Bajina Bašta Бајина Башта (Serbian) | |
|---|---|
Town andmunicipality | |
        Bajina Bašta | |
 Flag .png) Coat of arms | |
 Location of the municipality of Bajina Bašta within Serbia | |
| Coordinates:43°57′N19°33′E / 43.950°N 19.550°E /43.950; 19.550 | |
| Country |  Serbia |
| Region | Šumadija and Western Serbia |
| District | Zlatibor |
| Settlements | 36 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Vesna Đurić (SNS) |
| Area | |
| • Town | 3.13 km2 (1.21 sq mi) |
| • Municipality | 673 km2 (260 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 257 m (843 ft) |
| Population (2022 census)[2] | |
| • Town | 8,971 |
| • Town density | 2,870/km2 (7,420/sq mi) |
| • Municipality | 23,533 |
| • Municipality density | 35.0/km2 (90.6/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 31250 |
| Area code | +381(0)31 |
| Car plates | BB |
| Website | www |
Bajina Bašta (Serbian Cyrillic:Бајина Башта,pronounced[bâjinabǎːʃta]) is a town and municipality located in theZlatibor District of westernSerbia. The town lies in the valley of theDrina river at the eastern edge ofTara National Park.
According to the 2022 census, the town's population is 8,971 inhabitants, while the municipality has 23,533 inhabitants.
The nameBajina Bašta comes from the vastorchards and vegetable gardens, that used to be located on the left bank of the Pilica River, which belonged to a Turkishfeudal owner,Baja Osman, who established the town's modern image in the mid-19th century. In English, the nameBajina Bašta literally means "Baja’s Garden".
In 1834Bajina Bašta was established on the remains of the old Turkish community ofPljeskovo which was situated on the right bank of theDrina River between theRača andPilica Rivers, under the eastern foothills ofTara Mountain. By the end of the 19th century, in accordance with the Serbian-Turkish agreement, the local Muslims had to move from this region directly across the Drina River intoBosnia, where they built settlements in the villages ofSkelani andDobrak. In 1858 the town became the administrative center of theRača District. On September 15, 1872,Prince Milan Obrenović IV issued a decree that officially gave Bajina Bašta its status as an officially recognized town. A decade later, Bajina Bašta received itsurban plan, long before many places in Serbia.
Under theOttoman Empire, the Rača's region became a part ofSokolska nahija or Zvornik Sandžak, and later on a part ofUžice nahija where it remained until its liberation from the Turks in 1834. In the following tumultuous decades, Bajina Bašta belonged to the Užice District, Užice canton, and region. Today, the town lies in theZlatibor District. In 1875 a mixed craftsmenguild was founded with 88 different occupations, based on forestry and stock farming. In attempts to improve trade links between Serbia and Bosnia, the first customs station was opened in Skelani in 1880. The following year, the first post office with atelegraph was opened. The number of inhabitants increased from 374 in 1864 to 1,306 by 1910. Residents in the nearby village of Rača made a major contribution in liberation efforts between 1876–1878 whenSerbia became an independent principality, declared by theCongress of Berlin. In the followingBalkan Wars andWorld War I (1912–1918), over 300 people from the small village died.
The areas around Bajina Bašta have significant historical heritage. In the village of Pilica, there are archeological remains ofRoman architecture dating from the 2nd and 3rd century and ornamented tombstones. Other archeological sites lie in theKremna valley (43 tombstones),Mokra Gora (38),Perućac,Rastište andDub. The oldest historical findings in this area date from theNeolithic period (5,000 year B.C.) – remains of these communities,Kremenilo andJokin Breg, are found nearVišesava. The remnants of these settlements show that people lived in about 2.5 m deepdugouts, on three underground levels. Judging by their characteristics, these remains are considered to have belonged to theStarčevo culture. Additionally, there is much evidence of theIron Age material culture of theIllyrian tribe ofAutariat (after which Tara Mountain most likely obtained its name). DuringRoman,Byzantine andMedieval period, Bajina Bašta was an important trade center and the cross-border with Bosnia.
Rača monastery (7 km southwest of town) is considered the most significant historical treasure of the area. Built by KingStefan Dragutin (1276–1282), the monastery was the center of transcription and illumination of medieval religious manuscripts of Serbia. These monks became known as the Račani. Abundant wall paintings andiconostasis cover the walls, dating after the church's reconstruction in 1835. The monastery houses a treasury and a library containing over 1,200 books andmanuscripts. In the village of Dub (10 km from Bajina Bašta) there is a wooden church from 1792, of a specific architecture, covered with shingle roof. A variety of ornaments and icons, a gate from the 17th century, make this church one of the more memorable churches in Serbia.
During the unification of theSouthern Slavs ofEurope and creation of theKingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, Bajina Bašta continued its urban expansion. In 1926, a metal bridge that linked to Skelani was built, replacing the ferry that crossed the Drina River. Theelectrification of the town started in 1928 and two years later the first town's hospital was built. The utilization offorests, the famedbajinactobacco and the construction ofelementary schools in the region greatly helped improve the standard of living and educational level of the inhabitants. In 1940, the downtown area built its first water piping andsewage system andcobblestone streets.
