Nova Gradiška is a town located in the
Brod-Posavina County of
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = " Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capi ...
, population 14,229 (2011).
It is located in the historic region of
Slavonia
Slavonia (; hr, Slavonija) is, with Dalmatia, Croatia proper, and Istria, one of the four historical regions of Croatia. Taking up the east of the country, it roughly corresponds with five Croatian counties: Brod-Posavina, Osijek-Bar ...
, near the border to
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and ...
.
The first word in the name means ''New'', and there's also an ''Old'' Gradiška nearby, the village of
Stara Gradiška and the
Bosnian town of
Gradiška.
History
Nova Gradiška is often referred to as ''The Youngest Town''.
The town of Nova Gradiška was founded in 1748 as an outpost in the
Military Frontier and was first named Friedrichsdorf in German. Already in 1750 it was renamed Neu-Gradischka which later became Nova Gradiška in Croatian. The Hungarian name is Újgradiska.
Before 1881, Nova Gradiška (named ''NEU-GRADISKA'' before 1850) was part of the
Austrian monarchy
The Habsburg monarchy (german: Habsburgermonarchie, ), also known as the Danubian monarchy (german: Donaumonarchie, ), or Habsburg Empire (german: Habsburgerreich, ), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities ...
(
Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia
The Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia ( hr, Kraljevina Hrvatska i Slavonija; hu, Horvát-Szlavónország or ; de-AT, Königreich Kroatien und Slawonien) was a nominally autonomous kingdom and constitutionally defined separate political nation with ...
after the
compromise of 1867
The Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 (german: Ausgleich, hu, Kiegyezés) established the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary. The Compromise only partially re-established the former pre-1848 sovereignty and status of the Kingdom of Hungary ...
), in the
Slavonian Military Frontier, Gradiskaner Regiment N°VIII.
The first building constructed was the church of Saint Tereza, which is an important monument of
baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including ...
architecture in
Slavonia
Slavonia (; hr, Slavonija) is, with Dalmatia, Croatia proper, and Istria, one of the four historical regions of Croatia. Taking up the east of the country, it roughly corresponds with five Croatian counties: Brod-Posavina, Osijek-Bar ...
. The old core of the town comprises the church of Saint Terezija and the old court house and prison from the 18th century.
Between 1881 and 1918, Nova Gradiška was a district capital in the
Požega County of the Kingdom.
Communications
The town is located on the
M104 railway line, frequently served by passenger trains at the local
Nova Gradiška railway station. The
A3 motorway also passes nearby. The highway and railway are part of the
Pan European corridor X. Bus traffic within the town as well as suburban traffic is very well developed. There is also a connection to
Požega via the
D51 road and the nearby border crossing to
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and ...
, located in Stara Gradiška.
Settlements
The administrative area of Nova Gradiška includes the following settlements:
*
Kovačevac, population 669
*
Ljupina, population 987
* Nova Gradiška, population 11,821
*
Prvča, population 752
Tourism
Here are several hotels and other tourist resorts present. The Tourist board is also present and well developed in Nova Gradiška. There are a number of townfaires. Some of the most important ones are:
* Carnival festivities "Pokladne svečanosti"
* Flower show "Izložba cvijeća"
* The Folklore Show ("međužupanijska smotra folklora")
* The display of traditional wind instruments ("smotra tradicijskih puhačkih instrumenata")
* Nova Gradiška Music Summer ("Novogradiško glazbeno Ljeto")
* Oldtimer car meeting ("susreti oldtimera")
* Fishfaire ("fišijada")
* Mushroom festival ("izložba gljiva")
* Motorcycle riders meeting "Strmac" ("Motoristički susreti Strmac")
Religion
Maria Theresa granted the rights for construction of the
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
* Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
Chapel of
Teresa of Ávila in Nova Gradiška in 1756.
The church was damaged by the forces of the
Republic of Serbian Krajina during the
Croatian War of Independence.
In the 19th century the new Church of Virgin Mary on the town square was initiated.
Aulic Council prevented the authorities of the
Slavonian Military Frontier from destroying the church with intention to build a school at its place.
Historically, there were also two
Serbian Orthodox
The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous ( ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodox Christian churches.
The majority of the population ...
Churches in Nova Gradiška, one of them destroyed during the
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
and one during the Croatian War of Independence.
Those were the Church of
Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas of Myra, ; la, Sanctus Nicolaus (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greek descent from the maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor (; modern-day Dem ...
and the Church of the
Holy Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God th ...
. The Church of the Holy Trinity was the central orthodox church located at the town square.
It was erected in 1824 at the spot of an earlier wooden church from 1755.
The church was destructed by quisling
Ustasha regime in 1941.
The new
neo-Byzantine Church of the Holy Trinity was complete in 1982 but it was detonated 9 times and destroyed during the Croatian War of Independence.
The second church of Saint Nicholas was constructed in 1818 on the local cemetery, it was reconstructed in 1866 but it was also destroyed during the Croatian War of Independence.
Local electronic media
Croatian Radio Nova Gradiška ( hr, Hrvatski Radio Nova Gradiška, HRNG) is the local radio station.
Commerce
Today some furniture industry and beer industry exists in small parts. There is an initiative to extend the industry park.
Before the
Croatian War of Independence, there was metallurgy industry in the town, which went bankrupt.
People
*
Đura Horvatović
Đorđe "Đura" Horvatović ( sr-Cyrl, Ђорђе "Ђура" Хорватовић; 17 January 1835 – 28 February 1895) was a Serbian general and military minister.
From the Austrian army with the rank of lieutenant, he joined the Serbian Ar ...
– Serbian Officer
*
Slavko Brill – sculptor and ceramics artist
*
Goran Vlaović
Goran Vlaović (born 7 August 1972) is a Croatian retired footballer who played as a striker.
Club career
Born in Nova Gradiška, Vlaović started his professional career with Osijek in 1989 and moved to HAŠK Građanski in 1992, before goi ...
– footballer
*
Milan Rapaić
Milan Rapaić (born 16 August 1973) is a Croatian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He primary played as an attacking midfielder or winger.
International career
He made his debut for Croatia in an April 1994 friendly m ...
– footballer
*
Marko Malenica – footballer
*
Kim Verson – singer
*
Mia Pojatina – model and
Miss Universe Croatia 2018
*
Imakulata Malinka – organist, nun, music pedagogue
*
Svyetlana Canak – Scientist
*
Adolf Dado Topic - singer
References
External links
Official site
*
own map
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nova Gradiska
Cities and towns in Croatia
Slavonia
Populated places in Brod-Posavina County
Požega County
18th-century establishments in Croatia
1748 establishments in the Habsburg Monarchy