Historical town of Bihac

Explore the ancient town on the banks of the enchanting River Una - discover Bihać! 

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Bihac through time

The intensity and frequency of turbulent historical events have left deep marks on this, in many ways, unique historic town, and for that reason Bihac needs a bit more than just a short visit. If you give them time, this ancient town and its residents will easily win your affection.

With just a few notes, we would like to draw your attention to the many historical upheavals in a town whose name was mentioned for the first time back in 1260, in a charter of the Croatian-Hungarian King Béla IV.

Prehistory 

Since the Paleolithic time, the earliest period of prehistory, our cross-border destination has shared the same fate, and a significant part of the Old and early New Era was inhabited by the same prehistoric population of the Yapodes, who were part of the biologically same, strong and developed Illyrian civilization.

The Illyrians – Illyricum

What name they called themselves is not known; only the name Illyrians, found in Roman written records, has been preserved. It is worth mentioning that those same Roman sources portrayed the Illyrians as, at best, barbarians. Fortunately, modern historiography approaches ancient sources with a highly critical eye, recognizing them as prime examples of bias and propaganda. Bajrić discusses this in her work, citing the case of how the Illyrian queen Teuta and the Illyrians were maligned by Polybius. This Greek historian and statesman sought to justify the reasons for Rome’s first military crossing to the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, even going so far as to ask forgiveness “if it should be discovered that in some places he deliberately or for advantage presented false information” (Bajrić, 2013, p. 32).

History is, in its essence, interpretative; therefore, it is crucial to take responsible care of one’s own historical and cultural heritage and of written, material and oral sources - so that the “stewardship” of them is not taken over by others, for their own interests.

At the very time when the city-state of Rome was only just transforming into a republic (509 BCE) and beginning its conquest and assimilation of numerous ethnic groups and tribes on the Italian Peninsula, on the eastern side of the Adriatic Sea there already existed an advanced Illyrian culture and civilization. Highly organized, the Illyrians were territorially and urbanistically structured, with advanced agriculture and economy. They had their own culture and script, religion, architecture, and construction, marked by refined geometric harmony. They excelled in metallurgy, astronomy, the building of megalithic cities, and shipbuilding. Successful traders both on land and sea - known as thalassocrats - the Illyrians were also exceptional in military skills and rich in the diversity of their ethnic groups and cultures.

Yapodean Culture of the Bihać Valley

In terms of both numbers and power, the Yapodes stood alongside the Delmatae, Liburnians, and Histri, with whom they were also neighbors. Based solely on the finds discovered and verified so far, the material culture of the Yapodes in the Bihać Valley developed from “the 8th century BCE to the beginning of the 2nd century CE” (Raunig, 2004, p. 20). The Yapodes inhabited a large area bounded by the rivers Kupa and Una, Mount Velebit, and Vinodol along the Adriatic coast, as well as Bela Krajina in present-day Slovenia. In addition to the hillfort-type settlements characteristic of the Illyrians, the area of the Una River and the Bihać Valley is particularly associated with fascinating Sojenica settlements - wooden houses on stilts built along or above the River Una.

The dynamic transit route of the river, along with abundant sources of water and food, created excellent living conditions, and the Yapodes devised innovative constructions to meet the challenges of easier defense against various predators or surging river waters. Archaeologist Branka Raunig devoted forty years to researching, studying, and publishing scientific works on the Yapodes, with a particular attachment to Bihać, as she spent most of her professional career “as head of the Department of Archaeology and History at the Museum of the Una Region in Bihać (today the Museum of the Una-Sana Canton), and for eleven years as director of the Museum itself” (Beća, 2018). Bihać abounds in archaeological finds that Raunig investigated, at that time as the only archaeologist in the wider region. Analyzing the Sojenica settlements in the Bihać Valley, she identified their “characteristic layout, which includes a river island,” and concluded that by building such dwellings, the Yapodes “unintentionally altered the course of the river by driving wooden posts - stilts - into riverbed” (Raunig, 2003, p. 270).