DuringWorld War II, Bajina Bašta was severely damaged. Events that markedhuman history in the period between 1939–1945, were reflected in this region as well in a form ofcivil war and liberation fights against the occupying Axis army. A Račan militia was formed in the first stages of the armed resistance against the occupants. From August 3–23, 1941, the militia solidified into a military formation consisting of 62 soldiers. The first free territory in the occupied Europe – "Republic of Užice", brought only temporary liberation to Bajina Bašta. In this region, the first People's Liberation CommitteeNOO was formed. During the war, especially in 1943,Bulgarian forces caused many civilian casualties. Bajina Bašta was liberated fromNazi forces on September 12, 1944.
After the World War II ended, Bajina Bašta continued to develop into an economical, cultural and administrative center of themunicipality which extended 672 km2 (418 miles²) around the town. The second half of the 20th century is marked by the expansion of trade, banking, agricultural cooperatives, sawmills and craftsmen guilds. Intensive economic growth began in 1966 when the Bajina Bašta Hydroelectric Power Plant in Perućac was put in operation. This is the second largesthydroelectric power plant in Serbia today, afterĐerdap on theDanube River.
During the turmoil in Bosnia-Hercegovina 1992–1995 (Bosnian War) Bajina Bašta came under occasionally shelling from Bosnian Muslims (Bosniaks) offensive operations in early 1993. Several villages north of Bajina Bašta along the Drina river on the Serbian side came under fire in this period.First when theVRS (Bosnian Serb army)[clarification needed] later during 1993 launched counter offensive operations the sporadic attacks stopped.
The town has preserved architecture from the end of the 19th and the first half of the 20th century, which goes along well with the more recent urban structures. Rural settlements are more archaic in layout and building structure, the most attractive and significant ones areRogačica, the former center of the Rača district, as well asKostojevići,Pilica, and other localities.
The expansion and development of Bajina Bašta by the modern urbanization plan was directed along the main streets which are part of the main routes from Užice to Perućac (Kneza Milana Obrenovića Street) and Rogačica to Tara (Svetosavska Street). These routes intersect in the town's center. Bajina Bašta is considered a modern urban settlement with potential for horizontal expansion. Downtown Bajina Bašta is a mixture of commercial, residential, and administrative buildings of different facades and height. The heart of the town is Dušana Jerkovića Square, which is surrounded by the old-style architecture found in Serbia during the mid to late 19th century.
Bajina Bašta's climate ismoderate continental with four distinct seasons. Summers are warm and pleasant with cool nights, and winters are sunny, with snow levels high enough for widespread winter sports. However, the humidity of the air increased greatly after the construction of the power plant in Perućac and the formation of the artificialPerućac Lake andZaovine Lake, in the mountains. The average annual rainfall is 700–800 mm locally, contributing to a marked agricultural environment.
Bajina Bašta has anoceanic climate (Köppen climate classification:Cfb) that's very close to ahumid continental climate (Köppen climate classification:Dfb).
| Climate data for Bajina Bašta | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 4.5 (40.1) | 7.3 (45.1) | 12.7 (54.9) | 16.5 (61.7) | 21.2 (70.2) | 24.7 (76.5) | 27.1 (80.8) | 27.4 (81.3) | 23.9 (75.0) | 18.3 (64.9) | 10.5 (50.9) | 6.1 (43.0) | 16.7 (62.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 0.7 (33.3) | 3.1 (37.6) | 7.4 (45.3) | 11.0 (51.8) | 15.5 (59.9) | 18.9 (66.0) | 20.9 (69.6) | 20.9 (69.6) | 17.5 (63.5) | 12.7 (54.9) | 6.4 (43.5) | 2.6 (36.7) | 11.5 (52.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −3.0 (26.6) | −1.0 (30.2) | 2.1 (35.8) | 5.5 (41.9) | 9.9 (49.8) | 13.2 (55.8) | 14.8 (58.6) | 14.5 (58.1) | 11.2 (52.2) | 7.1 (44.8) | 2.4 (36.3) | −0.8 (30.6) | 6.3 (43.4) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 68 (2.7) | 64 (2.5) | 61 (2.4) | 73 (2.9) | 87 (3.4) | 89 (3.5) | 76 (3.0) | 64 (2.5) | 70 (2.8) | 72 (2.8) | 87 (3.4) | 85 (3.3) | 896 (35.2) |
| Source: Climate-Data.org[3] | |||||||||||||
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 34,183 | — |
| 1953 | 35,283 | +0.64% |
| 1961 | 34,067 | −0.44% |
| 1971 | 31,387 | −0.82% |
| 1981 | 30,860 | −0.17% |
| 1991 | 29,747 | −0.37% |
| 2002 | 29,151 | −0.18% |
| 2011 | 26,022 | −1.25% |
| 2022 | 23,533 | −0.91% |
| Source:[4] | ||
According to the 2011 census results,[5] the municipality of Bajina Bašta has 26,022 people. The town itself hosts 9,148 people while the other 16,874 live in thirty-five outlyingvillages and non-urban areas surrounding the town.
