Osijek

Osijek Co-cathedral

St. Michael's Church, in Osijek's Baroque Tvrđa

Hungarian stamp of 1900 cancelled Lower town in both languages

Ante Starčević Square

War of Independence memorial

Crveni fićo installation

The origins of human habitation of Osijek date back to Neolithic times, with the first known inhabitants belonging to the Illyrians and later invading Celtic tribes. After the conquest of Pannonia, Osijek, known at the time as Mursa, was under the administration and protection of the Roman 7th legion, which maintained a military castrum at the colony and a bridge over the river Drava. The Roman emperor Hadrian raised the old settlement of Mursa to the status of a colony with special privileges in 131. After that, Mursa had a turbulent history, with several decisive battles taking place at its immediate proximity, among which the most notable are the battle between Aureolus and Ingenuus in 260 and especially brutal and bloody Battle of Mursa Major in 351. These battles, especially the latter one, had long-term consequences for the colony and the region, which was already under ever-increasing pressure from the invading Goths and other invading tribes. After the fall of Western Roman Empire and the destruction of local tribes by Avar Kaghanate in sixth century, this area was resettled by Slavic tribes.

The earliest recorded mention of Osijek dates back to 1196.[4] The town was a feudal property of Kórógyi family between 1353 and 1472. After the death of the last Kórógyi, King Matthias Corvinus granted it to the Rozgonyi family. The city was almost completely destroyed by the Ottoman conquerors on 8 August 1526.[4] The Turks rebuilt it in Ottoman oriental style and it was mentioned in the Turkish census of 1579. In 1566, Suleiman the Magnificent built a famous, 8-km-long wooden bridge of boats in Osijek, considered at that time to be one of the wonders of the world.[5] In Ottoman Empire, Osijek was part of the Budin Eyalet.

Following the Battle of Mohács in 1687, Osijek was liberated by the Habsburg monarchy on 29 September 1687.[6]

Osijek was restored to western rule on 29 September 1687, when the Turks were ousted and the city was occupied by the Habsburg Empire.[7] Between 1712 and 1715, Austrian authorities built a new fortress, outer walls, and all five planned bastions (authored by the architect Maximilian de Gosseau) known as Tvrđa,[8] in the heart of the town. Holy Trinity Square is surrounded on the north by the building of the Military Command, on the west by the Main Guard building and on the east by the Magistrate building (presently Museum of Slavonia). In the middle of the square, a monument to the plague was erected in 1729 by General Maximilian Petras' widow.[9]

The Gornji Grad ("Upper Town") was founded in 1692 and Donji Grad ("Lower Town") followed on 1698 settled mostly by the inhabitants from swampy area of Baranja. Tvrđa, Gornji Grad, and Donji Grad continued as separate municipalities until 1786, when they were united into a single entity.[10] In late 18th century, it took over from Virovitica as the centre of the Virovitica County. The Habsburg empire also facilitated the migration and settlement of German immigrants into the town and region during this period.[11] A particular German city dialect, Essekerisch, formed.[12][11]

In 1809, Osijek was granted the title of a Free Royal City, and during the early 19th century, it was the largest city in Croatia.[13] The city developed along the lines of other central European cities, with cultural, architectural and socioeconomic influences filtering down from Vienna and Buda. At the beginning of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, the town was held by the Hungarians, but on 4 February 1849, it was taken by the Austrians under General Baron Trebersberg.[14]

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Osijek was the seat of the Virovitica County[14] of the autonomous territory Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia in Austria-Hungary.[15]

During the 19th century, cultural life mostly revolved around the theatre, museums (the first museum, Museum of Slavonia, was opened in 1877 by private donations), collections, and printing houses (the Franciscans).[16] City society, whose development was accompanied by a prosperous economy and developed trade relations, was related to religious festivals, public events (fairs), entertainment, and sports. The Novi Grad (New Town) section of the city was built in the 19th century, as well as Retfala to the west.

The newest additions to the city include Sjenjak, Vijenac Ivana Meštrovića, Novi Grad and Jug II, which were built in the 20th century. The city's geographical riverside location, and noted cultural and historical heritage – particularly the baroque Tvrđa, one of the most immediately recognizable structures in the region – facilitated the development of tourism. The Osijek oil refinery was a strategic bombing target of the Oil Campaign of World War II.[17]

After the war, the local German-speaking populace was expelled. The daily newspaper Glas Slavonije was relocated to Osijek and has been printed there ever since. A history archive was established in the city in 1947 and GISKO (city library) in 1949. A children's theatre and an art gallery were open in 1950. As a continuation of the tradition of promoting national heritage, especially in music, society of culture and art, "Pajo Kolarić" was established on 21 March 1954.