At the important archaeological site of Ripač, which Raunig notes represents “the beginnings of proto-urban organization of Yapodean settlements,” more than “2,500 oak stilts driven into the riverbed were discovered; these piles were grouped in a rectangular form, with dwellings measuring 6 × 12 meters, and water passages for boats between the wooden stilt houses” (Raunig, 2004, pp. 17 - 18).

The densely placed stilts formed a kind of “grid” on which river deposits would accumulate during high water levels (Raunig, 2003, p. 270). These deposits beneath the stilt houses were enriched by the remains of human activity, and such cultural layers remain of great significance for research today. Over time, solid ground began to form beneath the dwellings, which redirected the river to carve out a new channel. Raunig also concludes that around 200 CE, with the stabilization of climatic conditions, there was more intense tufa deposition over the remaining stilt houses, leaving open the possibility that “beneath the tufa layer there may be even older prehistoric cultural sediments” (Raunig, 2003, p. 273).

We may thank the Yapodes for the “playful” course of the Una in the Bihać Valley, rich with backwaters, islands and islets. These calmer waters are vital habitats of the river, where numerous fish and amphibians spawn and where diverse flora and fauna flourish.

Spiritual and Material Culture of the Yapodes

The highly intriguing spiritual and material culture of the Yapodes developed over a long period of “more than 1,000 years,” being equally exposed to both continental and Mediterranean influences, which was reflected in their distinctive and recognizable artistic expression (Raunig, 2004, p. 22).

Numerous artifacts have been found in the Bihać Valley, crafted from a variety of materials such as clay, bronze, stone, silver, locally produced glass paste, and amber - which the Yapodes are believed to have imported and used frequently. For the Yapodes, amber was valued “not only for its beauty but also for the belief in its healing power and its ability to ward off evil and misfortune” (Balen-Letunić & Perkić, 2017, p. 76). Many archaeological finds of metalworking, along with various molds and the “typological, stylistic, and technological characteristics” of the objects, point to the “developed indigenous metalworking activity of the Yapodes” (Raunig, 2004, p. 18). In shaping materials, they skillfully employed casting, applying, modeling, engraving, and chiseling (Ibrahimpašić, Bajramović and Hodžić, 2017).

The dominant figure of Yapodean visual expression is the “warrior” (Balen-Letunić, 2012, p. 52), while one of the most frequent motifs is the horse’s head, most commonly shaped in amber (Ibrahimpašić et. al., 2017). The horse was in general “a favored detail of Yapodean costume,” and it was also found on the pectorals - the chest crosses typically worn by dignitaries (Balen-Letunić, 2012, p. 50).

The Yapodean culture of the Bihać Valley is “alongside the Alpine-Venetian and Istrian cultures, also known for the centuries-long development of its own figural component” (Raunig, 2004, p. 253), as well as for “monumental Illyrian stone sculpture,” most often found in the form of sepulchral (funerary) monuments (Ibrahimpašić and others, 2017). Incidentally, Raunig devoted two separate scholarly works of the same title to the stone monuments of the Bihać Valley - Yapodean Sepulchral and Sacred Stone Monuments (1972 and 1975) (Beća, 2018). The reason lies in the unique “monumental stone art with complex scenic depictions,” which sets the Bihać Valley apart from all other Illyrian regions (Raunig, 2004, p. 253).

Another peculiarity of the Yapodes is that no weapons have been discovered in their necropolises, which were usually located at the foot of Yapodean hillforts - gradine. Yet, the figure of the warrior remains the dominant motif, and numerous finds indicate that the Yapodes possessed predominantly defensive weaponry, and to a lesser degree offensive arms. Among defensive weapons, “the numerous and diverse representations of helmets are most prominent,” especially the“ Yapodean conical and domed helmets with a pronounced, pointed crest,” along with shields, which so far appear only in figural representations. The most notable are the “round and large oval shields with umbo and spine, as well as the round hoplite shield” (Raunig, 2004, p. 254).

