Virovitica

Virovitica (pronounced [ʋirɔʋǐtit͡sa]) is a Croatian city near the Hungarian border. It is situated near the Drava river and belongs to the historic region of Slavonia. Virovitica has a population of 14,688, with 21,291 people in the municipality (census 2011).^[3] It is also the capital of Virovitica-Podravina County.

Virovitica
City
Grad Virovitica City of Virovitica
Pejačević Castle in Virovitica
Flag
Virovitica Location of Virovitica in Croatia
Coordinates: 45°50′N 17°23′E
Country	Croatia
County	Virovitica-Podravina County
Government
• Mayor	Ivica Kirin (HDZ)
Area [1]
• City	170.7 km2 (65.9 sq mi)
• Urban	38.1 km2 (14.7 sq mi)
Elevation	122 m (400 ft)
Population  (2021)[2]
• City	19,302
• Density	110/km2 (290/sq mi)
• Urban	13,486
• Urban density	350/km2 (920/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	33 000
Area code	+385 (0) 33
Vehicle registration	VT
Website	virovitica.hr

Name

Virovitica has also historically been known by the names Wirowititz/Virovititz and Wirowitiza (German), Viroviticza, Verewitiza, Verowitiza, Verowtiza, Verőce (Hungarian) and Varaviza (Italian), Viroviticza or Verucia (Latin).

Climate

Between 1994 and 2010, the highest temperature recorded at the local Bikana station was 39.5 °C (103.1 °F), on 18 August 2003. The coldest temperature was −21.5 °C (−6.7 °F), on 31 December 1996.^[4]

At the Virovitica station, recording since 1951, the highest temperature recorded was 39.2 °C (102.6 °F), on 27 June 1965.^[5] The coldest temperature was −29.5 °C (−21.1 °F), on 23 January 1963.^[6]

History

The town is first mentioned in 1234. It was part of Ottoman Empire between 1552 and 1684 and was kaza centre initially in Sanjak of Pojega (1552–1601), later in Sanjak of Rahoviçe in Kanije Eyalet (1601–1684) until the Habsburg conquest in 1684.

In the late 19th century and early 20th century, Virovitica was a district capital in the Virovitica County of the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia.

Demographics

The following settlements comprise the administrative area of the city of Virovitica:^[3]

• Čemernica, population 653
• Golo Brdo, population 364
• Jasenaš, population 77
• Korija, population 767
• Milanovac, population 1,711
• Podgorje, population 833
• Rezovac, population 1,303
• Rezovačke Krčevine, population 331
• Sveti Đurađ, population 564
• Virovitica, population 14,688

City of Virovitica: Population trends 1857–2021

v

population	4869	6356	6540	7762	8980	9682	11243	13088	13222	15136	17578	19367	20905	22931	22618	21291	19302
	1857	1869	1880	1890	1900	1910	1921	1931	1948	1953	1961	1971	1981	1991	2001	2011	2021

Sources:Croatian Bureau of Statistics publications

Politics

Minority councils

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.^[7] At the 2023 Croatian national minorities councils and representatives elections Serbs of Croatia fulfilled legal requirements to elect 15 members minority councils of the Town of Virovitica but with only 12 representatives being elected in the body in the end.^[8]

Culture

The patron saint of Virovitica is St. Rocco (Sv. Rok), celebrated every August 16.

Đorđe Balašević wrote a song titled Virovitica, praising his time spent in the city.

Sports

The local chapter of the HPS is HPD "Papuk", which had 72 members in 1936 under the Lovro Bakotić presidency. At the time, it had ski, music and photography sections.^[9] Membership rose to 76 in 1937,^[10]: 251 but fell to 71 in 1938.^[11]: 251

Transportation

The town lies on the intersection of the state roads D2 and D5 and also has a bus station.

The towns has one train station and one halt - it lies on R202 railway corridor.

Notable people

• Željka Antunović (born 1955), politician
• Ivan Dečak (born 1979), singer
• Stanija Dobrojević (born 1985) Serbian television personality
• Damir Doma, fashion designer
• Miroslav Feldman (1899–1976), poet and writer
• Andrija Hebrang (1899–1949?), politician
• Tomislav Maretić (1854–1938), linguist
• Ksenija Marinković (born 1966), actress
• Zrinko Ogresta (born 1958), film director
• Renata Pokupić (born 1972), opera singer
• Petar Preradović (1818–1872), poet and general
• Vlado Singer (1908–1943), politician
• Konstantin Čupković, Serbian professional volleyball player
• Dijana Vukomanović, Serbian political scientist and politician
• Ivan Šibl
• Edita Schubert (1947–2001), Croatian artist

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Croatia

Virovitica is twinned with:^[12]

• Barcs, Hungary
• Jajce, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Traunreut, Germany
• Vyškov, Czech Republic

Gallery

• 
  Schubert House
• 
  Central department store
• 
  City Park
• 
  Church in Virovitica
• 
  Vocational Secondary School
• 
  Stjepan Radić Street
• 
  Virovitica Hospital