Prehistory

The earliest findings in Zenica date from the period of 3000 to 2000 BC;^[7] they were found in the localities of Drivuša and Gradišće.^[7] Metal axes, arrows, ornamental fibulae, and ceramic remains were unearthed from the Orahovički stream near Nemila, Gračanica, Ravna, and other places.^[7]
The Illyrians came to this region during the transition from the Bronze and the Iron Age (from the 6th to the 5th centuries BC).^[7] Their defensive buildings, "gradinas", are the best known (the word is derived from the verb Serbo-Croatian: graditi – to build).^[7]
The urban part of today's Zenica was already formed in the younger Stone Age—the Neolithic, and especially later, during the time of the Illyrians. Toponyms of their "gradinas" demonstrate this:^[7] Gradišće, Gračanica, Gradac.^[7] A specific locality, Gradina, in Kopilo village, indicates that Zenica and its surrounding areas hosted organized human life around 2000 BC.^[11] There is a weak^[11] question of the presence of the Illyrian Old-Balkan tribe of Daesitiates in the Zenica region.^[7] The Daesitiates are a result of ethno-social development of early human life in prehistory; the transition period from the Bronze to the Iron Age resulted with Daesitiates emerging at the Lašva–Drina river belt. The Daesitiates confronted the Romans in 34 BC; the Romans did not make a long-lasting triumph, and the Illyrians were defeated in the city of Arduba, which was burnt down in 6–9 A.C.^[11] This is how the royal city of Vranduk probably existed in the time of the Illyrians, under the name Arduba.^[7][11]

Recent (August 2019) international archaeological research, conducted by the Vienna (Institute for Oriental and European Archaeology), Zenica (Zenica museum), and students and scientists from Sarajevo, using modern technology, shows that settlements with people and animals existed near Zenica over 3,100 years ago.^[12] Skeletons of pigs, cattle, and goats were found in Kopilo, an elevated place (600 m a.s.l.), indicating a farming settlement. Two tombs (one with human bones and ceramics), two tumuli, and a completely new prehistorical settlement, Ravna gradina, were also found.^{[12][13][14][15]}

Antiquity

The Romans tried to conquer the region at the end of the 3rd century BC Bellum Batonianum and were present in the area from the 6th to the 9th centuries. They ruled continuously in many areas until close to the end of the 4th century (after Arduba's fall).^[11]

Today's area of Zenica had its peak in the first six centuries of the Common Era, when it included one the most important municipiums and centers of Christian dioceses in Bosnia: Bistua Nuova—seat of the Bistuenska diocese^[16] and the seat of Roman Christianity in the Bosnian area prior to the Slavs' arrival.^[17] Data suggesting that Bistua Nuova's bishop Andrew (Andreas, Andrija) took part in and was a signer of Solin sinodas in 530 and 533 underlines its importance. Ancient tombstone monuments date from ancient Bistua Nuova, as well as remains of old Christian basilicas.^[16] In the urban settlement of Odmut and the rural settlements of Putovići and Tišina, archaeologists have found epigraphs that have led them to conclude that Bistua Nuova was in the Zenica area.^[7]

An important road towards Salona (Solin), Argentarium (Srebrenica), and Sirmium (Srijemska Mitrovica) also passed through Bistua Nuova.^[6]

Barbarian invasions from the north (mainly Germans at the end of the 3rd century, as well as Slavs later)^[11] forced Christianity to retreat from these areas. During the invasions, at the beginning of the 7th century, Bistua Nuova was destroyed, along with its basilica.^[6] It is believed that the barbarian invasions destroyed a huge part of the ancient inheritance. Goths, Avars, and Slavs passed through this location. The Slavs came in the 6th and 7th centuries and inhabited the middle part of the Bosna river stream—where Zenica Field is located. They formed tribal communities and were organized into a tribal ruling unit called a "župa" (parish).^[11] After their invasions, almost one century was needed for the first Slavic countries to form.^[7]

