From Top to bottom: Panoramic view of Slavonski Brod, Korzo city centre, House ofIvana Brlić-Mažuranić, Officers' pavilion, Palaces in the city centre, andBrod Fortress
Althoughbrod means 'ship' in modernCroatian, the city's name bears witness to an older meaning - 'water crossing', 'ford'.
Among the names historically in use:Marsonia in theRoman Empire,Brood (in Slawonien)[4] in the German speaking Austrian period,Brod na Savi after 1934.
The ancient name "Marsonia" probably comes from the Proto-Indo-European word *mory (marsh), and the same root is seen in the nearby toponyms such as "Mursa" and "Mariniana".[5][unreliable source?]
The city is located 197 kilometres (122 miles) southeast ofZagreb and at an elevation of 96 metres (315 feet). It developed at the strategically important crossing over theSava river towardBrod inBosnia and Herzegovina. The Bosnian city was called Bosanski Brod until 2009.
Slavonski Brod is an important intersection of thePosavina part of the highway and a railway junction, since it is located on the highway linkingZagreb–Lipovac–Belgrade (E70, A3) and theZagreb–Vinkovci–Belgrade railway. The ship port "Brod" on theSava river is under construction.
There is also a new modern highway under construction, on the Pan-EuropeanCorridor Vc, which will connect Northern Europe and Hungary with Croatia (through the region of Slavonia), and Bosnia andHerzegovina with Croatia (through the coastal region ofDalmatia). The alignment of this highway is approximately at a 19 km (12 mi) distance from the center of the town. With the completion of this route, the area of the town Slavonski Brod will become one of the major highway intersections in this part of Europe connecting directions west–east and north–south.
A favorable geographical location, pleasant continental climate, fertile soil and being in the vicinity of the river Sava have all resulted with the city being inhabited since a prehistoric age.
The northeastern part of the city, at Galovo, recently revealed a rich deposit of theStarčevo culture, dating in the Early Stone Age. Besides the fact that this is the largest archaeological finding in northern Croatia, it proves that the locality of Brod has been inhabited for at least 8,000 years.
The first historical settlement in Brod dates fromRoman times, the settlement being known asMarsonia. It is still disputed whether Marsonia was a postal station, lodging for the night or an actual settlement.[citation needed]
ThePeutinger map refers to Marsonia as Marsonie, while the work "Notitia Dignitatum" has Marsonia under the name of "Auxilia Ascaria Tauruno sive Marsonia". The issue of Marsonia becoming a city has been tackled by the publishers ofPtolemy'sgeography, dating from the 16th century. The first geographer who located the position of Marsonia at the locality of Brod wasAbraham Ortelius, who, in his atlasTheatrum orbis terrarum (Antwerp 1590) published a map, the objective of which was to reconstruct and connect the antic names ofPanonian andIllyric settlements with the towns of that time. It was he who placed Marsonia at today's location of Brod.
Peutinger's table clearly shows that Marsonia initially existed next to the Sava river, at the place where the Roman road crossed the river. The first Croatian expert, claiming that the Roman MARSVNNIA was located where Brod is now isMatija Petar Katančić, giving this assertion additional support.
TheSlavs settled in the area of the city in the 6th century. The name of the town is mentioned for the first time inBela IV of Hungary's charter, dated 1224. The Vukovac fortress was built in the 15th century, subsequently damaged by the Turks. TheOttoman Empire controlled the settlement from 1536[6] until 1691, when it was ceded to theEmpire of Austria, as confirmed by theTreaty of Karlowitz in 1699. Until 1918, Brod (namedBrood before 1850)[7] remained in theAustrian monarchy (Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia after thecompromise of 1867), in theSlavonian Military Frontier, under the administration of theBrooder Grenz-Infanterie-Regiment N°VII until 1881. A hugeVauban type fortress was built east of Vukovac.
Alongside its defence role the city saw steady development of crafts and commerce. The education and culture were strongly dominated by theFranciscans. The 20th century was a period of strong economic growth of the city, with the 1920s being called "the Golden Age of Brod". The city's current name dates from 1934 when it was changed from Brod na Savi.
From 1941 to 1945 the city was part of theIndependent State of Croatia. The town was heavily bombed by the Allies in 1944 and 1945. The bombing resulted in damage to 80% of the buildings in Slavonski Brod.[8] The bombing resulted in 897 civilian deaths, 244 military deaths, 208 wounded civilians, and 28 military wounded in Slavonski Brod andBosanski Brod.[9]Historical Archive of Slavonski Brod was established in the city in 1959.[10]
In 1990 democratic reforms legalised the formation of political parties other than the League of Communists of Croatia. In Slavonski Brod, the first parties formed were theCroatian Democratic Union and theCroatian Democratic Party.[11]
During theCroatian War of Independence, Slavonski Brod came under heavy bombardment fromBosnian Serb forces, positioned across the border inBosanska Posavina, between April and October 1992, duringOperation Corridor 92. A total of 11,651 artillery shells and fourteen9K52 Luna-M rockets were fired against the city, and 130 bombs were dropped from the air, resulting in the deaths of 116 civilians,[12] including 27 children.[13]
Directly elected minority councils and representatives are tasked with consulting tasks for the local or regional authorities in which they are advocating for minority rights and interests, integration into public life and participation in the management of local affairs.[14] At the2023 Croatian national minorities councils and representatives electionsRoma andSerbs of Croatia fulfilled legal requirements to elect 15 members minority councils of the City of Slavonski Brod whileBosniaks of Croatia elected individual representative.[15]
The city'seconomy is based on farming, viticulture,fruit growing, metal-processing, timber (furniture wood,parquetry), textiles (ready-made), leather, foodstuffs (brewery), building material (lime), and printing industries.
