Vitez ( sr-cyrl, Витез) is a town and municipality located in

Central Bosnia Canton The Central Bosnia Canton ( bs, Srednjobosanski kanton/Средњобосански кантон, hr, Županija Središnja Bosna) is one of 10 cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The most populous se ...

of the

Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the two Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, entities within the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being Republika Srpska. The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina consists ...

, an entity of

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 H ...

. According to the 2013 census, the town has a population of 6,329 inhabitants, with 25,836 inhabitants in the municipality.

Etymology

The wor
vitez
means

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

in Bosnian and Croatian and Serbian.

History

Vitez was part of Bosnia until the decay of Bosnia when

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) ...

occupied this region. This was the period in Vitez got its name. It is known that the first settlement in nowadays urban area was formed around the mosque, built in 1590. Knowing that mosques are being erected in urban areas, it is logical to say that this settlement existed even before. Vitez is mentioned once again during an uprising against Turks led by

Husein Gradaščević Husein Gradaščević (''Husein-kapetan'') (31 August 1802 – 17 August 1834) was a Bosnian military commander who later led a rebellion against the Ottoman government, seeking autonomy for Bosnia. Born into a Bosnian noble family, Gradaš� ...

, when he defeated Turkish Army at

Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...

, after which he was named for Bosnian de facto ruler (Vezir). According to the Austrian officer ''Božića'' (1785), Vitez had 18 houses, mosque and Motel (Han). After many centuries under the Ottoman rule, 1878 Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Vitez got occupied by

Austro-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

Monarchy, and later 1908 annexed. During this time there were many changes in Bosnian society, both political and economical. For a short period they built many roads, railroads, mines,... But, unluckily only with goal to exploit Bosnian natural resources. At the place of old Turkish wood plant, Austrian entrepreneur ''Guido Rütgers'' built the enterprise for mechanical wood processing which was a milestone in a development of urban area. In 1879, Vitez had 510 inhabitants. Other companies existed as well, but were all owned by foreigners. It this period many people from parts of Monarchy came to work in Vitez, especially from Slovenia, Croatia, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Switzerland.

Demographics

Sport

The town is home to the

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

club

NK Vitez NK Vitez is football club based in Vitez, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The club plays in Second League of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina - Center. The club's crest has the sword in front of a football ball. It also features the year when t ...

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

club HKK Vitez Paladij,

handball Handball (also known as team handball, European handball or Olympic handball) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outcourt players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of throwing it into the g ...

club R.K. Vitez,

table tennis Table tennis, also known as ping-pong and whiff-whaff, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball, also known as the ping-pong ball, back and forth across a table using small solid rackets. It takes place on a hard table div ...

clubs STK Vitez and STK CM Vitez, and

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...

club Vitez RLC.

Notable people

Davor Badrov Davor Badrov (born 21 September 1992) is a Bosnian singer whose musical career started in 2007, when he was 15 years old. Biography Early life Davor Badrov was born 21 September 1992 in the small town of Vitez, Bosnia and Herzegovina, during t ...

, singer *

Sasha Skenderija Sasha Skenderija (born 4 July 1968) is a Bosnian-American poet currently residing in Prague. Biography Skenderija began publishing poetry, prose and criticism in Bosnian (Serbo-Croatian) in the late 1980s, graduating from the University of Sar ...

, poet *

Zlatan Bajramović Zlatan Bajramović (; born 12 August 1979) is a Bosnian retired professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. Club career Bajramović spent all of his playing career in the country of his birth, Germany. After starting his career ...

, footballer *

Vejsil Varupa Vejsil Varupa (born 25 January 1971) is a Bosnian former footballer. A big talent, he played alongside future stars like Zlatko Zahović and Mario Stanić Mario Stanić (born 10 April 1972) is a former Croatian footballer. Being a versatile ...

, footballer *

Ante Rajković Ante Rajković (born 17 August 1952 in Jardol village near Vitez, PR Bosnia and Herzegovina, FPR Yugoslavia) is a Bosnian-Herzegovinian defender who played for SFR Yugoslavia. International career He made his debut for Yugoslavia in a June 1977 ...

, footballer *

Roberto Soldić Roberto Soldić (; born 25 January 1995) is a Croatian mixed martial artist and professional boxer, competing in ONE Championship. Before turning 26, Soldić won five belts in five different European MMA promotions including Middleweight and We ...

, MMA fighter

References

External links

* {{Authority control Cities and towns in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Municipalities of the Central Bosnia Canton