Prijedor
Encyclopedia
Prijedor is a city and municipality in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina
. It is situated in the Bosanska Krajina
region.
Prijedor is the second largest municipality in the Republika Srpska entity and the sixth largest in Bosnia and Herzegovina
. It is an economically prosperous municipality hosting a wide range of industries, services and educational institutions. The town's geographical location close to major European capitals has made it an important industrial and commercial hub nationally.
Prijedor is known for its Catholic, Orthodox Christian and Islamic heritage. Historic buildings from the Ottoman and Austrian-Hungarian periods are a feature of the urban landscape. The city underwent extensive renovation between 2006-2009.
Prijedor acquired notoriety during the Bosnian War
of 1992-1995 as a result of the violent ethnic cleansing of the non-Serb population of the town and municipality and the establishment of a concentration camp system under the auspices of the local Crisis Staff Committee.
, on the banks of the Sana
and Gomjenica rivers, and at the south-western hills of the Kozara
mountain. The area of the municipality is 833 km² (322 sq mi). The town is situated at 44°58'39" N and 16°42'29" E, at an altitude of 133 m (436 feet).
It is traditionally a part of the historical and cultural region of Bosanska Krajina
in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The terrain ascends to the north-east of Prijedor in waves and gradually becomes the mountain range of the Kozara
mountain, which is famous from the peoples' uprisings in the previous centuries and battles against fascism
during the Second World War.
The city lies on the alluvial terrain created by the Sana river and its tributaries on the south-western hillsides of the Kozara
mountain.
dominion until 1878. About 200 years ago in this part of Bosnia a large number of fortifications developed which served to protect restless borders with Austria
. That was happening during the Austro-Ottoman War
and great Ottoman defeats when the borders moved towards the east in favor of Austria
. The first mention of the town, which refers to it as “Palanka Praedor” in a Latin written report of an Austrian field marshal about burnt fortified settlements, occurs between 1693 and 1696. The term “Palanka” indicates a wooden fortification built on an artificially created island on the river Sana. It's not clear how Prijedor got its name, but in present there are two theories. One of them refers to the term in “prodor”, i.e. penetration, penetration of Sana river, which flooded entire area. The second concerning race between man and horse (a horse is commonly known as “Doro”). As man won, it is said that man came to the goal before horse, in local “Prije Dore”.
At the same place in the middle of the 18th century, a new fortress will appear, this time built with the stone walls with three towers and two clay causeways for the cannons. An archived information from Istanbul
dated 1745 tells about two town guards crossing over to the newly built Palanka Pridorska Ada (island). It is the first mention of the fortress on the river Sana where the town will develop later.
With the emergence of the fortification, the settlement outside of the walls began to develop at the same time. The settlers are probably Christian
population who lived in the vicinity and who will rapidly merge with the town which was expanding to the north. There is a testimony of an Austrian secret agent about the existence of the town for the purposes of the Austrian army, where he described the town in detail and especially emphasized the suburb in the vicinity.
The town was developing rapidly thanks to the navigable river Sana, the development of commerce and craft, and later construction of the first railway through Prijedor. The first railroad in Bosnia and Herzegovina
was built in 1873 next to Prijedor and went from Dobrljina to Banja Luka. The fortress existed as a military spot until 1851 when the army left and the walls are demolished by local population for purpose of using the walls to build their own houses. A huge fire in 1882 destroyed 119 houses, 56 big commercial stores, schools, an orthodox church, and 140 families lost roofs over their heads. The next year the Austrian authorities opened a large sawmill at the foot of the mountain Kozara
, which is the first industrial object in the history of Prijedor.
The years after the fire brought an intensive development of the town, private and state-owned structures. The wood was replaced with modern building materials, the streets were designed at a right angle and the first town plan was created. New buildings were built – the Serbian elementary school, the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, and a hotel. First cultural associations appeared in the town as well as the libraries, reading rooms and a printing house. The end of the First World War will bring a new state – the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
, with Bosnia-Herzegovina as a part of it. Prijedor will have an important place as the trade and craft center of the whole region. The opening of the iron ore mine in Ljubija near Prijedor in 1916, which employed about 4,000 workers, will strengthen the economy of the town. During that period, the mine was one of the biggest and most modern iron ore mines in Europe
.
Ustashas and the German
Wehrmacht
.
The memorial center Mrakovica at Kozara, the work of the academic artist Dušan Džamonja
, is dedicated to this region's Yugoslav partisans resistance victims during WWII.
(1992–1995), the area near Prijedor housed the infamous Omarska camp
, Keraterm camp
, and Trnopolje camp
established in 1992 by Radovan Karadzic
's Serb authorities for Bosniak and Croat population. According to the testimony of Enes Kapetanovic before the Court of BiH at the trial for crimes committed in Keraterm
and Omarska
detention camps, "at the end of April 1992, after the Serbs overran Prijedor, we were informed on a daily basis that we should wear white bands around our arms if we were loyal to the new authorities. We all wore those bands - children and grown ups alike."
The Prijedor massacre
, also known as the Prijedor ethnic cleansing or the Prijedor genocide, refers to numerous war crimes committed during the Bosnian war
by the Serb political and military
leadership
mostly on Bosniak
civilian
s in the Prijedor
region of Bosnia-Herzegovina
. After the Srebrenica genocide, it is the second largest massacre
committed during the Bosnian war
in 1992. According to the Research and Documentation Center (IDC), around 5,200 Bosniaks and Croats from Prijedor are missing or were killed during the massacre period, and around 14,000 people in the wider region of Prijedor (Pounje).
Prijedor was also a place where mass war rape
and executions
of Bosniaks
, Bosnian Croats and non-cooperative Bosnian Serbs were carried out by Radovan Karadzic's Bosnian Serb army
. A high-ranking Bosnian Serb politician, Milomir Stakić
, was found guilty by the ICTY and sentenced to 40 years for war crimes conducted by Serb authorities in Prijedor in 1992.