Social Organization of the Yapodes

Forty years of scholarly research by Dr. Branka Raunig led the scientist to conclude that “Yapodean communities displayed a high level of social organization from the very beginning”. The manner in which settlements were organized, the layout of houses, the movement within and between settlements, pointed in Raunig’s view to the necessity of “planning, governance, and certainly the participation of a large population” in the activities essential to the development and life of the community. The level of social organization was particularly important in all the “larger hillforts and stilt-dwelling settlements, which were characterized by a form of proto-urban arrangement” (Raunig, 2004, p. 21).

Further evidence of the Yapodes’ developed social organization can be found in their advanced economy. At the protected archaeological site of Ripač alone, discoveries confirm well-developed agriculture and animal husbandry: over “6,000 bone fragments, mostly of young livestock, as well as several types of cereals, legumes, and fruits” were uncovered. Combined with the already mentioned advanced metalworking industry, other crafts, and developed trade, all this points to a “considerably advanced division of labor and specialization, which in turn implies a developed social organization of the Yapodes” (Raunig, 2004, p. 21).

Today, you can explore the culture of the Yapodes more closely through the exhibition at the Museum of the Una-Sana Canton in Bihać, which represents the culmination of Dr. Raunig’s work. The museum also houses other fascinating historical material that vividly conveys the city’s turbulent past. A visit well worth making!

Two and a Half Centuries of Heroic Illyrian Resistance to Roman Imperial Ambitions

After securing control of the Italian Peninsula, imperial Rome gave little peace to others - and the Illyrians were no exception. On the eastern side of the Adriatic Sea, however, they encountered fierce resistance.

At the height of their political and military power, it took the Romans 250 years to gain complete control over the land of the Illyrians. The heaviest blows were borne by the Delmatae, but also by the Liburnians and the Histri, Illyrian peoples along the Adriatic coast. The Yapodes, too, became known for their heroism and powerful resistance.

Legendary Metul

The principal city and center of the Yapodes, that is how Metul was described by the Greek historian Appian who recorded the events of the decisive military campaign, waged in 35 BCE by the Roman general Octavian, against Illyria in an attempt to finally stabilize Roman control over it. Metul, a formidable Yapodean hillfort secured by massive megalithic defensive walls, was defended, according to Appian, by “around three thousand” well-armed defenders. Octavian himself was wounded in battle, but Rome’s tactics of encirclement and the exhaustion of those within Metul, together with the construction of “embankments and bridges to cross the walls,” eventually led to negotiations, which broke down after Rome demanded the surrender of arms.

The response of the Metulans became legendary. The defenders sheltered all women and children in their council hall and marched out to face the Romans in open combat. What followed was a dramatic and bloody clash, remembered above all for the extraordinary act of the women of Metul, who chose death rather than surrender after the Metul’s fall. Balen-Letunić and Perkić cite Appian’s account: “In that battle, consumed by fire perished all men capable of fighting and most of the helpless Metulans. With them the city was burned, and no trace remained of it, once the greatest in these regions” (Balen-Letunić & Perkić, 2017, p. 70).

The search for the material remains of legendary Metul lasted for more than four centuries. In 2002, “the accuracy of the location identified by researcher Veith in 1914” was confirmed, at which point more intensive archaeological excavations began. The remains of the legendary Metul are located at the “twin prehistoric hillforts of Velika and Mala Vinčica near Josipdol” in Lika, Croatia (Balen-Letunić & Perkić, 2017, p. 73).

Antiquity

The clash of two completely different worlds, of spirituality and the very understanding of life itself, ended in the 1st century CE with the surrender of the Illyrian leader Bato the Daesitiates, who led the Great Illyrian Uprising from 6 to 9 CE – also known as the Batonian War. The Daesitiates were also part of the prehistoric Illyrian population, inhabiting the area of the upper course of the Bosna River all the way to the Bjelašnica massif in the south (Mesihović, 2018, p. 88). In the period following the uprising, Illyricum was divided into a Pannonian and a Dalmatian part. The territory of present-day Bihać, together with other parts of the Yapodian lands, fell under the Dalmatian part (Olujić, 2007, pp. 71–103), which had its administrative center in the largest port of the Illyrians and one of the largest ports of that era – the Illyrian Salona.

