Osijek

Osijek (Croatian pronunciation: [ôsijeːk] ) is the largest city and the economic and cultural hub of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative seat of Osijek-Baranja County. It is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of 96,313 recorded in the 2021 census. The city is situated on the southern bank of the Drava River, 25 km (16 mi) upstream from its confluence with the Danube, at an elevation of 94 m (308 ft). Osijek is located 16 km (10 mi) west of the Croatia–Serbia border. The history of Osijek extends back to Roman antiquity, when the settlement of Mursa developed in the area, which became an important Roman military and urban centre in the province of Pannonia. The medieval town developed around the same general area and is first recorded under the name Osijek in 1196. During the Middle Ages it became a market and trading settlement connecting the Pannonian with the Balkans. Suleiman Bridge was built in 1566, which was used in Ottoman–Habsburg wars. In 1685, Habsburg-Croatian forces launched a successful campaign toward Osijek, defeating an Ottoman army. The medieval settlement was located approximately where the present-day Tvrđa stands. In 1786, Tvrđa, Gornji Grad and Donji Grad were united into one city, and in 1809 Osijek became a Free Royal City. Between 1922 and 1929, it was the centre of Osijek Oblast, an administrative division of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. During the Croatian War of Independence in the 1990s, Osijek was heavily attacked by the Yugoslav People's Army and Serbian forces. The Battle of Osijek and the surrounding fighting lasted mainly from 1991 to 1992, causing civilian casualties and significant damage to the city, which was later reconstructed and restored. Today, it is one of the main cultural, economic and...