On 21 December 2010 Zoran Babić, Milorad Škrbić, Dušan Janković and Željko Stojnić, all employed as public security officers in Prijedor during the war, were found guilty and sentenced to 86 years imprisonment on charges of war crimes against 150 Bosniak and Croat civilians at the Korićani Cliffs massacre
during the war.
About the failure of Bosnian government forces to capture Prijedor during the closing stages of the war and the town's inclusion in the Republika Srpska, Richard Holbrooke
wrote:
In 2010, a memorial was opened in Kozarac in remembrance of the Bosniak civilian victims who died in the concentration camps run by Serbian authorities during the war.
population census the Prijedor district
had a 59.08% Orthodox Serb majority.
, the municipality of Prijedor had:
Prijedor was the sixth largest municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina with 112.543 inhabitants in 1991.
The city centre of Prijedor itself in 1991 had a population of 34,635, including:
Note: Muslims by nationality are today called Bosniaks.
. According to the latest data, there are over 94,096 inhabitants of which 48% belong to the urban population while 52% to the rural population. The population of Prijedor in 2006 was composed of Serbs (estimated at 84%) and Bosniaks
(16%).
This gives the estimated numbers:
Some sources claim that the current population of Prijedor is higher than estimated in 2006, they claim that the number is close to 130.000 with 70% belonging to the urban population.
Because of increased economical activity, large scale building and educational offers, both Bosniaks and Serbs are moving to the city to find themselves opportunities. Prijedor has around 1300 enrolled students and many of them come from other municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Also a slightly increase of Bosniaks moving back to Prijedor contributes to the population growth.
Elementary and High schools
Nowadays, there are 11 elementary school
s with circa 8,000 students and 6 high school
s attended by 4,000 students. A music school and a special school for mentally dysfunctioned persons are also part of the municipal educational system.
Colleges and Universities
Over the last several years, important steps were taken, aimed at establishing colleges. As a result, Prijedor now has a University college of Economics and Informatics, a University College of Medicine , and a Mining Geology branch department of the University of Banja Luka
.
In the north-western part of the city in the neighborhood of Pećani a Law and Economics faculty is under construction, this are the first steps to establish an independent University center in Prijedor.
Today Prijedor has around 1300 enrolled students.
It has a developed financial sector, 11 international banks are represented, 5 microcredit organizations and a foundation for development.
The city's huge economic potential is in the strategic geographical location being close to Zagreb, Belgrade, Budapest and Vienna. Giving it one of the best climates for economic expansion in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The agricultural land around the city, raw minerals in the municipality and growth of high educated population in the city proper gives it a unique combination of both being able to produce sophisticated industrial products, food and service branches.
Companies
The city host today the Bosnian headquarter of ArcelorMittal Steel Company, worlds largest steel company with over 320,000 employees in more than 60 countries. It also has companies specialized in the chemical industry such as Ferrox a.d., producing iron oxides-pigments. BosnaMontaza AD., one of Bosnias most specialized steel manufacturers, manufacturing: steel construction, pipelines, reservoirs, technological equipment, cranes and energy plants.
Other companies such as the Croatian food company Kraš
has one of its biggest fascilites in Bosnia and Hercegovina in Prijedor, producing confectionery products under the brand names MIRA and Kraš
.
Brand names such as "Prijedorčanka" is one of the leading producers of the alcoholic beverage Rakija in Bosnia, placing its products inn Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia.
Celpak Prijedor is also a big enterprise producing cellulose and paper for export.
Agricultural sector
Among this Prijedor has a fruit growing production, gardening production, crop farming production, mill and bakery industries, stock farming production, processing industries and a milk industry.
Lake Saničani, near Prijedor, is one of the biggest commercial fish farming lakes in the southern Europe.
Prijedor municipality takes up 834.06 hectares (58.450, 00 private property and 24.956,00 state property).
Plowed fields and gardens take up 34.026,00 hectares , orchards 2.386 hectares and vineyards 5 hectares.
All cultivate soil takes up 40.206,00 hectares .
Service sector
The service sector in Prijedor is growing rapidly and this reflects in the growth of hotels, stores, roads, educational facilities and shoppings centers that are being built in the city. Making it a growing commercial hub in Bosnia and Hercegovina.
A so called "brzi put" a semi highway is being prepared to connect Prijedor to the Zagreb-Belgrade highway via Bos./Koz. Dubica i the north.
The city is also connected to the rail system in Bosnia and located on the Zagreb-Sarajevo-Ploče line.
The city has a public transport system with 3 bus lines serving 60 stations in and around the city.
Prijedor also has an airfield in the north-eastern part of the city in the area of Urije. The airfield has a fleet of light aircraft and sailplanes. The airfield also serves as the home of the city's renomated Parachuting club.
, FK Rudar Prijedor
, plays in the highest ranked football league of Bosnia and Hercegovina The Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina
.
Among the oldest sporting clubs in Prijedor is the Tennis club founded in 1914 and the Football club OFK Prijedor
founded in 1919.
On Mrakovica, Kozara skiing center is located. All ski lifts are functional and there is a ski path for children on Mrakovica as well. The skiing center is located inside the Kozara national park and there are several possibilities for mountain house rentals. A renovated hotel with various sport facilities lies close to the path.
Other popular sports in Prijedor are Basketball and Handball. The highest ranked teams are KK Prijedor (Basketball), and RK Prijedor (Handball).
It is also home of the local national hero, Dr. Mladen Stojanovic. His house is today converted into the Stojanovic Memorial House.
At Kozara National Park in the vicinity of Prijedor, there is the Mrakovica war museum. It includes the Second World War history photographs, guns and artillery used during the Battle of Kozara.
Prijedor summer and river festival. "Ljeto na sani". Includes a wide music program, sport activities and other happenings along the city river beach.