Damnatio memoriae, Memoria damnata, or Memoria accussare

The term most commonly used in literature, damnatio memoriae – condemnation or prohibition of memory – is of more recent origin, but the “set of ancient practices” of erasing individuals and entire communities from memory was strongly present in Roman times (Omissi, 2016). In regions such as ours, which carry the burden of violent socio-political upheavals, prohibitions of memory and the suppression of traces of existence have been present since antiquity, accompanying socio-political changes and shifts of power. The cultural heritage of the eastern Adriatic coast, particularly Dalmatia, was especially affected by these ancient practices (Fisković, 2007).

Although Dr. Raunig claims that the Yapodes were “to a considerable extent Romanized,” this mostly refers to the upper stratum of Yapodian society, which to a greater degree adopted certain spiritual aspects of Roman culture, “from the Latin language and script to beliefs and more”. However, the Yapodes never forgot their own culture. On the contrary, all material evidence confirms that they kept it alive and developed it over a very long period of time, and Raunig points out that “not even during the prolonged Roman occupation did any significant changes occur in the culture of the Yapodes” (Raunig, 2004, p. 11). Tradition, both material and oral heritage, has always been preserved in rural areas, and thanks to the rise of new scientific disciplines we now have a much clearer picture not only of dating but also of the supposed “transfer” of elements of Yapodian culture to the “new settlers” in the Middle Ages, when, according to Raunig, “the Yapodian identity completely disappears” (Raunig, 2004, p. 11).

Middle Ages

The theory of the great migration of peoples in the period from the 7th to the 9th century CE, including the migration of early medieval Slavs, was formulated as late as the 19th century and was never supported by evidence. It existed merely as a hypothetical construct, which has not been relevant in modern historiography for about 30 years. This was confirmed for N1 by Croatian historian and distinguished medievalist Dr. Neven Budak, who emphasized that there were no great migrations of peoples; it is more likely, Budak says, that only identities were transmitted, which various groups in our region then adopted (N1, 2019, 28:53). As Dr. Budak points out, human beliefs are very difficult to change, and scientific findings struggle to make their way into textbooks and school curricula (N1, 2019, 28:26).

Continuity of Existence

Today we have the opportunity to create a much more comprehensive picture of the ancient past of our region thanks to an interdisciplinary approach that integrates knowledge from various fields such as culturology, forensic anthropology, linguistics, mineralogy, and osteology, as well as from the field of genetic genealogy.

The dynamic scientific discipline of genetic genealogy studies haplogroups, particularly Y-DNA haplogroups, which are passed down through the male line. The pace of change and new scientific insights into haplogroups are regularly updated on the Eupedia website, and these today confirm that genetically identical populations have been present in our region since prehistory. This refers to the autochthonous haplogroup I, considered the oldest major haplogroup in Europe and likely the only one that actually originated in Europe (Eupedia, n.d.).

Haplogroup I originates from a “pre-glacial refuge in the western Balkans dating back 25,000 years.” Recent research by an international team led by the Institute for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Sarajevo confirms that “the majority of today’s men in Bosnia and Herzegovina, more than 50% of them, belong to haplogroup I, the so-called Old Europeans” (Primorac, Marjanović, Rudan, Villems & Underhill, 2020, p. 9). However, like almost all other European populations, the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina also represents a fine “genetic mixture.” The results of this research “indicate that the areas of present-day Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina were probably part of the Balkan glacial refuge,” from which, with the stabilization of climatic conditions, post-glacial recolonization began (Primorac et al., 2020, p. 9).

