Zvečan | |
|---|---|
Town andmunicipality | |
 Panorama of Zvečan | |
  Zvečan  Zvečan | |
| Coordinates:42°54′N20°50′E / 42.900°N 20.833°E /42.900; 20.833 | |
| Country | Kosovo |
| District | Mitrovica |
| Settlements | 36 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Ilir Peci (PDK) |
| Area | |
• Total | 122 km2 (47 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 461 m (1,512 ft) |
| Population (2015) | |
• Total | 16,650 |
| • Density | 140/km2 (350/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Area code | +383(0)28 |
| Vehicle registration | 02 |
| Climate | Cfb |
| Website | Official site |
Zvečan (Serbian Cyrillic:Звечан) orZveçan (Albaniandefinite form:Zveçani) is a town and municipality located in theMitrovica District inKosovo. As of 2015, it has a population of 16,650 inhabitants.[1] It covers an area of 122 km2 (47 sq mi), and consists of a town and 35 villages.
Zvečan is a part ofNorth Kosovo, a region with anethnic Serb majority. According to the2013 Brussels Agreement, the municipality should become a part of theCommunity of Serb Municipalities once they are established.
The town of Zvečan is located nearMitrovica. It was mentioned for the first time in connection with the border clashes between theSerbs andByzantines between 1091 and1094. There is also an inscription that Grand PrinceStefan Nemanja, after the victory over the Byzantines in 1170, ordered that a prayer for the successful outcome of the battle be held in the church of St George at Zvečan.
In the 13th and 14th centuries Zvečan was one of the royal residences of the Serbian court.Queen Theodora died there in December 1322, and nine years later her husband,Stefan Uroš III was imprisoned and strangled there.[2]
First, theMusić, then theVojinović noble family, held the fortified city and region during theSerbian Empire ofUroš V (r. 1355–1371). As imperial power collapsed Zvečan was in a disputed zone being held by nobleman Miloš Pović in 1370 but claimed byNikola Altomanović.[3][4]
In 1389, after theBattle of Kosovo, it was integrated into theOttoman Empire and later became part of theSanjak of Novi Pazar.[5]
On 26 May 2023,Kosovo Police took control of the municipal buildings of four Serb majority municipalities in the north of Kosovo.[6]
In September 2023,Banjska attack was carried by Serbmilitants against Kosovo Police in a village of the municipality of Zvečan, namedBanjska.[7] During the fighting, one Kosovar police officer and several Serb militants were killed. The attackers sought refuge withinBanjska Monastery, which was eventually retaken by the Kosovo Police. During this operation, a significant cache of weaponry was confiscated.[8]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 8,675 | — |
| 1991 | 10,030 | +1.46% |
| 2015 | 16,650 | +2.13% |
According to the 2011 estimations by theGovernment of Kosovo, Zvečan has 1,838 households and 7,481 inhabitants.[9] In 2015 report byOSCE, the population of Zvečan municipality stands at 16,650 inhabitants.[1]
The majority of Zvečan municipality is composed ofKosovo Serbs with around 16,000 inhabitants (95.1%). Also, there are 500Kosovo Albanians and 300 inhabitants of other ethnicity.[1] About 3,750 Kosovo Serbs are located in the municipality asInternally displaced persons (IDPs) as well as 250 refugees fromCroatia. Most of Kosovo Albanians live in the villages ofBoletin (Boljetin), Lipë/Kelmend (Lipa) and Zhazhë (Žaža).
The ethnic composition of the municipality of Zvečan, includingIDPs:[1]
| Ethnic group | 2015 est. |
|---|---|
| Serbs | 15,850 |
| Albanians | 500 |
| Bosniaks,Romani,Gorani | 300 |
| Others | - |
| Total | 16,650 |
The largest employer in Zvečan is the lead and zinc melting factory "Trepča". Its large smokestack is with 306 meters the tallest structure in Kosovo. Due to the serious environmental pollution from the factory, however, UN and KFOR shut it down and the only ongoing operation is alloy production for batteries and battery recycling. Once employing up to 4,000, the very low operations of "Trepča" has had a devastating effect on the local economy. Today, in the municipality only about 500 people are working at 60 small private companies and 150 shops.[1]
TheFaculty of Arts, part of theUniversity of Priština atNorth Mitrovica, is situated at Zvečan.
Zvečan has hosted annually two international music festivals: TheNorth City, Jazz & BluesFestival,[1][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] and internationalrock festivalOverdrive,[17] as well as international art colonySokolica[18] and children song festivalCvrkuti sa Ibra (Chirrups from theIbar River).
TheZvečan Fortress and Sokolica Monastery, both from theMiddle Ages, have been located in the Zvečan area.[1]
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