Writers gathering. Each year in September, cultural gathering "Writers gathering in Kozara", where works of literal art by local authors are being presented is taking place.
Days of the winter. This tourist event is held at the beginning of February in the mountain Kozara. It lasts three days and its main aim is to promote tourist potentials of the Kozara mountain. Sporting and gastro competitions followed by a rich entertaining programme are an integral part of this event.
International Chorus Festival "Zlatna Vila". This cultural event is held in Prijedor People's Theathre every May and it represents a competition in choral singing. Participants to the festival are choruses from different countries both from ex-Yugoslavia and abroad.
St Peter’s Day Parachuting Cup. Each year, in the month of July, a sporting event, St Peter’s Day Parachuting Cup is held. Parachutists from different countries take part in this event, and competitions are organised in various categories, women, men, juniors and teams.
The most known is the City mosque "Carsijska dzamija" built in 1750 located the main street. The mosque includes a library and a school.
Mostly all of Prijedor municipality's 33 mosques and the catholic cathedral that were damaged and destroyed are now rebuilt and renovated.
Other sights is the orthodox church "Crkva Svete Trojice" built in 1891 which is surrounded with a wall including a small church park.
The catholic cathedral "Sv. Josip" built in 1898 is located in the northern part of the city center close to the city theater.
Prijedor used to have a small Jewish population before WWII and the Bosnian war, but today there are no traces of the former Jewish population in the city.
Prijedor was settled by the Illyrian tribe Maezaei, a sub-tribe of Pannonians, with a talent for mining. In Ljubija near Prijedor, there are evidence of iron production from the Roman period.
In Zecovi close to Prijedor there is an Illyrian necropolis from the Iron Age.
with:
Manisa
, Turkey
Pančevo
, Serbia
Kikinda
, Serbia
Neapolis, Greece
Sund, Norway
, Norway
Partner cities :
Trento
, Italy
Bovec
, Slovenia
Novo Mesto
, Slovenia
Demir Hisar municipality
, Macedonia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. It is situated in the Bosanska Krajina
Bosanska Krajina
Bosanska Krajina or Bosnian Frontier is a geographical region, a subregion of Bosnia, in western Bosnia and Herzegovina enclosed by three rivers - Sava, Una and Vrbas. It is also a historic, economic and cultural entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
region.
Prijedor is the second largest municipality in the Republika Srpska entity and the sixth largest in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. It is an economically prosperous municipality hosting a wide range of industries, services and educational institutions. The town's geographical location close to major European capitals has made it an important industrial and commercial hub nationally.
Prijedor is known for its Catholic, Orthodox Christian and Islamic heritage. Historic buildings from the Ottoman and Austrian-Hungarian periods are a feature of the urban landscape. The city underwent extensive renovation between 2006-2009.
Prijedor acquired notoriety during the Bosnian War
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
of 1992-1995 as a result of the violent ethnic cleansing of the non-Serb population of the town and municipality and the establishment of a concentration camp system under the auspices of the local Crisis Staff Committee.
Geography
The town of Prijedor, within the municipality of Prijedor, is located in the north-western part of Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, on the banks of the Sana
Sana river
Sana is a river in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is a tributary of the Una, into which it flows near Novi Grad. It is longest of the nine rivers that flows through Sanski Most....
and Gomjenica rivers, and at the south-western hills of the Kozara
Kozara
Kozara is a mountain in western Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosanska Krajina region. It is bounded by the rivers Sava - north, Vrbas - east, Sana - south and Una - west...
mountain. The area of the municipality is 833 km² (322 sq mi). The town is situated at 44°58'39" N and 16°42'29" E, at an altitude of 133 m (436 feet).
It is traditionally a part of the historical and cultural region of Bosanska Krajina
Bosanska Krajina
Bosanska Krajina or Bosnian Frontier is a geographical region, a subregion of Bosnia, in western Bosnia and Herzegovina enclosed by three rivers - Sava, Una and Vrbas. It is also a historic, economic and cultural entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The terrain ascends to the north-east of Prijedor in waves and gradually becomes the mountain range of the Kozara
Kozara
Kozara is a mountain in western Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosanska Krajina region. It is bounded by the rivers Sava - north, Vrbas - east, Sana - south and Una - west...
mountain, which is famous from the peoples' uprisings in the previous centuries and battles against fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
during the Second World War.
The city lies on the alluvial terrain created by the Sana river and its tributaries on the south-western hillsides of the Kozara
Kozara
Kozara is a mountain in western Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosanska Krajina region. It is bounded by the rivers Sava - north, Vrbas - east, Sana - south and Una - west...
mountain.