Medieval Bosnia

The history of medieval Zenica is not well recorded.^[8][9] There is but a single item of evidence from 1244 about Croatian-Hungarian king Béla IV's charter. According to the documents that have so far been studied, the city's current name was first mentioned on 16 March 1436^[11] (or 20 March 1436,^[8][9][10] annually celebrated as "Zenica Day") and later—Zenica is mentioned in a series of documents related to the Republic of Ragusa (Republic of Dubrovačka).^[10][8] Among other Bosnian parishes, Bored parish, which includes "Bilina poila", is mentioned in the charter. The place refers to one part of the town of Zenica, today known as Bilino polje.^[11] The same place is mentioned in another document, dated 8 April 1203; it records a group of Bogomil chiefs who renounced paternalism before Innocent III's court chaplain John of Casamaris.^[11] Bogomilism's presence in the Zenica area and its status as a seat of the Bogomil Church is supported not only by written documents but also by headstones that illuminate the church's hierarchy.^[11]

In the Middle Ages, specifically in 1370, the settlement of Klopče was mentioned, as well as a family of that name. On 8 January 1404, the Bosnian bishop from Janjići sent dispatches to the Ragusan prince Vlaho Sorkočević. In the Zenica settlement of Varošište, a medieval church has been unearthed, as well as a Franciscan monastery to St. Mary, which was built by sculptor Ivan Hrelić, a student of Juraj Dalmatinac.^[10][8]

Ottoman era

View of Sejmenska mosque, the second oldest^[18][19][20] mosque in Zenica, a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina.^[21]

Mid-19th century painting by Carl Ebert (1821–1885), Fortress Vranduk in Bosnia (German: Die Festung Vranduk in Bosnien). The picture shows Bosnians on the mountain of Vranduk, beside the Bosna river)

Bosnia suffered Turkish incursions starting in 1386. The first Ottoman entry into Zenica relates to their win over Hungarian warriors near Doboj in 1415.^[11] Zenica has been mentioned under today's name since that event.^[11] The first official record of the city's name is in a document dated 16 March 1436,^[11] which relates to the invasion and robbery of Zachlumia by the Ottoman Duke Barak, who retreated towards Zenica and there received Ragusan money in the name of redemption.^[11] From the time of that event until the complete establishment of Ottomans rule in Bosnia in 1463, there is no mention of Zenica in relevant documents. For that reason, this era of the city's history cannot be covered in detail.^[11]

After administrative changes introduced in the first years of the rule, Zenica became part of Brod kadiluk in the newly formed Sanjak of Bosnia. Nahya of Zenica was first mentioned in 1485. It bore that name until the end of the 18th century and later became Zenica srez.^[11]

During Ottoman rule (1463–1878), the change of direction in the main trade route^[11] in turn changed the city^[8][9] and, except for a short period when it was a seat of the Brod judge Qadii (until 1557), Zenica was a kasbah^[11] that included mosques, a madrasa, several maktabs, shadirvans, caravanserais, and other types of Islamic architecture.^[10][8]

In one description from 1697, Zenica had 2,000 citizens, the majority of whom were Muslim. At the end of the 18th century Orthodox and Catholic Christians are mentioned again, as are Jews in the 19th century.^[10][8]

After the ruin and exodus following the intrusion of Eugene of Savoy in 1697, a time of stabilization began in Zenica.^[10][8]

Austro-Hungarian era

After the Berlin Congress, held in 1878, the Austro-Hungarian monarchy was given the rights to occupy Bosnia and Herzegovina; armed resistance to occupying troops soon arose. It is believed that Zenica, more precisely the Hadži Mazića house, was the place of negotiations between representatives of the Ottoman authorities in the Bosnian vilayet of Hafiz-pasha and the commander of the Austro-Hungarian occupying forces, General Filipović, on the conditions of a cessation of the conflict.^[8]

During this time, Zenica witnessed the construction of various types of economically significant infrastructure, including a railway from Bosanski Brod in 1879, a coal mine in 1880,^[11] a paper factory (1885), ironworks (1892), and a penitentiary (1886). In 1908, a power station was built, which enabled the introduction of electric public lighting. State schools were also opened, the first in 1885 and the second in 1910. Confessional schools also opened, both for Catholic and Orthodox churches, and lectures at these schools and at madrasas began to be conducted in the local language. Cultural societies were organized, such as the Croatian Singing Society, as well as hunting and mountaineering clubs. In 1910, the first cinema opened in Zenica.^{[9][10][8][11]}

