Senj

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Senj
other_name =
settlement_type = Municipality
motto =


imagesize = 300px
image_caption = Senj from the sea


flag_size =
image_

seal_size =
image_shield =
shield_size =
city_logo =
citylogo_size =


mapsize =
map_caption =
image_dot_

dot_mapsize =
dot_map_caption =
dot_x = |dot_y =
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position =
pushpin_map_caption = Location of Senj within Croatia
pushpin_mapsize = 300
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Croatia
subdivision_type1 = County
subdivision_name1 = Lika-Senj
government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Darko Nekić (HDZ)
leader_title1 =
established_title =
established_date =
established_title2 =
established_date2 =
area_magnitude =
unit_pref =
area_footnotes =
area_total_km2 = 658
area_land_km2 =
area_water_km2 =
area_total_sq_mi =
area_land_sq_mi =
area_water_sq_mi =
area_water_percent =
area_urban_km2 =
area_urban_sq_mi =
area_metro_km2 =
area_metro_sq_mi =
population_as_of = 2001
population_footnotes = [http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gcis&lng=en&dat=32&srt=npan&col=aohdq&geo=-98]
population_note =
population_total = 8,132
population_density_km2 =
population_density_sq_mi =
population_metro =
population_density_metro_km2 =
population_density_metro_sq_mi =
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2
latd=44 |latm=57|lats= |latNS=N
longd=14 |longm=54|longs= |longEW=E
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 0
elevation_ft =
postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code = 53 270
area_code = 053
blank_name =
blank_info =
website = [http://www.senj.hr senj.hr]
footnotes =

Senj ( _it. Segna, _la. Senia "or" Segnia, Greek "Attienities", "Αθυινιτες", German and Hungarian "Zengg") is a city in the Lika-Senj county of Croatia, population 8,132 (2001), and absolute majority are Croats (96.77%). It is located on the Adriatic coast below the Vratnik mountain pass which separates the Velebit mountain from the mountains of Gorski kotar. Due to its geographic position, the strong northeastern wind bura is a very common occurrence in Senj.

History

Senj has been inhabited since the prehistoric times. A settlement called "Attienities" in today's Senj was mentioned in Greek documents dated 4th century BC. The Romans used "Senia" as a stronghold against the Illyrians in the 2nd century BC, and it was a thriving town in their province of Dalmatia. The Avars and the Croats settled "Senj" in the 7th century (AD).

The Senj Catholic diocese was established in 1169. Croatian-Hungarian king Bela III gave the town to the Templars in 1184, and in 1271 it became the property of the counts of Krk, the Frankopans.

In 1248 the bishop of Senj was allowed by the Pope Innocent IV to use the Glagolitic alphabet and the vernacular language in liturgy. A Glagolitic printing press was set up in 1494, and produced the incunabula "The Glagolic Missal" and "Spovid općena".

The military captaincy of Senj was established in 1469 in order to defend from the invading Ottoman and Venetian armies, and the town sheltered thousands of refugees from the nearby occupied areas. The Nehaj fortress was completed on a hill near the town in 1558. The wars with the Ottomans lasted well into the 17th century and Senj spawned many an uskok, small units of men rowing swift boats, very efficient guerrilla forces.

The 18th century brought some prosperity, especially with the construction of the so-called "Josephine road" (built during French occupation of Illyrian provinces and named by the Napoléon's wife) from Karlovac to Rijeka via Senj. The railway line built in 1873 didn't go past Senj, however, and this deterred its further development.

Economy

Modern Senj is a seaside tourist town. Primary occupations are fishing, boating, and tourism.

Towns and Villages

There are 27 settlements in the municipality and they include: Alan, Biljevine, Bunica, Crni Kal, Jablanac, Klada, Krasno, Krivi Put, Lukovo, Melnice, Mrzli Dol, Pijavica, Podbilo, Prizna, Senj, Senjska Draga, Starigrad, Stinica, Stolac, Sveta Jelena, Sveti Juraj, Velike Brisnice, Veljun Primorski, Volarice, Vrataruša, Vratnik i Vrzići.

Population

Administrative unit "city of Senj" has 8,132 inhabitants.
Population by nationality:

*Croats 7,869 (96.77%)
*Albanians 155 (1,91%)
*others 108 (2.32%)

Notable people

* Eugen Kvaternik
* Ivan Paskvić
* Vjenceslav Novak
* Silvije Strahimir Kranjčević
* Milutin Cihlar Nehajev
* Pavao Ritter Vitezović
* Mirko Ožegović Barlabaševački
* Nikola Jurišić
* Milan Moguš
* Ivan Đalma Marković
* Ante Glavičić
* Sandra Šarić

Twin cities

* Kőszeg, Hungary
* Vratimov, Czech Republic
* Wieluń, Poland
* Sorbiers, France
* Senec, Slovakia
* Parndorf, Austria
* Vrbovec, Croatia

Pictures

External links