Užice

Ancient era

The region surrounding Užice was settled by Illyrians, specifically the Parthini and the Celtic-influenced Autariatae tribes. Their tombs are found throughout the region. In the 3rd century BC, the Scordisci featured prominently after the Gallic invasion of the Balkans. The region was conquered by the Roman Empire in 168 BC, and was organized into the province of Illyricum in 32–27 BC and, after 10 AD, the province of Dalmatia. The Roman municipium (town) of Capedunum existed here during Roman times; its name indicates a Celtic origin (dun, fortress),^[4] similar to Singidunum, the founding name of Serbia's capital, Belgrade.

Middle Ages

The settlement of Slavs in the region has been recorded since the 520s, when Slavic tribes pillaged the Eastern Roman Empire; during Justinian I's rule (527–565), up to 100,000 Slavs raided areas far to the south of the city in Thessalonica. The region (Drina županija) was part of the Vlastimirović dynasty when they established the medieval Principality of Serbia, the first Serb state. Across the Drina, in Bosnia, the army of Časlav fought the invading Magyars in the 950s. The region was annexed by the Byzantine Empire after 969, becoming part of the Catepanate of Ras. Later, the area around the city became a part of the Theme of Sirmium.

The first historical record mentioning Užice by its name dates back to 1329. During the reign of the Serbian Emperor Stefan Dušan, Užice is mentioned as a fortress, under the rule of the Vojinović noble family.^[5] After the death of Emperor Dušan the Mighty, in the period known as the 'fall of the Serbian Empire', Užice came under the control of Vojislav Vojinović, a nobleman in the service of Emperor Uroš the Weak. When Vojislav died, his nephew Nikola Altomanović controlled the region. When Uroš died childless, the former Imperial provincial lords begin fighting each other. Serbian Autokrator Lazar Hrebeljanović and Tvrtko I of Bosnia defeated Nikola Altomanović, and divided his lands between themselves. Nikola was blinded in the fortress on the orders of Stefan Musić. Užice came under the control of Lazar, then the Serbian Despotate under his son Stefan Lazarević.

Ottoman period

Užice fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1463 and formed part of the Sanjak of Smederevo. It served as an important civilian and military locality for the Ottoman Empire, with the first Ottoman census in 1476-1478 listing Užice as a village. By the late 15th century, Ottoman authorities invested in the restoration of the local fortress and encouraged migration into Užice, turning the once village into a town. By the start of the 16th century, Užice became an administrative capital with a majority Turkish population. Local building's were erected in line with Ottoman architecture and a small Christian population lived in the mahallah of Carina.^[5] In 1690 during the Great Turkish War, Habsburg forces captured Užice and the city fell within the realms of Habsburg-occupied Serbia.^[6] The Great Turkish War and subsequent retreat of Habsburg forces uprooted the local Serbian population, with much of the Serbian population leaving Užice as part of the Great Migrations of the Serbs.^[5] During the Serbian Revolution, Užice fell to rebel forces; however, the city was recaptured by Ottoman forces in 1813. In 1844, the demographic makeup of the city consisted of 3,695 Turks and 707 Serbs, with the city housing one Serbian Orthodox church and 35 Islamic mosques.^[6] Between 1875 and 1877 during the Herzegovina uprising, Užice served as the main refuge site for Serbs fleeing Herzegovina. This mass migration, coupled with the mass emigration of the local Turks significantly changed the ethnic makeup of the town.^[5]

Modern Serbia

Užice was the first town in Serbia and one of the first towns in Europe with a hydroelectric power plant producing alternating current. It was built on the Đetinja river in 1900. In 1913, the first railway line was constructed into Užice, connecting the town to the Belgrade-Niš railway, via Stalać. In 1925, the railway was extended to Višegrad, connecting Belgrade to the Adriatic Sea.^[7]

World War II

In 1941, after Nazi occupation, Užice was liberated by the Yugoslav Partisans, who chose it as the capital of the Republic of Užice. This republic was a short-lived military mini-state that existed in the autumn of 1941 in the western part of Nazi-occupied Serbia.

The Republic of Užice comprised most of western Serbia, with a population of more than 300,000 people. It was located between the Skrapež river in the north, the river Drina in the west, the river Zapadna Morava in the east, and the Uvac river in the south.

In November 1941, the German army re-occupied this territory, and the majority of Partisan forces escaped to Bosnia, Raška and Montenegro.

In 1974, the Yugoslavian film Ужичка република in Serbian or in English as the Guns of War was released documenting the first offensive in the Great Patriotic War against fascism and follows the Spanish soldier and fervent communist Boro as he organizes a partisan uprising in western Serbia that later establishes itself into the Ужицка Республика / Užička Republika (the Republic of Užice) which lasted 67 days from 24 September to 29 November 1941 (de facto until 1 December 1941) and the defeat of its forces at the battle of Kadinjaca.^[8]

Yugoslav era

Within the former Yugoslavia (established after the Second World War), Užice was renamed Titovo Užice (Титово Ужице). From 1992, following the collapse of the pro-communist administration, Titovo (meaning Tito's) was removed, leaving the original city name Užice. It was one of eight towns renamed Tito's town in Yugoslavia. Due to being "Titovo" and central-planning communist system, Užice received significant amounts of investment in infrastructure and local factories, which made the city one of the most highly developed for its size in former Yugoslavia. Following the break-up of the region, all the towns dropped the "Titovo" title.

1990s

During the 1990s, Užice's economy shrank rapidly due to war and instability in the region.

In 1999 the city was bombed multiple times during Operation Allied Force. The largest scale bombing occurred on May 6, 1999, when NATO forces bombed many roads and highways, the airport, civilian buildings and government buildings.^[9] After this, thousands of people turned out at the city's main square to protest the bombings and destruction of the city and killings of civilians.

Climate

Užice has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification: Dfb) approaching an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfb).

Ethnic groups

The ethnic composition of the city:^[12]

Architecture

Some distinctive buildings in Užice are:

• The Old Town-fortress, 14th-century fortress
• St. George's Cathedral
• St. Marks' Church
• White Church, Karan
• The Building of the City of Užice
• Užička gimnazija (The Užican Gymnasium)
• Jokanovića kuća (The home of the Jokanovićs, one of the oldest buildings in Užice)

Media

Užice is turning into the regional media centre of western Serbia.

• TV stations: TV5 Užice
• Radio stations: Radio Užice, Radio 31, Radio Luna, Radio San
• Newspapers: Vesti, Užička nedelja

Twin towns / sister cities

Užice is twinned with:

• Cassino, Italy
• Kursk, Russia
• Veria, Greece
• Ljutomer, Slovenia
• Harbin, China (2018)^[20]