End of the 19th century; 20th century

The Catholic St. Elijah Church in New Zenica, a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Orthodox Church of the Nativity of Our Lady in Carina, a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina

By the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries, urbanization was underway and the number of citizens increased severalfold. According to the 1910 census, the town had a population of 7,215. This rapid growth was reflected by a construction boom: The Orthodox Church of the Nativity of Our Lady was erected in 1885, two Catholic churches went up in 1910, and a synagogue was built in 1903, not to mention hotels, schools, water-supply infrastructure, modern roads, etc.^[10][8]

After World War I, the Kingdom of SHS was formed, which in 1929 became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and included Bosnia and Herzegovina. The political, economic, and social life of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1918 to 1941 stagnated, though this situation changed slightly before the beginning of World War II, with investments in the city's ironworks.^[8]

Bosnian War

Further information: Zenica massacre

Part of the old town at night

One year before the outbreak of the Bosnian War, in 1991, Zenica became the seat of one of the first private and independent radio stations in Eastern Europe—Radio CD-CEMP.^[24] In the spring of 1993, the station's owner, a journalist, won a Belgian accolade for independent journalism, "The Pen of Peace".^[25]

Memorial stone and plaque for Matea Jurić, with flowers laid in front (2020)

The first official civilian victim of the Bosnian War in Zenica was a two-year-old Croat girl named Matea Jurić (29 July 1990 – 13 May 1992), who was killed by a gunshot during the blockade of the military barracks of the JNA in the urban settlement of Bilimišće. A memorial was erected in her honour.^[26]

On 19 April 1993, during the Croat–Bosniak War, sixteen civilians were killed and fifty injured when a HVO howitzer-fired grenade hit the central bazaar of Zenica.^[27] The grenade was shot from the village of Putićevo [15 km (9.3 mi)].^[28] During this period, Zenica was isolated from the rest of the world for a year and a half. The city suffered significant losses from sniper fire, arson, hunger, and a lack of electricity.^[29]

Zenica's populace changed much during the war, with the arrival of Muslims (today's Bosniaks) from other parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the departure of Serbs to areas under Serb control.^[30]

• Historical images of Zenica
• 
  Bosanska vila article (1890) on Fatih Mehmed's conquest of Gradišće and Vranduk in 1463
• 
  Vranduk Fortress panorama (1895)
• 
  Zenica workers strike (1896), one (aside from 1898) before Chicago's in 1905
• 
  Dorfleben (Village Life; 1903), watercolor by Richard Conrad Kromar (1874–1948)
• 
  Tripartite postcard (1907)
• 
  Čaršija of Kočeva street (postcard; 1909)
• 
  King's birthday, King Peter I street (today's Titova; retouched postcard, 1928)
• 
  Ričice mosque inauguration (1928)
• 
  People's gathering in front of Catholic Church of St. Elijah on a holy day (1932)
• 
  Southern Zenica, downtown near Bosna (1935)
• 
  Bombing of the "Pehare" railway bridge by 16 Squadron SAAF (1944)
• 
  Zenican girls occupied Sarajevska street (1958)
• 
  Panoramic view of the Ironworks (postcard; 1964)
• 
  Part of the "Kameni spavač [Stone Sleeper] – Mak Dizdar" monument's vitreous memorial with names of thousands of Zenicans, victims of the Bosnian War (2019)

21st century

Zenica recovered from the war and has continued to make slow progress. The city was governed for twenty years by the majority-Bosniak and Muslim Party of Democratic Action (SDA), which was mired in corruption and inefficiency,^[31][32][33] causing parts of the city to lack public lighting, water supply, a functioning sewer system, and paved roads.^[34]

A drastic population decrease of approximately 26% can be seen between 1991 and 2013, with Zenica losing one quarter of its citizens, partly due to the war as well as unfavourable economic circumstances, prompting young and middle-aged residents to emigrate to other parts of Europe and the United States.^[23][5]

2014 violent protests in Zenica

Municipal building, side view

Municipal building, front view

Smashed RMK building, front view

Cars in Kočeva river and arson next to the RMK

In 2014, Zenica—as well as other cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina—witnessed violent citizen protests. Various buildings were attacked and demolished, tens of people were taken to the hospital, and several officials resigned.^[35] The same year, Zenica was recategorized from a municipality to a city.^[36]

