Virovitica () is a

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 = , capit ...

n city near the Hungarian border. It is situated near the

Drava The Drava or Drave''Utrata Fachwörterbuch ...

river and belongs to 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-Baranja ...

. Virovitica has a population of 14,688, with 21,291 people in the municipality (census 2011). It is also the capital of

Virovitica-Podravina County Virovitica-Podravina County (; hr, Virovitičko-podravska županija ; hu, Verőce-Drávamente megye) is a northern Slavonian county in Croatia. Its county seat is in Virovitica and it includes the area around the Drava river, hence the name ' ...

Name

Virovitica has also historically been known by the names ''Wirowititz''/''Virovititz'' and ''Wirowitiza'' (

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

), ''Viroviticza'', ''Verewitiza'', ''Verowitiza'', ''Verowtiza'', ''Verőce'' ( Hungarian) and ''Varaviza'' (

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

), ''Viroviticza'' or ''Verucia'' (

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

History

The town is first mentioned in 1234. It was part of

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

between 1552 and 1684 and was kaza centre initially in

Sanjak of Pojega The Sanjak of Pojega ( tr, Pojega Sancağı; hr, Požeški sandžak) was an administrative territorial entity of the Ottoman Empire formed around 1538. It existed until the Treaty of Karlowitz (1699), when the region was transferred to the Habs ...

(1552–1601), later in Sanjak of Rahoviçe in

Kanije Eyalet The Kanije Eyalet ( ota, ایالت قنیژه; Eyālet-i Ḳanije) was an administrative territorial entity of the Ottoman Empire formed in 1600 and existing until the 1699 Treaty of Karlowitz. It included parts of present-day Hungary and Croatia ...

(1601–1684) until the Habsburg conquest in 1684. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, Virovitica was a district capital in the

Virovitica County Virovitica County ( hr, Virovitička županija; hu, Verőce vármegye) was a historic administrative subdivision ('' županija'') of the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia. Croatia-Slavonia was an autonomous kingdom within the Lands of the Crown of ...

of the

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 ...

Demographics

The following settlements comprise the administrative area of the city of Virovitica: * Čemernica, population 653 * Golo Brdo, population 364 * Jasenaš, population 77 *

Korija Korija is a village in Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , ma ...

, population 767 * Milanovac, population 1,711 * Podgorje, population 833 * Rezovac, population 1,303 * Rezovačke Krčevine, population 331 * Sveti Đurađ, population 564 * Virovitica, population 14,688

Culture

The

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...

of Virovitica is St. Rocco (), celebrated every August 16.

Đorđe Balašević Đorđe Balašević ( sr-Cyrl, Ђорђе Балашевић; 11 May 1953 – 19 February 2021) was a Serbian and Yugoslav singer and songwriter, writer, poet and director. He began his career in the late 1970s as a member of the band Rani Mraz, ...

wrote a song titled Virovitica, praising his time spent in the city.

Notable people

Željka Antunović Željka Antunović (; born 15 September 1955) is a Croatian former politician who served as acting president of the Social Democratic Party between April and June 2007, and as Minister of Defence from 2002 until 2003 in the second cabinet of Iv ...

(born 1955), politician *

Ivan Dečak Ivan Dečak (born 20 October 1979) is a Croatian singer and one of the founders and lead vocalist of Croatian band Vatra. Biography He was born in Virovitica in 1979, where he attended music school and high school. Together with friends in 1999 ...

(born 1979), singer * Stanija Dobrojević (born 1985) Serbian television personality *

Damir Doma Damir Doma is a luxury clothing brand and Croatian fashion designer based in Milano. Biography Early life Damir Doma is a fashion designer, founder and creative director of the Damir Doma brand. Doma studied fashion in Munich and Berlin. He gra ...

, fashion designer *

Miroslav Feldman Dr. Miroslav Feldman (28 December 189930 May 1976) was a Croatian-Jewish poet and writer. Feldman was born in Virovitica on 28 December 1899. He studied medicine in Zagreb and Vienna. After graduation, he returned to Croatia and worked as a phys ...

(1899–1976), poet and writer * Andrija Hebrang (1899–1949?), politician *

Tomislav Maretić Tomislav Maretić (13 October 1854 – 15 January 1938) was a Croatian linguist and lexicographer. He was born in Virovitica, where he attended primary school and the gymnasium in Varaždin, Požega and Zagreb. After graduating simultaneousl ...

(1854–1938), linguist *

Ksenija Marinković Ksenija Marinković (born 18 April 1966) is a Croatian film, television and theatre actress. Biography Ksenija Marinković was born in Virovitica in 1966 where she finished high school. Ever since she was eight until entering the Academy of Dr ...

(born 1966), actress *

Zrinko Ogresta Zrinko Ogresta (born 5 October 1958) is a Croatian screenwriter and film director, professor of film directing at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb and a member of the European Film Academy in Berlin. Praised for their strong visual styl ...

(born 1958), film director * Renata Pokupić (born 1972), opera singer *

Petar Preradović Petar Preradović (19 March 1818 – 18 August 1872) was a Croatian poet, writer, and military general. He was one of the most important Croatian poets of the 19th century Illyrian movement and the main representative of romanticism in Croatia. ...

(1818–1872), poet and general *

Vlado Singer Vlado Singer (21 October 1908 – October 1943) was a Kingdom of Yugoslavia politician and a prominent member of the Croatian Ustaše movement. Biography Singer was born in Virovitica on 21 October 1908 to a Croatian Jewish family.Davor Kovačić ...

(1908–1943), politician *

Tvrtko Obrdalj Tvrtko may refer to: * Tvrtko I of Bosnia, medieval king of Bosnia * Tvrtko II of Bosnia Stephen Tvrtko II ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Stjepan/Stefan Tvrtko, Стјепан/Стефан Твртко; died in November 1443), also known as Tvrtko Tvrtković (), ...

(1931), politician

Twin towns – sister cities

Virovitica is twinned with: *

Barcs Barcs ( hr, Barč; german: Bartsch or ) is a border town in Somogy County, Hungary, and the seat of Barcs District. The Drava River marks the southern boundary of the settlement. Geography Located at the Croatian border and the River Drava, the ...

, Hungary *

Jajce Jajce (Јајце) is a town and municipality located in the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the 2013 census, the town has a population of 7,172 inhabitants, with ...

, Bosnia and Herzegovina *

Traunreut Traunreut (; Central Bavarian: ''Traunreit'') is a town in southeastern Bavaria, Germany in the Traunstein district. It is located at . Traunreut lies in the heart of the Chiemgau region between Munich and Salzburg, approximately 10 km east ...

, Germany *

Vyškov Vyškov (; german: Wischau) is a town in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 20,000 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone. Administrative parts Vyškov ...

, Czech Republic

Gallery

Dvorac Pejačević Virovitica.jpg, Pejačević Castle Robna ku a.JPG, Central department store Park Virovitica2.JPG, City Park 01 Pogled na crkvu.jpg, Church in Virovitica Strukovna kola.JPG, Vocational Secondary School Ulica Stjepana Radi a.JPG, Stjepan Radić Street Novi bolni ki kompleks u Virovitici.JPG, Virovitica Hospital

References

External links

Virovitica CityPhoto Tour of Virovitica
{{Authority control Cities and towns in Croatia Slavonia Virovitica County Populated places in Virovitica-Podravina County 1234 establishments in Europe Populated places established in the 13th century