Tešanj

Coordinates: 44°36′51″N 17°59′22″E / 44.61417°N 17.98944°E / 44.61417; 17.98944
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Tešanj
Тешањ
Coat of arms of Tešanj
Location of Tešanj within Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Location of Tešanj within Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Coordinates: 44°36′51″N 17°59′22″E / 44.61417°N 17.98944°E / 44.61417; 17.98944
Country Bosnia and Herzegovina
EntityFederation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Canton Zenica-Doboj
Government
 • Municipal mayorSuad Huskić (SDA)
Area
 • Town and municipality1,559 km2 (602 sq mi)
Population
 (2013 census)
 • Town and municipality43,063
 • Density276.22/km2 (715.4/sq mi)
 • Urban
5,257
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Area code+387 32
Websitewww.opcina-tesanj.ba

Tešanj (Serbian Cyrillic: Тешањ) is a town and municipality located in the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, it has a population of 43,063 inhabitants, while the town of Tešanj has a population of 5,257 inhabitants.[1] It is situated in the northern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Geography[edit]

Tešanj is located at an altitude of 230 meters and developed around the river Tešanjka. The town is surrounded by many hills.

History[edit]

The present name of the city was mentioned for the first time in 1461 in a charter from King Stephen Tomašević to his uncle Radivoj. The charter stated that King Stephen Tomašević grants him, among other possessions "i na Usori grad Tešanj -- the city of Tešanj, in the Usora region".

Between the second half of the 15th century and the first half of the 16th century, the history of Tešanj was rather chaotic. Since Bosnia was considered a buffer state by the Ottomans, it changed rulers quite often, alternating between Ottoman and Hungarian occupation. Between 1463 and 1476 Tešanj was the center of the Bosnian Kingdom and the residence of Duke Radivoj Kotromanić.

From 1512 (or 1520-21) on, Tešanj was under continuous rule of the Ottoman Empire. The most Ottoman influential ruler of Tešanj was the Bosnian Sandžak-bey Gazi Ferhad Pasha. It was under his authority that the city rapidly developed. His most significant contribution was the Ferhadija Mosque (1563), which still stands in the old town, dating back to the 16th century. Gazi Ferhad-bey died in 1568 and was buried in the yard of the mosque. The epitaph on his tombstone was in Arabic, and is the oldest Islamic record in Tešanj.

The old Eminagić House is the oldest house in Tešanj, still standing the test of time, and is said to have been built at the end of the 17th century.

Castle as seen from the heart of Old town of Tešanj

The Old Town is dominated by the well-preserved fortress, called "Gradina" or simply Tešanj Castle, that overlooks the entire city. The Upper City Center expands around the castle, rather on the bottom of this castle. Very early this castle became a center of economic and cultural life of Tešanj. This was developed along with retail and trade in Tešanj. The city center developed rapidly in the 17th and 18th century, when there were around 40 stores and trades operating.

The clock tower was built in the 17th century. Out of a total of 21 clock towers that were built throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, this tower is one of four that are still working properly. It is 18.5 meters tall. Up until 1890 this tower showed alaturk time, but the same year Fehim-beg Smailbegović brought a new clock which showed European time. This hour clock is still working.

The grave of the poet Musa Ćazim Ćatić is located in "Obješenica" cemetery in the city center. Even though he was born in Odžak in 1880, he dedicated his whole life and work to the city Tešanj, where he died in 1915.

From 1929 to 1941, Tešanj was part of the Vrbas Banovina of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

Tourism[edit]

Tešanj Castle[edit]

Tešanj Castle

The foundation of this fortification was started even before the Romans conquered the region. Exact dates are unknown. It was later enhanced by the Romans, Slavs and the Ottoman forces. It has been primarily a defensive fortification. Tešanj Castle is one of the most significant and biggest castles in Bosnia, with an area of about 6,296 square metres.

During the Ottoman period, the castle had a permanent army.