Location
| Krupa na Uni Krupa na Uni Krupa na Uni is a municipality in northern Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in the north-western part of the Republika Srpska entity and the central part of the Bosanska Krajina region... (60 km), Zagreb Zagreb Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city... (173 km), Vienna Vienna Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre... (547 km) |
Bos./Koz. Dubica (33 km) | Bos. Gradiška (90 km), Budapest Budapest Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter... (474 km) |
| Bosanski Novi (32 km) |  |
Kozarac Kozarac Kozarac is a town in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in the Prijedor Municipality, near the city of Prijedor. It is located 10 km east of Prijedor and 45 km west of Banja Luka. The name Kozarac comes from a story saying Canyon from Kozara will make strong wind called Kozarac... (13 km), Omarska Omarska Omarska is a small town near Prijedor in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It includes an old iron mine and ore processing plant... (20 km), Beograd (336 km) |
| Ljubija Ljubija Ljubija may refer to:*Ljubija , a small town in the municipality of Prijedor, Bosnia-Herzegovina.*Ljubija river, a river in Slovenia.Ljubija, a town in Bosnia-Herzegovina is situated in North-West part of Bosnia, in the Bosanska Krajina region... (8 km), Trieste Trieste Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city... (412 km) |
Sanski Most Sanski Most Sanski Most is a town and municipality in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located on the Sana River in Bosanska Krajina, between Prijedor and Ključ. Administratively it is part of the Una-Sana Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.... (33 km) |
Banja Luka Banja Luka -History:The name "Banja Luka" was first mentioned in a document dated February 6, 1494, but Banja Luka's history dates back to ancient times. There is a substantial evidence of the Roman presence in the region during the first few centuries A.D., including an old fort "Kastel" in the centre of... (48 km), Sarajevo Sarajevo Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans.... (250 km) |
Ancient period
Prijedor's history as a fortified centre of population can be traced back to the end of the 17th century, but the history of the colonization and culture of the surrounding area is much older, predating the emergence of the town. Numerous prehistoric, ancient and mediaeval archeological sites are evidence of the presence of a variety of different cultures. There are numerous settlements from the prehistoric period, dating back to 2100 B.C., usually associated with burial sites. In the pre-Roman and Roman times the area was settled by a large Illyrian tribe Maezaei, a sub-tribe of the Pannonians, renowned for their mining skills. In Ljubija near Prijedor, many Roman age monuments have been found that provide evidence of iron production. In Zecovi there is an Illyrian necropolis from the Iron Age. A legend says that the river Sana was named by the Romans.Ottoman and Austrian period
These regions were under the Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
dominion until 1878. About 200 years ago in this part of Bosnia a large number of fortifications developed which served to protect restless borders with Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. That was happening during the Austro-Ottoman War
Great Turkish War
The Great Turkish War refers to a series of conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and contemporary European powers, then joined into a Holy League, during the second half of the 17th century.-1667–1683:...
and great Ottoman defeats when the borders moved towards the east in favor of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. The first mention of the town, which refers to it as “Palanka Praedor” in a Latin written report of an Austrian field marshal about burnt fortified settlements, occurs between 1693 and 1696. The term “Palanka” indicates a wooden fortification built on an artificially created island on the river Sana. It's not clear how Prijedor got its name, but in present there are two theories. One of them refers to the term in “prodor”, i.e. penetration, penetration of Sana river, which flooded entire area. The second concerning race between man and horse (a horse is commonly known as “Doro”). As man won, it is said that man came to the goal before horse, in local “Prije Dore”.
At the same place in the middle of the 18th century, a new fortress will appear, this time built with the stone walls with three towers and two clay causeways for the cannons. An archived information from Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
dated 1745 tells about two town guards crossing over to the newly built Palanka Pridorska Ada (island). It is the first mention of the fortress on the river Sana where the town will develop later.
With the emergence of the fortification, the settlement outside of the walls began to develop at the same time. The settlers are probably Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
population who lived in the vicinity and who will rapidly merge with the town which was expanding to the north. There is a testimony of an Austrian secret agent about the existence of the town for the purposes of the Austrian army, where he described the town in detail and especially emphasized the suburb in the vicinity.
The town was developing rapidly thanks to the navigable river Sana, the development of commerce and craft, and later construction of the first railway through Prijedor. The first railroad in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
was built in 1873 next to Prijedor and went from Dobrljina to Banja Luka. The fortress existed as a military spot until 1851 when the army left and the walls are demolished by local population for purpose of using the walls to build their own houses. A huge fire in 1882 destroyed 119 houses, 56 big commercial stores, schools, an orthodox church, and 140 families lost roofs over their heads. The next year the Austrian authorities opened a large sawmill at the foot of the mountain Kozara
Kozara
Kozara is a mountain in western Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosanska Krajina region. It is bounded by the rivers Sava - north, Vrbas - east, Sana - south and Una - west...
, which is the first industrial object in the history of Prijedor.
The years after the fire brought an intensive development of the town, private and state-owned structures. The wood was replaced with modern building materials, the streets were designed at a right angle and the first town plan was created. New buildings were built – the Serbian elementary school, the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, and a hotel. First cultural associations appeared in the town as well as the libraries, reading rooms and a printing house. The end of the First World War will bring a new state – the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
, with Bosnia-Herzegovina as a part of it. Prijedor will have an important place as the trade and craft center of the whole region. The opening of the iron ore mine in Ljubija near Prijedor in 1916, which employed about 4,000 workers, will strengthen the economy of the town. During that period, the mine was one of the biggest and most modern iron ore mines in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
World War II
During the Second World War, numerous civilians and children, mostly Serbs, were murdered by the CroatianIndependent State of Croatia
The Independent State of Croatia was a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany, established on a part of Axis-occupied Yugoslavia. The NDH was founded on 10 April 1941, after the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers. All of Bosnia and Herzegovina was annexed to NDH, together with some parts...
Ustashas and the German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
.
The memorial center Mrakovica at Kozara, the work of the academic artist Dušan Džamonja
Dušan Džamonja
Dušan Džamonja was a contemporary Croatian sculptor of Macedonian origin.Džamonja's work shows a tendency towards technical and formative experiments, reducing form to the dynamic and intense shapes of symbolical meaning...
, is dedicated to this region's Yugoslav partisans resistance victims during WWII.
Bosnian war
During the Bosnian warBosnian War
The Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
(1992–1995), the area near Prijedor housed the infamous Omarska camp
Omarska camp
Omarska camp was a concentration camp run by Bosnian Serb forces, in Omarska, a mining town near Prijedor in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina, set up during the Prijedor massacre for Bosniak and Croat men and women. Functioning in the first months of the Bosnian War in 1992, it was one of 677...
, Keraterm camp
Keraterm camp
Keraterm camp was a concentration camp near the town of Prijedor in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Bosnian War and genocide from 1992 to 1995. The camp was founded by the authorities of Republika Srpska and was used to collect and confine civilians of Bosniak and Bosnian Croat...