Most of the residing population are immigrants, who after the liberation of the area from the Turks in the 19th century, settled these areas, originally coming fromHerzegovina, the northwestern parts ofMontenegro,Sandžak,Osat (Bosnia),Dalmatia (Pepelj) andKremna. At present, a considerable decrease in population is recorded due to economic migrations towards the regional centers of Serbia, such as Užice,Valjevo,Čačak, andBelgrade.
Ethnic composition of the municipality:
| Ethnic group | Population | % |
|---|---|---|
| Serbs | 25,638 | 98.52% |
| Roma | 120 | 0.46% |
| Montenegrins | 43 | 0.17% |
| Yugoslavs | 17 | 0.07% |
| Croats | 13 | 0.05% |
| Macedonians | 13 | 0.05% |
| Russians | 10 | 0.04% |
| Muslims | 9 | 0.03% |
| Albanians | 8 | 0.03% |
| Others | 151 | 0.58% |
| Total | 26,022 |
The greatest natural resources of the municipality are the Drina River and Tara Mountain. The Drina is especially significant for its water power potentials. Specialists have estimated that it is possible to erect several hydroelectric power plants on this river. The annual flow of the Drina River is about 12.5 cubic kilometers of water. The Bajina Bašta Hydroelectric power plant was built on the Drina to harness that energy. The dam is located 12 km west of Bajina Bašta, near Perućac. Its average annual production amounts to 1,625 GWh ofelectric power. For the sake of better utilization of water power potential, the first reversible hydro-electric power plant in Europe was built in Zaovine, near the top of Tara Mountain.
Tara Mountain has long been a well-known tourist resort owing to its pleasant moderately continental and sub-continental climate. In 1981, Tara became a national park. It covers an area of 300 square kilometers and is the largest natural park in Serbia. The mountain has an abundance of flora and fauna. Apart from white pine tree, maple-trees and famousSerbian Spruce (Picea omorika), here you can find rare game includingbear,roe deer, andchamois. The Drina River is a part of the local cultural identity and has great potential in rafting sports and fishing.
Moderate continental and mountainous climatic conditions are especially suitable for recovery and medical treatment of patients with bronchialasthma, chronicbronchitis,anemia and other diseases. Special attention is paid to tourism development and different tourist manifestations utilizing the clean and clear air of Tara Mountain.
Industry had developed fairly well in Bajina Bašta, but recently saw a major downturn due to economic hardships and the civil wars that raged across the region in the 1990s. The major employers before the outbreak of theYugoslav Wars were:
The closing of some of these companies threw a majority of Bajina Bašta's and surrounding region's population into unemployment which lasted from 1990 until 2015. The only company from old days still functioning well isDrinske Hidroelektrane (Drina Hydroelectrics), headquartered in downtown Bajina Bašta. Drina Hydroelectrics are the owners of thePerućac andVišegrad hydroelectric power plants. Since 2015 economy is in full swing and unemployment rate is below average of the republic. Well known employers in real sector areBB Klekovača (brandy producer),Temelj (construction company),Elektroizgradnja (wires and electrical services),Pinus (wooden products) andRolomatik (aluminum doors and windows, engineering constructions).
Thanks to exceptionally good climatic conditions, Bajina Bašta has exceptional potential foragricultural profit. High-quality types of tobacco and medicinalherbs flourish in the valley of the Drina, grown byBajinovac, an agriculture company.Plums, used for the making of Bajina Bašta's own regional juniper brandyKlekovača, grow in abundance.Wheat is a mainstay of the valley, growing well during both the summer and winter growing seasons. The Bajina Bašta municipality is famous for itsraspberry farms and Bušinsko polje, which is a part of Bajina Bašta, is famous for its organicstrawberry farms.
The following table gives a preview of total number of registered people employed in legal entities per their core activity (as of 2018):[6]
| Activity | Total |
|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 105 |
| Mining and quarrying | 5 |
| Manufacturing | 1,394 |
| Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | 286 |
| Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities | 173 |
| Construction | 677 |
| Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 777 |
| Transportation and storage | 272 |
| Accommodation and food services | 286 |
| Information and communication | 33 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 73 |
| Real estate activities | 10 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 158 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 58 |
| Public administration and defense; compulsory social security | 283 |
| Education | 415 |
| Human health and social work activities | 287 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 236 |
| Other service activities | 100 |
| Individual agricultural workers | 418 |
| Total | 6,044 |
There are some traces of the Neolithic age, Iron Age Illyria, and Roman settlements for those interested in history. The ruins of the ancient town Solotnik, the log cabin church in the villageDub and Rača Monastery are important parts of Serbia's cultural legacy. In Tara National Park,Kaluđerske bare and the hotelsOmorika (spruce),Javor (maple) andBeli bor (white pine), as well as the children's resort ofMitrovac, are the representative tourist destination which offerswimming pools,skiing andsports facilities.
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