Osijek has been connected with the Croatian republic's capital Zagreb and the previous federal capital Belgrade by a modern paved road since 1958. The new Drava bridge to the north was built in 1962.

The first faculty opened in Osijek was Faculty of Economy (in 1959 as Centre for economic studies of the Faculty of Economy in Zagreb),[18] followed immediately by a high school of agriculture, later renamed as Faculty of Agriculture[19] and Faculty of Philosophy.[20] The Faculty of Law was established in 1975.[21] thus becoming the first new member of newly established University of Osijek.

As part of further development as a regional food industry and agricultural centre, a major (working) collective for agriculture and industry was established in 1962. During the 1980s, a new pedestrian suspension bridge over the Drava was built. A regional centre of National Television JRT was also opened.

During the war in Croatia, from 1991 to 1995, the city sustained damage by Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) and local Serbs, especially to the centre and Co-cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul[22] and to the periphery. About 800 people were killed in the shelling of the town that occurred from August 1991 to June 1992.[23] Overall, a total of 1,724 people from Osijek were killed over the course of the war, including 1,327 soldiers and 397 civilians.[24] At least five Croatian officials were condemned for war crimes against Serb civilians in Osijek, including General Branimir Glavaš.[25]

Osijek had a warm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb). Due to relatively strong global warming in the Pannonian Basin and its average temperature in the coldest month having risen above 0 degrees, while the mean temperature in the warmest month is now above 22 degrees, its climate is now subtropical, as in nearby cities like Novi Sad and Budapest.

Numerous events take place in the city throughout the year. The most important of them are the Croatian Tambura Music Festival (in May), attended by tambura orchestras from all over Croatia and the Osijek Summer Nights (during June, July and August), a series of cultural and entertainment programs in the open, accompanied by excellent food and fairs. The Day of the City of Osijek is celebrated with a cultural and artistic activities and exhibitions.

The surroundings of Osijek provide opportunities for hunting and angling on the Drava river and its backwaters. Hunting in the area known as Kopački Rit (in Baranja) is famous beyond the borders of Croatia.

The abundance of game and agriculture has made Osijek the country's semi-official gastronomical capital. Local dishes include traditional Slavonian-style specialities (kulen, paprika-flavoured sausage, other kinds of sausages, ham, bacon, dairy products), as well as venison and fish dishes such as the famous riblji paprikaš (fish stew made with paprika). The two brands of beer brewed in Osijek are Osječko and Esseker.

The recreational and sports centre Copacabana, opened in 1980, located on the left bank of the Drava river, provides opportunities for various water sports (outdoor swimming pools and a sand beach with various facilities) during the summer months. The city offers various playgrounds: football, handball, basketball, tennis courts, etc. NK Osijek are the city's main football team, which are followed by their supporters group called Kohorta Osijek, playing in the Croatian First League at Gradski vrt stadium. The city is also home to a number of smaller teams including NK Grafičar Vodovod and NK Metalac. Before the Second World War, the city's most successful club was Slavija Osijek, which collapsed in 1941.

A new sports hall (Dvorana Gradski vrt) was built as the 2009 World Men's Handball Championship venue. Osijek hosts an extreme sports contest called the "Pannonian challenge", which features competitions in skateboarding, inline skating, freestyle BMX and MTB dirt racing.[41] Osijek hosted the 2017 Davis Cup World Group between Croatia and Spain at the Gradski vrt Hall in February 2017.

Osijek remains a popular domestic tourist destination for its Baroque style, open spaces and ample recreational opportunities. The most important sights in the city include the main square, Ante Starčević Square, Tvrđa the 18th century Baroque citadel, the promenade along the Drava ("promenada"), and the suspension pedestrian bridge toward Baranja.

The Municipal Park of King Petar Krešimir IV and the Tomislav Park date from the beginning of the 20th century, and are protected national landmarks. Osijek is also home to one of the few Croatian zoological gardens, along the Drava river. The city is home to a monument to Ante Starčević.[42]

The Co-cathedral of St. Peter and Paul is a Neo-Gothic structure with the second highest tower in Croatia after the Zagreb Cathedral. The tower measures 90 m (295.28 ft) and can be seen from throughout Osijek. Because of its size most locals refer to it as the cathedral but it is only a parish church. The Church of St Peter and St Paul was designed by Franz Langenberg and contains 40 stained glass windows, although they are not all intact after the bombing in the 1990s. The church also contains sculptures by Eduard Hauser.

A panoramic view of the pedestrian bridge over the Drava