Geography[]

Mountain Zlatibor

Užice lies 411 metres (1,348 feet) above sea level, on both sides of the river Đetinja. The city is completely surrounded by the Dinaric Alps. 25 kilometres (16 miles) south of the city is Zlatibor, a mountain region with a long tradition of tourism.

West of the city are the mountain Tara as well as its western extension, Zvijezda mountain. Together, they mark Tara National Park, which has an area of 220 square kilometres (85 square miles).

The Belgrade-Bar railway passes through Užice and connects it with both the northern parts of Serbia and the Montenegrin coast. Užice has a fairly developed transportation infrastructure, connected with the surrounding areas by state roads of the first order.

Climate[]

Užice has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification: Dfb) approaching an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfb).

Demographics[]

According to the 2011 census results, Užice has a total population of 78,040 inhabitants.

Ethnic groups[]

The ethnic composition of the city:^[9]

Municipalities and settlements[]

City municipalities

The City of Užice consists of two city municipalities: Užice and Sevojno. In 2013, the city municipality of Sevojno, located 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) east of Užice, was established.^[10] As of 2011, it has 7,101 inhabitants of 78,040 which live in the City of Užice.

Settlements

List of the settlements in the City of Užice (population per 2011 census given in brackets):^[2]

Economy[]

Power plant on the River Đetinja was founded by the king Alexander I of Serbia in 1899^[11]

Užice has historically been a relatively well developed city. In 1981, Užice's GDP per capita was 157% of the Yugoslav average.^[12] In 1990, Užice had 17,000 manufacturing workers; as of 2018, the number of manufacturing workers is around 7,000.^[13][14] Among the large companies that did not survive the international sanctions of Serbia during the 1990s and did not survive the economic transition following the breakup of Yugoslavia are the textile manufacturers 'Froteks' and 'Desa Petronijević', the market chain 'Gradina', the printing company 'Dimitrije Tucović', the transport company 'Raketa', and other manufacturing companies like 'Fasau', 'Kotroman' and 'Tvrdi Metal'.^[13]

Regardless, the modern city has a developing textile, leather, machine and metal industry. Most companies have factories on the outskirts of the city due to good communication connections, given the close proximity of the main highway, railroad and airport. Ponikve Airport is currently under reconstruction, and as a result cargo airlines will mostly use it for transporting goods. The airport management confirmed interest in low cost, scheduled and chartered airlines.

As of September 2017, Užice has one of 14 free economic zones established in Serbia.^[15]

As of 2018, the largest companies operating in the city of Užice are Prvi Partizan (ammunition), Impol Seval Sevojno (aluminum mill), Valjaonica bakra Sevojno (copper mill), MPP Jedinstvo Sevojno (construction) and Putevi Užice (construction).

The following table gives a preview of total number of registered people employed in legal entities per their core activity (as of 2019):^[16]

Society and culture[]

Map of the region where Zlakusa pottery is produced, which is included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists

Uvac Monastery

The house of Jokanović's, traditional architecture from the middle 19th century

Building of the National theatre

The library and theatre are in the main square in the city centre. Also located in the area are newspaper agencies, radio and television stations and publishing companies. The city gallery is in the lowlands of Pašinovac, the oldest area of the city. The national museum displays cultural and historical treasures of the city, and with its exhibitions, shows the centuries of rich Užice history. It is located on the Eastern side of the main city street.

The Gymnasium of Užice is one of the oldest secondary school institutions in Serbia. Aside from the gymnasium, there are also several other primary and secondary schools and faculties located in Užice.

Milutin Uskoković, writer from Užice, was described as the author of the first modern novel in Serbia.

The locals, Užicans (Serbian: Ужичани, Užičani), have their own traditional costume, and folk music; the sound of which is transitional between the music of Šumadija (central Serbia) and Bosnia and Herzegovina. They speak a Neo-Štokavian Užican dialect, originally with Ijekavian pronunciation.

• Uvac Monastery

Architecture[]

Some distinctive buildings in Užice are:

• The Old Town-fortress, 14th-century fortress
• St. Marks' Church
• White Church, Karan
• The Building of the City of Užice
• Užička gimnazija (The Užican Gymnasium)
• Jokanovića kuća (The home of the Jokanovićs, one of the oldest buildings in Užice)

Media[]

Užice is turning into the regional media centre of western Serbia.

• TV stations: TV5 Užice
• Radio stations: , , Radio Luna,Radio San
• Newspapers: Vesti,

International relations[]

Twin towns / sister cities[]

Užice is twinned with:

• Cassino, Italy
• Kursk, Russia
• Veria, Greece
• Ljutomer, Slovenia
• Harbin, China (2018)^[17]

Notable people[]

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Politicians

Sportspeople

Others

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Užice.

• (in Serbian) City of Užice