Demographics[edit]

Population[edit]

Population of settlements – Tešanj municipality
Settlement 1961. 1971. 1981. 1991. 2013.
Total 29,182 34,693 43,692 48,480 43,063
1 Bobare 658 563
2 Bukva 834 962
3 Čaglići 646 643
4 Cerovac 449 458
5 Čifluk 547 576
6 Dobropolje 787 898
7 Drinčići 253 291
8 Džimilić Planje 1,328 1,141
9 Jablanica 831 752
10 Jelah 1,642 2,911
11 Jelah Polje 1,009 353
12 Jevadžije 523 570
13 Kalošević 1,091 1,154
14 Karadaglije 789 752
15 Koprivci 494 487
16 Kraševo 1,218 1,430
17 Lepenica 1,382 1,514
18 Ljetinić 749 849
19 Logobare 304 499
20 Medakovo 781 813
21 Mekiš 539 513
22 Miljanovci 1,060 797
23 Mrkotić 1,303 1,323
24 Novi Miljanovci 1,654 1,999
25 Novo Selo 859 863
26 Orašje Planje 905 900
27 Piljužići 1,840 1,823
28 Potočani 629 1,029
29 Putešić 460 476
30 Raduša 2,729 3,051
31 Rosulje 760 893
32 Šije 2,333 2,582
33 Tešanj 3,901 5,253 5,621 5,257
34 Tešanjka 1,047 429
35 Trepče 1,659 1,593
36 Tugovići 394 448
37 Vukovo 864 1,057

Ethnic composition[edit]

Ethnic composition – Tešanj town
2013. 1991. 1981. 1971.
Total 5,257 (100,0%) 5,621 (100,0%) 5,253 (100,0%) 3,901 (100,0%)
Bosniaks 5,095 (96,91%) 4,651 (82,74%) 4,376 (83,30%) 3,489 (89,44%)
Croats 76 (1,446%) 206 (3,665%) 160 (3,046%) 174 (4,460%)
Unaffiliated 45 (0,856%)
Serbs 25 (0,476%) 293 (5,213%) 248 (4,721%) 201 (5,153%)
Montenegrins 6 (0,114%) 12 (0,228%) 9 (0,231%)
Others 6 (0,114%) 79 (1,405%) 62 (1,180%) 12 (0,308%)
Albanians 2 (0,038%) 13 (0,247%) 1 (0,026%)
Unknown 2 (0,038%)
Yugoslavs 392 (6,974%) 381 (7,253%) 11 (0,282%)
Slovenes 1 (0,019%) 4 (0,103%)
Ethnic composition – Tešanj municipality
2013. 1991. 1981. 1971. 1961.
Total 43,063 (100,0%) 48,480 (100,0%) 43,692 (100,0%) 34,693 (100,0%) 29,182 (100,0%)
Bosniaks 41,148 (95,55%) 34,941 (72,07%) 30,653 (70,16%) 24,200 (69,75%) 18,270 (62,61%)
Croats 1,462 (3,395%) 8,929 (18,42%) 8,548 (19,56%) 7,603 (21,92%) 6,332 (21,70%)
Serbs 226 (0,525%) 3,071 (6,335%) 3,152 (7,214%) 2,692 (7,759%) 3,464 (11,87%)
Unaffiliated 128 (0,297%)
Unknown 36 (0,084%)
Albanians 28 (0,065%) 21 (0,048%) 14 (0,040%)
Others 24 (0,056%) 492 (1,015%) 177 (0,405%) 107 (0,308%) 113 (0,390%)
Montenegrins 7 (0,016%) 56 (0,128%) 28 (0,081%)
Roma 3 (0,007%) 66 (0,151%)
Yugoslavs 1 (0,002%) 1,047 (2,160%) 1,012 (2,316%) 39 (0,112%) 1,003 (3,440%)
Slovenes 5 (0,011%) 7 (0,020%)
Macedonians 2 (0,005%) 3 (0,009%)

The town of Tešanj itself had 5,253 residents in 1981, and 6,058 in 1991. Note: Bosniaks are Bosnian nationals with Muslim religious and/or cultural background.

Places in the municipality[edit]

Bukva, Blaževci, Bobare, Cerovac, Čaglici, Čifluk, Dobropolje, Drinčići, Džemilić Planje, Jevadžije, Jelah, Jablanica, Jelah Polje, Kalošević, Karadaglije, Koprivci, Kraševo, Lepenica, Logobare, Lončari, Ljetinić, Marin Han, Mrkotić, Miljanovci, Medakovo, Mekiš, Novo Selo, Novi Miljanovci, Orašje Planje, Piljužići, Potočani, Putešić, Raduša, Rosulje, Ripna, Šije, Tešanj, Trepče, Tešanjka, Tugovići, Vrela, Vukovo, Hrvatinovići,[2] and Dubalji.

Notable people[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Naseljena Mjesta 1991/2013" (in Bosnian). Statistical Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  2. ^ Opcina Tesanj - zvanična web stranica Archived 2008-05-08 at the Wayback Machine

External links[edit]