In the 2016 Bosnian municipal elections, independent politician Fuad Kasumović became mayor of the city.^[37] During his three years in office, he accelerated development, focusing on areas that had been neglected up to that point:^[38] city lighting was introduced, water-supply and sewer systems were upgraded, roads were paved, and bicycle lanes were introduced on a large scale. In 2019,^[39] German company nextbike introduced their bike-sharing system to the city.^[40] Plans were made for a new municipal heating system in order to put an end to regular heat shutoffs during the coldest seasons.^[41] New Year's concerts began to be held on the main square. The Serbian pop band Miligram inaugurated the event in 2017/18.^[42] Various other events have been organized, including the Zenica summer fest, music festivals,^[43] arts and crafts fairs, bazaars, and the like, thus improving the city's economic outlook.^{[44][45][46][47][48]} Additionally, the issue of stray dogs in the urban core was handled,^[49] pollution was significantly reduced,^[50][51] public transport was improved, and the city is also planning to resolve the problem of unemployment and to modernize the education system, among other projects.^[52][53]

Panorama of Zenica (spring 2015)

Topography and layout

The topography of the city is that of a valley–basin. It is made up of a series of alluvial planins, hills, and mountain passes. The average altitude of the city itself, which is surrounded by hills, is 310–350 m (1,017–1,148 ft). However, there are many higher positions, such as Tvrtkovac, a hiking destination, whose altitude is 1,304 m (4,278 ft). The Zenica basin extends from the Lašva river canyon in the south to the Vranduk canyon and Vranduk gorge in the north—of an average length of 35 km (22 mi) and with an average altitude of 700 m (2,300 ft).^[54][9] Overview of the highest hills and mountains is given in the table below.^[9]

The lowest topographical areas of Zenica are along the river Bosna. In both eastern and western directions, the altitudes increase and thus, the northwestern and northeastern areas of the city are the highest.^[9]

Water

Zenica is characterized by many small rivers and streams; all of them flow into the Bosna river basin.

The Bosna is the most important body of flowing water in the Zenica area. It springs from Ilidža, near Sarajevo, and flows into the river Sava, near Bosanski Šamac. Thus, the river has a natural south–north flow.^[55] Out of a total length of 274 km (170 mi), 47.95 km (29.79 mi) of the river is in the city, and most residences are built alongside it, as are roads and railways.^[9]

Apart from the Bosna, the rivers Lašva, Babina, and Kočeva also flow through Zenica.^[9]

Climate

Within the municipality, a moderate continental climate prevails. Summers are hot and winters moderately cold. The mean annual temperature is 10.4 °C (50.7 °F), average annual precipitation is 804 mm (31.7 in), with the lowest monthly precipitation occurring in March and the highest in November. The coldest month is January, with an average annual minimum of −1 °C (30 °F), while July is the hottest, with an average annual maximum of 20.2 °C (68.4 °F)]. The lowest mean monthly temperature in Zenica was in January 1964 [−6.4 °C (20.5 °F); minimal −23.9 °C (−11.0 °F) in January 1963] and the highest mean monthly temperatures were registered in August 2003 [23.8 °C (74.8 °F); maximal 40.8 °C (105.4 °F) in August 2003]. Relative air humidity is 70% and cloudiness 6.1 tenths. Air pressure is 976.3 millibars. Zenica has one meteorological station, founded in 1925 and located at an elevation of 344 m (1,129 ft) above sea level.^[9][56]

Ecology

River Bosna
in the front: a railway, behind it the settlement of Jalija (right) and farther, Bilimišće (left); in the back: Zenica hills—Krč rocks (right) and others (left)

Zenica's industry has polluted and damaged the city's environment. After the Bosnian War, its main polluter, the ironworks, was incapacitated. However, several years later, the old steelworks partially resumed operations, and a non-partisan citizen organisation called Eko pokret Zenica began to protest it, together with the local branch of the Greens of Bosnia and Herzegovina political party.^[58][59][60]

The Babina river basin was declared a nature park after the group's intercession. The city has also entertained initiatives to create a dam on the Vranduk. The Greens of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Eko pokret have opposed this as well, declaring the Vranduk a national park.^[58]