During the post-glacial recolonization from the Balkans, one branch of haplogroup I migrated northward to Europe toward Scandinavia, which is why today I1 (Scandinavia) is distinguished from I2 (Balkans). Cornelis George Boeree, an American psychologist at Shippensburg University and creator of the Lingua Franca Nova language, analyzed scientific data on the distribution of Y-DNA haplotypes and their connection to Indo-European languages. He notes, among other things, that “the Illyrians became one of the three original Balkan I peoples” and emphasizes that the I2 (Balkans) population represents the Proto-Indo-Europeans (Boeree, 2013).

Dramatic Socio-Political Changes

This long medieval period of a thousand years was marked by powerful, often brutal, socio-political changes. In its early phase, it was characterized by the gradual assimilation of numerous ethnic groups and tribes into various European kingdoms, as well as the emergence of the names of almost all European nations.

The same process of assimilation, kingdom formation, and the emergence of names took place in our region as well. During this historical period, the Bihać area was an integral part of the territory ruled by Croatian princes and kings from the end of the 8th century onward (Macan, 1992, pp. 15–17). As for the name Croat, scholars today conclude that it primarily had territorial meaning, and the continuity of the name can be traced back to the “period before Croatian ethnogenesis” (Matasović, 2019). During the early medieval period, the term “hrvat” was recorded across Eastern, Southern, and Central Europe, and is linked to a specific Proto-Slavic expression for a “fortified place” (Božić, 2020). However, the toponym “hrvat” grew into a regional name only in the broader area of Dalmatia, from which was first derived the plural name of a tribe, then the name of an ethnos, and finally the national name Croats (Božić, 2020).

Under the rule of Croatian King Tomislav of the Trpimirović dynasty, a strong medieval Croatian kingdom, Regnum Croatorum (Šišić, 1990, p. 651), was formed, in which the Bihać area stood out as one of the more prominent centers.

In 1102, Croatia entered into a personal union with Hungary, forming the Croatian-Hungarian Kingdom, and in 1260 this ancient town was recorded in a royal charter by the Croatian-Hungarian king Béla IV.

Bela IV, as well as numerous Croatian dignitaries, often stopped in Bihac, like in 1262 when Bela sought refuge in the town while fleeing from the Tatars. Shortly afterwards he declared Bihac a free royal town as a token of appreciation. It will be interesting to note here that during the 13th century town’s name occurred in a number of written documents, as stated by the author Ujevic, but under different name variants like “Bihig, Byheg, Bichich, Bihag, Vyhych or Wichitsch, as found in German chronicles from the 17th century” (Ujevic, 1941-1945, p. 523).

The freedom obtained by the charter referred to the freedom of trade and crafts, without the arbitrariness of the nobles, which helped Bihac to develop as an urban commercial and artisan town then well fortified with double ramparts with loopholes and round towers.

During this period, the town grew and proved even more attractive to many new settlers. This was the time of town’s constant progress and growth despite difficult circumstances so characteristic of the Middle Ages, a period that most of the old European nations remember as a period of frequent conflicts and almost constant struggles for numerous European thrones, including Croatian and Hungarian.

The town’s free royal status lasted until 1412, when the Croatian-Hungarian King Sigmund gifted the town to one of the most prominent Croatian aristocratic families - the noble Frankopan Family as a token of appreciation for settling debts. Bihac remained under Frankopan ownership for almost a hundred years, and from this period dates the coat of arms of the present-day Town of Bihac with a motif of medieval Bihac with three towers, of which the tallest middle one has a flag (Ujevic,1941-1945, p. 523).

During this period Bihac is the location of several sessions of the Croatian parliament, which proves its important position in the Kingdom.