, and Trnopolje camp
Trnopolje camp
Trnopolje camp was a concentration camp established in the village of Trnopolje near the city of Prijedor in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina in the first months of the Bosnian War.-History:...
established in 1992 by Radovan Karadzic
Radovan Karadžic
Radovan Karadžić is a former Bosnian Serb politician. He is detained in the United Nations Detention Unit of Scheveningen, accused of war crimes committed against Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats during the Siege of Sarajevo, as well as ordering the Srebrenica massacre.Educated as a...
's Serb authorities for Bosniak and Croat population. According to the testimony of Enes Kapetanovic before the Court of BiH at the trial for crimes committed in Keraterm
Keraterm camp
Keraterm camp was a concentration camp near the town of Prijedor in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Bosnian War and genocide from 1992 to 1995. The camp was founded by the authorities of Republika Srpska and was used to collect and confine civilians of Bosniak and Bosnian Croat...
and Omarska
Omarska camp
Omarska camp was a concentration camp run by Bosnian Serb forces, in Omarska, a mining town near Prijedor in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina, set up during the Prijedor massacre for Bosniak and Croat men and women. Functioning in the first months of the Bosnian War in 1992, it was one of 677...
detention camps, "at the end of April 1992, after the Serbs overran Prijedor, we were informed on a daily basis that we should wear white bands around our arms if we were loyal to the new authorities. We all wore those bands - children and grown ups alike."
The Prijedor massacre
Prijedor massacre
The Prijedor massacre, also known as the Prijedor ethnic cleansing or the Prijedor genocide, refers to numerous war crimes committed during the Bosnian war by the Serb political and military leadership mostly on Bosniak civilians in the Prijedor region of Bosnia-Herzegovina...
, also known as the Prijedor ethnic cleansing or the Prijedor genocide, refers to numerous war crimes committed during the Bosnian war
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
by the Serb political and military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
leadership
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
mostly on Bosniak
Bosniaks
The Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia...
civilian
Civilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
s in the Prijedor
Prijedor
Prijedor is a city and municipality in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in the Bosanska Krajina region....
region of Bosnia-Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. After the Srebrenica genocide, it is the second largest massacre
Massacre
A massacre is an event with a heavy death toll.Massacre may also refer to:-Entertainment:*Massacre , a DC Comics villain*Massacre , a 1932 drama film starring Richard Barthelmess*Massacre, a 1956 Western starring Dane Clark...
committed during the Bosnian war
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
in 1992. According to the Research and Documentation Center (IDC), around 5,200 Bosniaks and Croats from Prijedor are missing or were killed during the massacre period, and around 14,000 people in the wider region of Prijedor (Pounje).
Prijedor was also a place where mass war rape
War rape
War rapes are rapes committed by soldiers, other combatants or civilians during armed conflict or war, or during military occupation, distinguished from sexual assaults and rape committed amongst troops in military service...
and executions
Bosnian Genocide
The term Bosnian Genocide refers to either the genocide committed by Bosnian Serb forces in Srebrenica in 1995 or the ethnic cleansing campaign that took place throughout areas controlled by the Bosnian Serb Army during the 1992–1995 Bosnian War....
of Bosniaks
Bosniaks
The Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia...
, Bosnian Croats and non-cooperative Bosnian Serbs were carried out by Radovan Karadzic's Bosnian Serb army
Army of Republika Srpska
The Army of Republika Srpska ; Serbian, Bosnian, Croatian Vojska Republike Srpske ) also referred to as the Bosnian Serb Army, was the military of today's Republika Srpska which was then the "Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina", a self-proclaimed state within the internationally recognized...
. A high-ranking Bosnian Serb politician, Milomir Stakić
Milomir Stakic
Milomir Stakić is a Bosnian Serb who was charged with genocide, complicity in genocide, violations of the customs of war and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia for his actions in the Prijedor region during the Bosnian War.In the 1991 elections...
, was found guilty by the ICTY and sentenced to 40 years for war crimes conducted by Serb authorities in Prijedor in 1992.
On 21 December 2010 Zoran Babić, Milorad Škrbić, Dušan Janković and Željko Stojnić, all employed as public security officers in Prijedor during the war, were found guilty and sentenced to 86 years imprisonment on charges of war crimes against 150 Bosniak and Croat civilians at the Korićani Cliffs massacre
Koricani Cliffs massacre
The Korićani Cliffs massacre was the mass murder of more than 200 Bosniak and Croat men on 21 August 1992, during the Bosnian War, at the Korićani Cliffs on Mount Vlašić in central Bosnia and Herzegovina....
during the war.
About the failure of Bosnian government forces to capture Prijedor during the closing stages of the war and the town's inclusion in the Republika Srpska, Richard Holbrooke
Richard Holbrooke
Richard Charles Albert Holbrooke was an American diplomat, magazine editor, author, professor, Peace Corps official, and investment banker....
wrote:
In 2010, a memorial was opened in Kozarac in remembrance of the Bosniak civilian victims who died in the concentration camps run by Serbian authorities during the war.
1910
According to the data from the 1910 Austro-HungarianAustria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
population census the Prijedor district
District
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
had a 59.08% Orthodox Serb majority.
1971-1981-1991
According to data from the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, the municipality of Prijedor had:
| Year | total | Bosniaks Bosniaks The Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia... | Serbs Serbs The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in... | Croats Croats Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have... | Yugoslavs Yugoslavs Yugoslavs is a national designation used by a minority of South Slavs across the countries of the former Yugoslavia and in the diaspora... | others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ~1971~ | 97.921 | 39.190 (40,02%) | 46.487 (47,47%) | 8.845 (9,03%) | 1.458 (1,48%) | 1.941 (2,00%) |
| ~1981~ | 108.868 | 42.129 (38,69%) | 45.279 (41,59%) | 7.297 (6,70%) | 10.556 (9,69%) | 3.607 (3,33%) |
| ~1991~ | 112.543 | 49.351 (43,85%) | 47.581 (42,27%) | 6.316 (5,61%) | 6.459 (5,73%) | 2.836 (2,54%) |
Prijedor was the sixth largest municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina with 112.543 inhabitants in 1991.
