Žepče ( sr-cyrl, Жепче) is a town and municipality located in

Zenica-Doboj Canton The Zenica-Doboj Canton (; hr, Zeničko-dobojska županija; sr, Зеничко-добојски кантон) is one of 10 cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The cantonal seat is the City of Zenica. ...

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 ...

. It is situated in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, between

Doboj Doboj ( sr-cyrl, Добој, ) is a city located in Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated on the banks of Bosna river, in the northern region of the Republika Srpska. As of 2013, it has a population of 71,441 ...

and

Zenica Zenica ( ; ; ) is a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and an administrative and economic center of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Zenica-Doboj Canton. It is located in the Bosna (river), Bosna river valley, about north of Sarajevo. Th ...

. As of 2013, it has a population of 30,219 inhabitants. The river Bosna flows through this city. Near within the town, there are 14 mineral water springs. Žepče is within the vicinity of the Lasva valley and thus is surrounded by mountains.

History

The town was first mentioned in 1458 in a charter issued by the Bosnian king

Stjepan Tomašević Stjepan is a Croatian masculine given name, variant of Stephen, used by ijekavian speakers. In Croatia, the name Stjepan was among the top ten most common masculine given names in the decades up to 1969. Notable people with the name include: * S ...

, ''"... Pissanna Žepču va ljetu 1458. oktombrija 14. dan.''" (Written in Žepče in the year 1458. 14.day of October) The city would see combat during the

Bosnian War The Bosnian War ( sh, Rat u Bosni i Hercegovini / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. The war is commonly seen as having started ...

, as HVO forces would launch an operation against

ARBiH The Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( bs, Armija Republike Bosne i Hercegovine or ARBiH), often referred to as Bosnian Army, was the military force of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was established by the government of ...

over complete control of the city on the 24th of June, 1993. After the Dayton Agreement in 1995, the city would end up becoming a part of the

, as part of the

Demographics

In 2001 the following Croat villages from the municipalities of

Maglaj Maglaj ( sr-cyrl, Маглај) is a town and municipality located in the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina, south of Doboj. It ...

and

Zavidovići Zavidovići ( sr-cyrl, Завидовићи) is a town and municipality located in Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, located b ...

merged with the municipality of Žepče to form one entity with Croat majority:

Adže Adže is a village in the municipality of Žepče Žepče ( sr-cyrl, Жепче) is a town and municipality located in Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in central ...

, Pire,

Ponijevo Ponijevo is a village in the municipality of Žepče, 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 c ...

, Matina,

Ljubatovići Ljubatovići is a village in the municipality of Žepče, 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 t ...

, Grabovica, Čustovo Brdo,

Komšići Komšići is a village in the municipality of Žepče, 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 ...

Radunice Radunice is a village in the municipality of Žepče, 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 c ...

, Globarica, Brankovići, Donji Lug, Gornji Lug, Vrbica, Debelo Brdo, Osova, Vinište and Gornja Lovnica.

Population

Ethnic composition

Town

Sport

The town is home to local

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 Žepče Nogometni Klub Žepče 1919 is a football club from Žepče, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The home stadium is called Žepče Gradski Stadion (Žepče City Stadium) with a capacity of 4,000. The team plays in the fourth tier League of Zenica-Doboj Ca ...

Notable people

Ivica Marić Ivica Marić (born April 16, 1967 in Zenica, SR Bosnia-Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia) is a Croatian former professional basketball player. He was a 1.82 m point guard with good court vision. Professional career Marić led the 2000–01 Euroleagu ...

, basketball player *

Abdulvehab Ilhamija Abdulvehab Ilhamija Žepčevi (1773 – 1821) was a Bosnian dervish and prose writer. In addition to Bosnian, his work was written in Turkish, Arabic and Persian. Name His name '' Abd-ul-vehhab'' means "Servant of the Generous" — one of ...

, poet and prose writer *

Emir Preldžić Emir Preldžić (born 6 September 1987) is a Bosnian-Turkish professional basketball player who last played for Orlovik Žepče of the A2 League of FBiH, third level of basketball in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He also represented the Turkish nation ...

, basketball player *

Nedžad Ibrišimović Nedžad Ibrišimović, (20 October 1940 – 15 September 2011) was a Bosnian writer and sculptor. Between 1993 and 2001, he was a president of the Association of Writers of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is best known for the novels ''Ugursuz'' (196 ...

, writer

Gallery

File:Zepca 1890.jpg, Construction of the railway line (1879) File:Zepce 004.jpg, Garden Fountain File:Zepce, katolicky kostel.jpg, Orthodox Church File:Zepce 007.jpg, Church of St.Anthony of Padua File:Zeljeznicka stanica Zepce.jpg, Railway station Žepče Bus Station.jpg, Bus station Žepče Bus Station (war signs).jpg, Bus station (war signs)

References

External links

Official municipality siteŽepče Info - žepački internet portal
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zepce Populated places in Žepče