This is also the time of the increasingly difficult problems related to the invading Ottoman armies. At the end of 1526, following a heavy military defeat in the battle of Mohacs and the death of more than 20,000 soldiers and Louis II, King of Hungary and Croatia who died in an attempt to escape after a quick and short battle, Croatian and Hungarian nobles were seeking for ways to more effectively defend against the increasingly ruthless Ottoman invasion (Hrvatska enciklopedija, 2021). The Croatian Parliament met at the end of 1526 and voted to enter into Treaty of Alliance with Austria and to elect Ferdinand I of the House of Habsburg for the King. Ferdinand was crowned on 1 January 1527 at Cetin (Macan, 1992, p. 122-126).

Bihac also changes owners in parallel with the election of Ferdinand. Although Ferdinand gave the Town to Nikola Jurisic in 1527, Bihac is led by a judge and twelve councilors who were elected by the citizens, not the owner. However, the overall life circumstances then were very hard due to constant Ottoman pressure and attacks on the Croatian territories during the second half of the 15th century (Ujevic, 1941-1945, p. 523).


Ottoman Empire 

From the mid-16th century, through the next one hundred years Bihac was resisting the attacks of the Ottoman Empire. The defenders resisted these onslaughts for a very long time and with great courage.

In 1592, 130 years after the fall of the medieval Bosnian state and 100 years after the Krbava battle, the resistance and defense led by the commander Josip Lamberg was broken under the attacks of the Ottoman leader Hasan-pasha Predojevic (Lopasic, 1943, p. 19-20).

Curiously enough, it’s believed that the commander Predojevic was born in a small town of Sanski Most in Bosnia in an orthodox family, under the name Niko Predojevic. After the Ottomans conquered his region his life changed, he converted to Islam and acquired a new name, Hasan.

Starting with the earliest conquest in the 1350s and over the next three centuries, the Ottomans employed forced population transfers (in Turkish sϋrgϋn) resettling thousands and thousands of individuals, even whole communities, throughout the provinces and between continents, and all to serve one main goal - to build and maintain a growing empire (Şeker, 2013). Rarely voluntary, sometimes stimulated by money and privileges, these transfers were mostly forced displacements of severely oppressed people from already occupied territories who were at the disposal to the ruling power. Similar, mostly forced, population transfers were later applied by the Habsburgs, and these transfers will be a fuse for terrible war conflicts in the future.

Many Muslim communities in conquered territories resulted largely from conversion rather than colonization. Nevertheless, in some areas they occurred on a scale large enough to create an effect on the demography.

As a strategically important site, Bihac continued to receive special attention and it soon regained its position as a leading trading center, now in the newly formed Bihac sanjak, an administrative district in the Ottoman Empire.

Border Between The Empires

In Bihac's close vicinity, on the Pljesivica plateau, was the border between the Austro-Hungarian and the Ottoman Empire with the important control station and headquarters Rastel (Raštel) in the mountain village of Zavalje, the former municipality in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Rastel was an important veterinary-sanitary control station and the medical control headquarters for people and goods coming from the Ottoman Empire.

The construction of the Rastel complex started in 1795; it was surrounded by 2, 5 m high wall with loopholes and known as a military headquarters, but also as the municipal seat, the seat of Zavalje Perish and many other public services. It was often demolished, sharing very much the same fate as other historic buildings in the region, and eventually burned to the ground in 1942 (Dujmović, 1999).  Despite the hostility between the two Empires, the Rastel Complex was the point of a dynamic commerce. You can learn more about Mount Licka Pljesivica and Rastel under - Explore Local. 

Legal System

The era of the Ottoman Rule began with the fall of Bihac in 1592 and lasted till 1878. The demographic composition of Bihac had also changed back then; a certain percentage of the native Croatian people died during the course of the battle, some fled, but many converted to Islam, although the Ottoman legal system allowed freedom of worship. The key was in, not so small, tax for non-Muslims! Namely, their legal system was of a religious nature and predominantly based on the Koran which allowed freedom of worship and protection for minorities and refugees, but only as long as the non-Muslims payed a tax known as jizyah (or yizya) that granted them freedom of worship, but also protection of life (against murder) and property (against plunder), but few could pay it regularly, so conversions to Islam were a more frequent occurrence (Britannica, 2020).