Mošćanica, the regional waste landfill, is located between the villages of Mošćanica, Mutnica, Palinovići, Briznik, Arnauti, Ponihovo, and Plavčići, southeast of Zenica.^[61][62][63]

Urban settlements

The urban part of Zenica consists of the following settlements:

Population of Zenica city

Population of the municipality

Common surnames

In Zenica-Doboj Canton, as of February 2020, the most common surnames are as follows:^[67]

Official symbols

Zenica coat of arms and flag (variant, with the crescent moon coloured yellow)

Zenica flag

The City of Zenica has a coat of arms and a flag.^{[70][71][72][73][74]}

The coat of arms bears several symbols that represent the city of Zenica. On the left side, following the frame, the contour of the Bosna river can be seen, cut by two horizontal lines in the lower part—a symbol of communication. Within the main portion of the shield, there are four circular symbols. Clockwise: the symbol of Vranduk—the northern gate of the city; one of the six crosses from ban Kulin's plate and a symbol of Christianity; a crescent moon—symbol of Islam and the Ottoman period; and crossed hammers—a symbol of coal mining and heavy industry.^{[70][71][72][73]} The city's flag is in the shape of a rectangle divided into a yellow upper part and a light green bottom, colours that match the coat of arms, which is positioned in the centre.^{[74][70][71][72][73]}

Governance: seats of administration

The city of Zenica is administered by the Authority of the City of Zenica and the seat of the City of Zenica (Municipality until 2014). The Authority consists of a City Mayor (Municipality Mayor until 2014), the Council of the City of Zenica (Municipality Council until 2014), and the City Attorney's Office (Municipality Attorney's Office until 2014).^[75]

Mayors and City Mayors

Abdulah Mutapčić (b. 1932),
24th mayor (1970–1974)

Fuad Kasumović (b. 1958),
36th mayor (2016–present)

Below is a list of former Zenica Mayors^1–36 +* and City Mayors**.

1. Suljo Arnaut (1878)
2. Ahmetaga Mutapčić (1889–1895)
3. Esad Alikadić (1898–1905)
4. Ali Harmandić (1906–1913)
5. Mahmud Tarabar (1913–1917)
6. Osman Mutapčić (1917–1923)
7. Ivo Ghey (1923–1925)
8. Ahmed Mutapčić (1926–1931)
9. Abdulaziz Asko Borić (1932–1935)
10. Eniz Mutapčić (1935–1936)
11. Mehmedalija Tarabar (1936–1941)
12. Ismet Salčinović (1941–1946)
13. Mustafa Čolaković (1945)
14. Mustafa Mujagić (1945)
15. Abdulaziz Asko Borić (1945–1946)
16. Jozo Marčinković (1946–1948)
17. Veljko Bilanović (1949–1950)
18. Nikola Spaić (1951–1952)
19. Safet Uzunović (1952–1955)
20. Đuro Vekić (1955–1959)
21. Milko Križanović (1959–1960)
22. Ezher Ezo Arnautović (1960–1965)
23. Vinko Jelčić (1965–1966)
24. Muhamed Berberović (1966–1970)
25. Abdulah Mutapčić (1970–1974)
26. Vinko Jelčić (1974–1978)
27. Nikola Mirković (1978–1982)
28. Salim Tarabar (1982–1983)
29. Muhamed Pašalić (1983–1984)
30. Nikola Telebak (1984–1985)
31. Omer Filipović (1986–1988)
32. Bogdan Kolar (1988–1990)
33. Ibrahim Alispahić (1990–1992)
34. Besim Spahić (1992–1997)
35. Ferid Alić (1997–2000)
36. Zakir Pašalić (2000–2004)
37. Husejin Smajlović (2004–2016)
38. Fuad Kasumović (2016–present)

---

source: ^[76]

National monuments

Zenica Synagogue

There are several national monuments in Zenica:

Scouting

Scouts (Izviđači) are a children's and youth movement run by adult members of the organization. Scouts mainly learn to form relationships with each other as well as various other useful skills, both related to living in nature and in an urban environment. In 2017, the Zenica scouting organization marked its 65th anniversary. Since its founding, about 100,000 young people have passed through its ranks.^[83][84]

Club list