Travnik is located near the geographic center of Bosnia and Herzegovina at44°14′N17°40′E / 44.233°N 17.667°E /44.233; 17.667. The riverLašva passes through the town, flowing from west to east before joining theBosna. Travnik itself is built in the largeLašva valley, which connects the Bosna river valley in the east with theVrbas river valley in the west.
Travnik is found 514 metres (1,686 feet)above sea level. Its most distinguishing geographic feature are its mountains, Vilenica andVlašić. Vlašić, named after theVlachs[citation needed], is one of the tallest mountains in the country at 1,933 metres (6,342 feet).
A largekarst spring, thePlava Voda wellspring, rises under Vlašić mountain, just belowTravnik Castle, in the very center of the Old Town of Travnik.
Travnik has acontinental climate, located between the Adriatic sea to the South and Pannonia to the North. Average July temperature is 19.0 °C (66.2 °F). Average January temperature on the other hand is −1.0 °C (30.2 °F). It snows in Travnik every year.
Although there is evidence of some settlement in the region dating back to theBronze Age, the true history of Travnik begins during the first few centuries AD. Dating from this time there are numerous indications ofRoman settlement in the region, including graves, forts, the remains of various other structures, early Christian basilicas, etc. In the town itself, Roman coins and plaques have been found. Some writing found indicates the settlement is closely connected to the known Roman colony in modern-dayZenica, 30 km (19 mi) away.
In the Middle Ages the Travnik area was known as the župa Lašva, a province of the medievalBosnian Kingdom. The area is first mentioned byBela IV of Hungary in 1244. Travnik itself was one of a number of fortified towns in the region, with its fortressKaštel becoming today's old town sector. The town itself is first mentioned by theOttomans during their conquest of nearbyJajce.
After theOttoman conquest of Bosnia in the 15th century, much of the local population converted toIslam as part of theIslamization policy by theOttoman Empire. The town quickly grew into one of the more important settlements in the region, as the authorities constructed mosques, marketplaces, and various infrastructures. During 1699 whenSarajevo was set afire by the soldiers of Field-MarshalPrince Eugene of Savoy, Travnik became the capital of theOttoman province of Bosnia and residence of the Bosnianviziers. The town became an important center of government in the entire western frontier of the empire, andconsulates were established by the governments ofFrance andAustria-Hungary.
The period of Austrian occupation brought westernization and industry to Travnik, but also a reduction of importance. While cities such asBanja Luka,Sarajevo,Tuzla, andZenica grew rapidly, Travnik changed so little that during 1991 it had a mere 30,000 or so people, with 70,000 in the entire municipality.
A large fire started by a spark from alocomotive in September 1903 destroyed most of the town's buildings and homes, leaving only some hamlets and the fortress untouched.[4] The cleanup and rebuilding took several years.[5]
From 1922 to 1929, Travnik was the capital of theTravnik Oblast. From 1929 to 1941, Travnik was part of theDrina Banovina of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
During theBosnian War, the town mostly escaped damage from conflict withSerbian forces, hosting refugees from nearbyJajce, but the area experienced fighting between local Bosniak and Croat factions before theWashington Agreement was signed in 1994. After the war, Travnik was made the capital of theCentral Bosnia Canton.
Villages within the Travnik municipalityThe Travnik Municipality within the Central Bosnia Canton
Travnik is the administrative centre of the Municipality of Travnik, whose area of jurisdiction covers the town of Travnik itself and 89 other rural settlements.[6] Travnik is also the capital of theCentral Bosnia Canton, one of the tenCantons of Bosnia. The municipal government has various agencies dedicated to the operations of the region, ranging from the bureau of urbanization and construction, to the bureau of refugees and displaced persons.
The economy of the Travnik region suffered greatly during the war period of the early 1990s. In 1981 Travnik's GDP per capita was 63% of theYugoslav average.[11] Nowadays, most of the region deals with typical rural work such as farming and herding. As for the urban industry, Travnik has several factories producing everything frommatches to furniture. Food processing is also a strong industry in the region, especially meat and milk companies.
Like many Bosnian towns, Travnik's tourism is based largely on its history and geography. NearbyMount Vlašić is one of the tallest peaks in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and an excellent spot for skiing, hiking and sledding. Whilst tourism is not very strong for the town, Mount Vlašić is probably its chieftourist attraction. Numerous structures dating to the Ottoman era have survived in near perfect condition, such as numerous mosques, oriental homes, two clock towers (sahat kula; Travnik is the only town in Bosnia and Herzegovina to have two clock towers) and fountains. The old town dates back to the early 15th century, making it one of the most popular and widely accessible sites from that time.
Travnik's gymnasium is a classic example of the "Two schools under one roof" system. The right side of the building hosts the Croatian-curriculum high school and was renovated with funds from the Republic of Croatia. The left side of the building hosts the Bosnian-curriculum high school and is dilapidated. The courtyard is separated by a fence.The birthplace ofIvo Andrić
Travnik has a strong culture, mostly dating back to its time as the center of the local government in the Ottoman Empire. Travnik has a popular old town district, which dates back to the period of Bosnian independence during the first half of the 15th century. Numerous mosques and churches exist in the region, as do tombs of important historical figures and excellent examples of Ottoman architecture. The town museum, built in 1950, is one of the most impressive cultural institutions in the region.
One of the main works ofIvo Andrić, a native of Travnik, is theTravnik Chronicle (or theBosnian Chronicle),[12] depicting life in Travnik during theNapoleonic Wars and written duringWorld War II.
TheBosnian Tornjak, one of Bosnia's two major dog breeds and a national symbol, originated in the area, and can be found around theVlašić mountain.
Travnik, like theCentral Bosnia Canton, currently has no rail links. In the past, the city was served by a narrow-gauge railway which has since been abandoned.
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