Economic Life

The new Ottoman culture was spreading; the town of Bihac was also changing and obtaining new zones: 

• "čaršija" - the commercial, economic zone of the town
• "mahale" - residential zones.

The economic life was mainly based on liberal principles associated with free markets and private ownership of capital assets, but also characterized by social justice and measured by fair distribution of primary good, with basic liberties and opportunities. Nevertheless, there were at the same time various monopolies exercised by the Ottomans in their long domination over South East Europe, and the most lasting one was their monopoly over information and knowledge (McGowan, 1981), which means control over people's lives and their future. The question is, are there any signs that the use of this monopol today has changed or subsided - anywhere in the world?

 

Today we can, and must, not only heal from our past, but learn from it and use only the best and the most positive experiences and knowledge to make a better and more just present and future. That is way we would like to draw your attention to one of the most famous architectural landmarks in Bihac, one with a unique synergy of West and East - the Mosque of Fethija.

Originally built as the catholic church of Anthony of Padua in 1266, this old sacral building was turned into a mosque soon after the Ottoman conquest of Bihac. Since the original church was built in a gothic style, and that original building is still standing there, you can see a gothic rosette above the maine entrance, and next to it - an added minaret. Inside the former Church of St. Anthony of Padua there were once nine plates with coats of arms of the Croatian nobility which are today stored in the museum in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Zupa sv. Ante Padovanskog, n.d.). 
Unique fusion of Western and Oriental elements and a great photo location!

The Ottoman culture, just like all other cultures that were present here, has left its permanent mark on this town and people who have lived here and made its own significant contribution to the creation of unique Bihac mentality and multicultural society - and in that diversity lies the strength of this historic city!


Austro-Hungarian Monarchy  

At the big "negotiating table", political and geopolitical maps were being redrawn. Some new political players are emerging in this area as well. 

In 1878, a year after the agreement with Russia, Bihac was annexed by the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy with the rest of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Legally they remained part of the Ottoman Empire until 1908, but under Austro-Hungarian rule. The town once again became part of the Christian Europe (Macan, 1992, p. 317-323). Forcibly conquered by one imperial power, annexed by the other imperial power, the town was always at the mercy of others. Bihac re-entered yet another conglomerate of different nations and kingdoms which was, according to many historians, assembled in the interest of the Austrians and Hungarians, often to the detriment of other member nations.

The Monarchy lasted until 1918 and during the period of its rule a new phase in the town's development began. Old commercial and residential zones, "čaršija" and "mahale", started to change into town districts, the old walls of the once free medieval royal town were partially demolished and the town started to grow and build: public, cultural and educational institutions, a sewerage system, a water supply system, a electric power system, a new post office, a town park, a factory.

The terrible First World War is also taking place.

First and Second World War  

Trying and turbulent history brings and imposes new political arrangements and associations for Bihac but also war conflicts, two horrible world wars. In the First World War, the town fought within the forces of the Monarchy, and at the dawn of the Second World War entered into new political arrangements.

Following the Croatian Parliament resolutions of October 29, 1918, the Triune Kingdom of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia ended all legal relationships with the Kingdom of Hungary and the Empire of Austria, and entered into the sovereign State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs which was joined by Bosnia and Herzegovina (Macan, 1992, p. 388-390). State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs hastily turned into the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes lacking important initial agreements on mutual relations and the political position of each concerning state before signing the Unification Treaty.

In 1929 the Kingdom of SHS changed its name to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia which was soon deviously subdivided into a system of nine bantes, provinces (cro. Banovina) at the expense of national borders; Bihac became a part of the Vrbas Banovina, and from 1941 a part of the Independent State of Croatia (ISC) as well as the rest of today's Bosnia and Herzegovina (Klasić, Bukovčan, 2021). However, the ISC fascist state was unacceptable to many, so the same historical period witnessed the strengthening of the anti-fascist resistance under the leadership of J.B. Tito (revolutionary, Yugoslav statesman, born in 1892 in the Croatian rural family in Kumrovec, Croatian Zagorje). Bihac, together with many Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats made a significant contribution to the fight against fascism.