The city centre of Prijedor itself in 1991 had a population of 34,635, including:
- 13,927 (40,21%) SerbsSerbsThe Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
- 13,388 (38,65%) BosniaksBosniaksThe Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia...
- 4,282 (12,36%) YugoslavsYugoslavsYugoslavs is a national designation used by a minority of South Slavs across the countries of the former Yugoslavia and in the diaspora...
- 1,757 (5,07%) CroatsCroatsCroats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
- 1,281 (3,69%) others
Note: Muslims by nationality are today called Bosniaks.
Current population
In 2006, the majority of inhabitants of municipality were SerbsSerbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
. According to the latest data, there are over 94,096 inhabitants of which 48% belong to the urban population while 52% to the rural population. The population of Prijedor in 2006 was composed of Serbs (estimated at 84%) and Bosniaks
Bosniaks
The Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia...
(16%).
This gives the estimated numbers:
- SerbsSerbsThe Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
: 81.041 - BosniaksBosniaksThe Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia...
: 15.055
Some sources claim that the current population of Prijedor is higher than estimated in 2006, they claim that the number is close to 130.000 with 70% belonging to the urban population.
Because of increased economical activity, large scale building and educational offers, both Bosniaks and Serbs are moving to the city to find themselves opportunities. Prijedor has around 1300 enrolled students and many of them come from other municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Also a slightly increase of Bosniaks moving back to Prijedor contributes to the population growth.
Education
The first forms of organized education can be tracked back in the first half of the 19th century. In 1834 Prijedor had the "Serbian elementary school" that later with so-called "Communal school" was transformed into "State school" in 1919. One of the first most important school institutions was the Prijedor Gymnasium founded in 1923.Elementary and High schools
Nowadays, there are 11 elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
s with circa 8,000 students and 6 high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s attended by 4,000 students. A music school and a special school for mentally dysfunctioned persons are also part of the municipal educational system.
Colleges and Universities
Over the last several years, important steps were taken, aimed at establishing colleges. As a result, Prijedor now has a University college of Economics and Informatics, a University College of Medicine , and a Mining Geology branch department of the University of Banja Luka
University of Banja Luka
The University of Banja Luka is a public university located in Banja Luka, Bosnia-Herzegovina...
.
In the north-western part of the city in the neighborhood of Pećani a Law and Economics faculty is under construction, this are the first steps to establish an independent University center in Prijedor.
Today Prijedor has around 1300 enrolled students.
Economy
Prijedor is a large service and industrial center and host some of the largest companies in Bosnia and Hercegovina.It has a developed financial sector, 11 international banks are represented, 5 microcredit organizations and a foundation for development.
The city's huge economic potential is in the strategic geographical location being close to Zagreb, Belgrade, Budapest and Vienna. Giving it one of the best climates for economic expansion in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The agricultural land around the city, raw minerals in the municipality and growth of high educated population in the city proper gives it a unique combination of both being able to produce sophisticated industrial products, food and service branches.
Companies
The city host today the Bosnian headquarter of ArcelorMittal Steel Company, worlds largest steel company with over 320,000 employees in more than 60 countries. It also has companies specialized in the chemical industry such as Ferrox a.d., producing iron oxides-pigments. BosnaMontaza AD., one of Bosnias most specialized steel manufacturers, manufacturing: steel construction, pipelines, reservoirs, technological equipment, cranes and energy plants.
Other companies such as the Croatian food company Kraš
Kraš
Kraš is a Croatian food company based in Zagreb, specializing in confectionery products.The company traces its origins from two factories from the early 20th century - "Union", founded in 1911, the oldest surviving chocolate manufacturer in southeastern Europe - and "Bizjak", founded in 1923, which...
has one of its biggest fascilites in Bosnia and Hercegovina in Prijedor, producing confectionery products under the brand names MIRA and Kraš
Kraš
Kraš is a Croatian food company based in Zagreb, specializing in confectionery products.The company traces its origins from two factories from the early 20th century - "Union", founded in 1911, the oldest surviving chocolate manufacturer in southeastern Europe - and "Bizjak", founded in 1923, which...
.
Brand names such as "Prijedorčanka" is one of the leading producers of the alcoholic beverage Rakija in Bosnia, placing its products inn Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia.
Celpak Prijedor is also a big enterprise producing cellulose and paper for export.
Agricultural sector
Lake Saničani, near Prijedor, is one of the biggest commercial fish farming lakes in the southern Europe.
Prijedor municipality takes up 834.06 hectares (58.450, 00 private property and 24.956,00 state property).
Plowed fields and gardens take up 34.026,00 hectares , orchards 2.386 hectares and vineyards 5 hectares.
All cultivate soil takes up 40.206,00 hectares .
Service sector
The service sector in Prijedor is growing rapidly and this reflects in the growth of hotels, stores, roads, educational facilities and shoppings centers that are being built in the city. Making it a growing commercial hub in Bosnia and Hercegovina.
Transport and aviation
Prijedor has a high standard of roads thanks to the Prijedor putevi Company and is planning a highway connection to Banja Luka in the east and Sisak to west to short down the distance to Zagreb from the Bosanska Krajina region.A so called "brzi put" a semi highway is being prepared to connect Prijedor to the Zagreb-Belgrade highway via Bos./Koz. Dubica i the north.
The city is also connected to the rail system in Bosnia and located on the Zagreb-Sarajevo-Ploče line.
The city has a public transport system with 3 bus lines serving 60 stations in and around the city.
Prijedor also has an airfield in the north-eastern part of the city in the area of Urije. The airfield has a fleet of light aircraft and sailplanes. The airfield also serves as the home of the city's renomated Parachuting club.