Slavonski Brod is also home to some of the most important metal companies in Southeastern Europe, theDjuro Djakovic consortium, consisting of a number of factories producing very diverse products, mainly for export. The consortium is capable of producing:locomotives, tramways, wagons, bridges, industrial plants, nuclear reactors, car parts, heavily armed vehicles,armoured fighting vehicles, includingmain battle tanks andmine warfare vehicles, agricultural machinery, etc.
Service industries are becoming rapidly important, especially tourism. The city has an important cultural heritage, including afortress and aFranciscan monastery with a rich library.
The Brod Fortress from theBaroque period, was constructed during theAustro-Hungarian Empire to serve as a stronghold against theOttoman Empire, which was situated on the other bank of theSava river. It is in theVauban style, named after one of the best European experts in the building of fortifications in 17th and 18th centuries. It is one of Europe's best preserved fortresses, and also one of the biggest on the formerAustro-Hungarian Military Frontier. In a way, it is the continental obverse ofDiocletian's Palace inSplit, by its monumentality.
The city'sFranciscan monastery dates from the 18th century, and is alsoBaroque in style, with exceptional architecture, especially of the church yard, and monastery church interior, with its beautiful altar and paintings.[16] In 1720, a faculty of philosophy was opened here.
The most important annual cultural event in the town is the children's festival 'In the World of the Fairy Tales of WriterIvana Brlić-Mažuranić', in April and May. TheBrodsko kolo, an annual show of originalfolklore, is held in mid-June, while the Festival of Patriotic Folk Songs takes place in May. The artistic 'Sava' colony[17] cherishes the tradition ofwatercolour painting.
Croatian Home in Slavonski Brod
One of the attractions of Slavonski Brod is a beautiful central town square, one of the two or three biggest in all of Croatia,Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić square, named after a popular children's writer, whose house is on the square. This square is also home to numerous cultural events and has a perfect view of the beautiful Sava river. The square is also dotted with galleries, book stores, cafes, night clubs, and shops, making it a center for entertainment. Close to the square, another attraction is the romantic promenade next to the Sava river - 'Kej' as it is called by citizens of town.
Slavonski Brod Synagogue, destroyed duringWorld War II, was among the largest and most prestigious synagogues in Croatia. LocalSerbian Orthodox Church built in 1793 was also destroyed byUstaše regime during the war.[18] A new church, constructed at a different location and completed in 1990, was again destroyed in 1991.[18] Reconstruction of that second church began in 2016.[18]
The local chapter of theHPS isHPD "Diljgora", which had 125 members in 1936 under the Eugen Šrepel presidency. At the time, it had aski section.[21] Membership fell to 105 in 1937.[22]: 240 Membership rose to 119 in 1938.[23]: 240
Slavonski Brod has very well developed educational institutions in pre-school, primary, secondary and higher education.
The city also hosts theUniversity of Slavonski Brod, and the Primary School Teacher Training College. Some other faculties are expected to be opened soon.In October 2006. an associate-degree college has been founded with several other faculties.
Slavonski Brod has atrain station onM104 railway corridor - it serves as a stop for all trains on international routes which passes through the town (such as Vinkovci -Villach or Zagreb -Belgrade), also being directly connected by a large number of domestic local and limited-stop services running between the capital city ofZagreb andVinkovci/(Tovarnik, state border withSerbia).[24]
By regular bus lines from various companies, Slavonski Brod bus station is well connected with the surrounding villages, municipalities and cities in Slavonia, such as:Đakovo,Požega andNova Gradiška, as well as with all major cities throughout Croatia:Pula,Rijeka,Umag,Poreč,Rovinj,Osijek, Zagreb,Karlovac,Zadar,Split,Šibenik, etc. From the international lines there are regular departures in the direction ofGermany andSwitzerland.[25]
In the immediate surroundings of the town there are interesting hunting grounds (Migalovci), fishponds (Jelas Polje), and a lake (Petnja). There are pleasant orchards andvineyards,Dilj mountain (or 'Dilj Gora'), and swimming opportunities.
Since records began in 1963, the highest temperature recorded at the local weather station at an elevation of 88 metres (289 ft) was 40.5 °C (104.9 °F), on 6 August 2012.[26] The coldest temperature was −27.8 °C (−18.0 °F), on 24 January 1963.[27]
Climate data for Slavonski Brod (1971–2000, extremes 1963–2014)
TheEuropean Environment Agency reported in 2023 that Slavonski Brod has the poorest outdoorair quality of 372 European cities, based on average concentration levels offine particulate matter, (orPM2.5) over the past two calendar years. The two-year average concentration of PM2.5 was reported to be 26.5μg/m3, which is considered as "very poor" in the categories laid out inDirective_2008/50/EC.[30]
Cresswell, Peterjon; Atkins, Ismay; Dunn, Lily (10 July 2006).Time Out Croatia (First ed.). London, Berkeley & Toronto: Time Out Group Ltd & Ebury Publishing,Random House Ltd. 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SV1V 2SA.ISBN978-1-904978-70-1. Retrieved10 March 2010.
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