The First Armed Anti-fascist Resistance Unit in Europe was founded in Croatia in the forest of Brezovica near Sisak on 22 June 1941, immediately after the German attack on the USSR, and in 1942 Bihac hosted the important First Session of the Anti-Fascist Council of National Liberation of Yugoslavia (AVNOJ). 

In 1942, Bihac was within the liberated territories and as such a perfect location for the First Session of the Anti-Fascist Council of People's Liberation of Yugoslavia that took place on November 26 - 27, 1942. The Council was a political and representative body of the partisan movement which was the basis for the federal organization of post-war Yugoslavia (the Kingdom). With this event Bihać came on the list of towns that played key roles in the fight against fascism. Learn more about this important event and an equally important role of Bihac in the town's AVNOJ Museum.

From 1945 Bihać was a part of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, which in 1963 changed its name to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Bihac was then placed within the borders of the newly founded Federal Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of the six (supposedly) equal republics.

Breakup of Yugoslavia

The beginning of the breakup of SFR Yugoslavia in 1991 was caused by numerous problems and unresolved political relations that had been accumulating since 1918; the aspiration of most republics to achieve greater independence, state decentralization, and the right to self-government were frequently overshadowed by the minority aim to strengthen state socialism based on strict centralism and absolute single-party controlled state. 

The right to exercise their constitutional rights to independence and secession was first implemented by Slovenia and Croatia, and soon after those legal acts were used to justify a cruel military intervention by the highly instrumentalized SFRY people’s army against the citizens of these two republics first and then for the start of a dreadful war aggression mostly against Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Bihac was under siege, brutally attacked and tortured for about four years and its inhabitants lived through a real humanitarian hell. The world community didn't want to help those in need, but many wanted to sell their weapons instead, so it was left to Croatia to decide whether it wanted to help Bihac on its own. In the summer of 1995, the siege of Bihac was broken. Defenders of the Fifth Corps and the Croatian Defense Council from Bosnia and Herzegovina joined forces with the Army of the Republic of Croatia on the Korana River and together saved Bihac and its citizens from further severe suffering.

This old historical town has taken a huge hit with the loss of a large number of its residents and significant material damage. In addition to the terrible loss of human life, there was also a substantial loss of important documentation, including the extensive documentation of the research conducted in the area today covered by one of our 2Parks - the Una National Park.

The emotional, social, and spiritual wounds of numerous wars are very deep. Almost every generation in our regional area remembers one war trauma and they have all left deep marks on the collective consciousness, affecting the town and people's lives even till today - deep wounds take very long to heal.

Moder-day Bihac

Bihac is today the administrative, economic, and cultural center of the Una-Sana Canton in the most complex Bosnia and Herzegovina which consists of two entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Republika Srpska (Bosnian Serb Republic).

In front of this once thriving artisan & business town is a demanding and long road to recovery, and extreme global events, make it more demanding and harder. Self-sufficiency and awareness of the importance of civic engagement and (pro)active participation in local decision-making processes that directly affect their lives and their well-being is of vital importance. Just like any other society so deeply traumatized by multiple traumatic events, this beautiful old town and its citizens also deserve, and desperately need, transformative changes, a lot of strong will and patience to build just, responsible, and prosperous society.

With the awakening of a new consciousness, there is absolutely no bigger priority than everlasting peace and unity; only under such conditions can we create a prosperous society that will benefit both humans and nature.

Despite all the traumas, the spirit of this old town is not broken. This is still a town that understands and nurtures multiculturalism, a town that loves and recognizes art, participates and enjoys a range of water and land sports, and still maintains the spirit of an old artisan town. So come, stay a bit longer to reveal the true face of this ancient town and its wonderful people!

Welcome to the home of the Una National Park!

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