Notable people
- Dr Mladen Stojanović, legendary national hero and one of the key persons of Tito’s partisan movement in western Bosnia
- Mira Cikota, national hero, prewar communist and secretary of the local Party Committee during World War II
- Sreten StojanovićSreten StojanovicSreten Stojanović was one of the most prominent Bosnian and Serbian sculptors of the 20th century.He was born in 1898 in Prijedor in Bosnia-Herzegovina, in the house of Orthodox priests who "preached the faith for strength of people and who imagined Russia to be something that is ours or more...
, one of the most prominent sculptors in this region - Halid MuslimovićHalid MuslimovićHalid Muslimović Halid Muslimović Halid Muslimović (born in January 22, 1963 is a Bosnian folk singer. Born in Prijedor, he began his musical career in 1982. He is one of the best-known singers in the popular genre Over six million units (silver, gold, diamond and platinum) of sound and image,...
, Bosnian folk singer - Idriz HošićIdriz HošicIdriz Hošić is a former Yugoslav international footballer from Bosnia and Herzegovina.During his club career he played for NK Famos Hrasnica, FK Partizan, 1. FC Kaiserslautern and MSV Duisburg. He earned 2 caps for the Yugoslavia national football team, and participated in UEFA Euro 1968.-External...
, football player, played for Partizan Belgrade, Kaiserslautern and Yugoslav national team - Josip IličićJosip IličičJosip Iličić is a Slovenian football midfielder, who currently plays for Italian Serie A club Palermo and the Slovenia national team. In Slovenia he is nicknamed Jojo.-Club career:...
, football player, plays currently for the Serie A club U.S. Città di Palermo and the Slovenian national team - Eldin JakupovićEldin JakupovicEldin Jakupović is a Bosnian-born Swiss professional footballer. He moved to Switzerland at a young age due to the Bosnian war.-Career:...
, football player, Part of the Swiss national team, currently goal keeper for Olimpiakos Volos F.C. - Nebojša GrahovacNebojša GrahovacNebojša Grahovac is a Bosnian professional handballer. Currently, he plays in Bosnia for Chambéry Savoie Handball. He plays as goalkeeper, and is current member of Bosnia and Herzegovina national handball team.- References :...
, professional handballer. Plays in Bosnia for RK Bosna Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina national handball teamBosnia and Herzegovina national handball teamThe Bosnia and Herzegovina national handball team represents Bosnia and Herzegovina in international handball matches. The current coach is Vojislav Rađa.-Championship Record:European Championship* EC 1996: Pre-Qualification....
. - Zlatan ArnautovićZlatan ArnautovicZlatan Arnautović is a former Yugoslav handball player who competed in the 1980 Summer Olympics and in the 1984 Summer Olympics....
, former Yugoslav handball player who competed in the 1980 Summer Olympics and in the 1984 Summer Olympics. He played all matches as goalkeeper for Yugoslavia which won the gold medal in 1984 Los Angeles1984 Summer OlympicsThe 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
. - Edis ElkasevićEdis ElkasevicEdis Elkasević is a Croatian shot putter.He won the 2002 World Junior Championships. He did not quite adapt to an international senior level, but competed at the 2004 Olympic Games and the 2005 World Championships without reaching the final.His personal best throw is 20.94 metres, achieved in June...
, shot putter for the Croatian national team. He won the 2002 World Junior Championships. - Todor ŠvrakićTodor ŠvrakićTodor Švrakić, born in Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1882, was a famous painter. He was one of the early 20th century pioneers of Bosnian painting within the European style and is considered one of the Western Balkans' most notable watercolour artists....
, famous painter, born 1882 went to art academy in Vienna and Prague before returning to Bosnia and continuing his work. Died in Sarajevo in 1931. - Vehid GunićVehid GunicVehid Gunić Vehid Gunić Vehid Gunić (born on 9 February 1941 in Kozarac. He worked for many years as a journalist, presenter and editor for Radio Television Sarajevo, later Radio Television Bosnia and Herzegovina. He has so far published some twenty books of historical studies, travel...
, Bosnian journalist and writer. Published over twenty books of historical studies, travel writings, interviews, documentary prose and literature about SevdalinkaSevdalinkaSevdalinka is a traditional genre of folk music from Bosnia and Herzegovina.Sevdalinka is popular across the ex-Yugoslavia region, especially in Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia. The actual composers of many sevdalinkas are unknown....
. - Živko RadišićŽivko RadišicŽivko Radišić is a Bosnian Serb politician and former Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
, politician and former chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Major of Banja Luka 1977 to 1982. - Branko MiljušBranko MiljušBranko Miljuš is a former Croatian footballer.During his club career he played for NK Hajduk Split, Real Valladolid and Vitória Setúbal. He earned 14 caps for the Yugoslavia national football team, and participated in UEFA Euro 1984...
, famous printmaker and painter, born 1936. Works as a professor at Academy of Fine Arts in Belgrade and at Academy of Arts in Banjaluka. - Nasko BudimlićNasko BudimlićBorn in Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Musician, drummer in the Bosnian hard rock band Divlje Jagode. The band is considered one of the top acts of the former Yugoslav hard rock and heavy metal scene....
, musician, drummer in the Bosnian hard rock band Divlje JagodeDivlje jagodeDivlje Jagode is a Yugoslav and Bosnian hard rock and heavy metal band.-1970s:Divlje Jagode were formed in 1977 in Bihać by guitarist Zele Lipovača... - Nermin Alukić Cerkez, musician, vocal and guitarist in the well-known Bosnian SevdalinkaSevdalinkaSevdalinka is a traditional genre of folk music from Bosnia and Herzegovina.Sevdalinka is popular across the ex-Yugoslavia region, especially in Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia. The actual composers of many sevdalinkas are unknown....
band, "Mostar Sevdah ReunionMostar Sevdah ReunionMostar Sevdah Reunion is a musical ensemble from Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina playing almost exclusively sevdalinka and Roma/gypsy music. The band is composed of experienced musicians and often collaborates with renowned musicians in the field of gypsy music: they made two albums with Šaban...
" - Fikret HodžićFikret HodžićFikret Hodžić was a professional bodybuilder from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Hodžić competed during the 1970s and 1980s representing the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia....
, professional bodybuilder. Champion of Yugoslavia for 15 consecutive years spanning 1976-1991. He won the „Ben Weider Trophy for the Most Improved Bodybuilder of the year and 3rd place in the world championship 1981 in Egypt. - Dr Eso SadikovićDr Eso SadikovićEsad Sadiković was a doctor of medicine from Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Biography:A talented ear, nose, and throat surgeon, he worked for the United Nations as a doctor in Samoa and Libya. Every year a literature prize named in his honor is awarded to writers by the Dr...
, was a well-known doctor of medicine in Prijedor. A talented ENT surgeon who also worked for the United Nations as a doctor in Samoa and Libya. There are written books and poems about dr. Eso. Every year a literature price named in his honor is awarded to writers by the Dr. Eso Sadiković foundation. - Dr Rajko Srdic, born 1943.,doctor of medicine,poet and writer.
- Acad. Phd prof. Slavko Mentus (born 1945), Dean of Faculty of Physical Chemistry on University of Belgrade; member of Serbian Academy of Sciences and Art.
Sport
The local football clubFootball team
A football team is the collective name given to a group of players selected together in the various team sports known as football.Such teams could be selected to play in an against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-star team or even selected as a...
, FK Rudar Prijedor
FK Rudar Prijedor
FK Rudar is a football club from the city of Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The club competes in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina as of 2009/2010 season.-Early years:...
, plays in the highest ranked football league of Bosnia and Hercegovina The Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the top football league in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the country's most prestigious level of football competition currently contested by 16 clubs with last two teams relegated at the end of every season....
.
Among the oldest sporting clubs in Prijedor is the Tennis club founded in 1914 and the Football club OFK Prijedor
OFK Prijedor
OFK Prijedor is a football club based in city of Prijedor, Republika Srpska, Bosnia-Herzegovina.-History:The club was founded in 1919 and is the among the oldest sport collectives in Prijedor, and in Bosnia...
founded in 1919.
On Mrakovica, Kozara skiing center is located. All ski lifts are functional and there is a ski path for children on Mrakovica as well. The skiing center is located inside the Kozara national park and there are several possibilities for mountain house rentals. A renovated hotel with various sport facilities lies close to the path.
Other popular sports in Prijedor are Basketball and Handball. The highest ranked teams are KK Prijedor (Basketball), and RK Prijedor (Handball).
Culture
Prijedor has a various number of galleries, religious sights, libraries, statues, fountains, national monuments, cinemas and a city theater.Museums
Prijedor is home of the Museum of Kozara founded in 1953, which has a regional status.It is also home of the local national hero, Dr. Mladen Stojanovic. His house is today converted into the Stojanovic Memorial House.
At Kozara National Park in the vicinity of Prijedor, there is the Mrakovica war museum. It includes the Second World War history photographs, guns and artillery used during the Battle of Kozara.
Theatre
Pozoriste Prijedor was founded in 1953, dough the tradition of theatre in Prijedor can be dated back to the 19th century. The theatre hosts different plays during the year, starring actors from within and outside of Bosnia and Hercegovina. Beside theatrical plays the theatre also hosts local city choirs that perform regularly.Festivals
The day of honey. Locally called "Dani meda". Trade-tourist event where local honey producers from the Prijedor area and farer away gather at the square in the main street to sell and demonstrate their products.Prijedor summer and river festival. "Ljeto na sani". Includes a wide music program, sport activities and other happenings along the city river beach.
Writers gathering. Each year in September, cultural gathering "Writers gathering in Kozara", where works of literal art by local authors are being presented is taking place.
Days of the winter. This tourist event is held at the beginning of February in the mountain Kozara. It lasts three days and its main aim is to promote tourist potentials of the Kozara mountain. Sporting and gastro competitions followed by a rich entertaining programme are an integral part of this event.
International Chorus Festival "Zlatna Vila". This cultural event is held in Prijedor People's Theathre every May and it represents a competition in choral singing. Participants to the festival are choruses from different countries both from ex-Yugoslavia and abroad.
St Peter’s Day Parachuting Cup. Each year, in the month of July, a sporting event, St Peter’s Day Parachuting Cup is held. Parachutists from different countries take part in this event, and competitions are organised in various categories, women, men, juniors and teams.
Religious sites
Prijedor is known for being a multi religious society including a Catholic church, Orthodox churches and Mosques. Due to this Prijedor has a large number of mosques in the city center, one of the oldest dating back to the 16th and 17th century.The most known is the City mosque "Carsijska dzamija" built in 1750 located the main street. The mosque includes a library and a school.
Mostly all of Prijedor municipality's 33 mosques and the catholic cathedral that were damaged and destroyed are now rebuilt and renovated.
Other sights is the orthodox church "Crkva Svete Trojice" built in 1891 which is surrounded with a wall including a small church park.
The catholic cathedral "Sv. Josip" built in 1898 is located in the northern part of the city center close to the city theater.
Prijedor used to have a small Jewish population before WWII and the Bosnian war, but today there are no traces of the former Jewish population in the city.
Archeological findings
Evidence that Prijedor was settled dates from 2100 B.C., the traces of life are evident in numerous settlements in the region of the present-day town, with necropolises subjacent to the settlements, as a rule.Prijedor was settled by the Illyrian tribe Maezaei, a sub-tribe of Pannonians, with a talent for mining. In Ljubija near Prijedor, there are evidence of iron production from the Roman period.
In Zecovi close to Prijedor there is an Illyrian necropolis from the Iron Age.
Twin towns - sister cities
Prijedor is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with:
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Partner cities :
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