Senj

File:1888 Zengg 12kr Mg.jpg

Senj has apparently been inhabited since prehistoric times. Senj is an old settlement founded more than 3000 years ago on Kuk hill, which is east of today's Senj.{{Cite web |title=Povijest grada {{!}} Grad Senj – Službene stranice Grada Senja |url=https://www.senj.hr/povijest-grada/ |access-date=2023-05-24 |website=www.senj.hr}} A settlement called Athyinites or Athuinites (Αθυινιτες) in today's Senj was mentioned in Greek documents dated to the 4th century BC. The Illyrian tribes Iapodes and Liburnians inhabited the area as it was located in Illyria.

Senia was a thriving town in the Roman province of Dalmatia, used by the Romans as a stronghold against the Illyrians in the 2nd century BC. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Avars and the Croats eventually settled here in the 7th century AD.

The Catholic diocese of Senj was established in 1169. King of Hungary Béla III gave the town to the Knights Templar in 1184, and in 1271 it became the property of the Frankopan counts of Krk.

In 1248 the bishop of Senj was allowed by Pope Innocent IV to use the Glagolitic alphabet and the vernacular in liturgy. A Glagolitic printing press was set up in 1494 and produced the incunabula The Glagolic Missal and Spovid općena.

The military captaincy of Senj was established in 1469 in order to defend against the invading Ottoman and Venetian armies. The town sheltered thousands of refugees from nearby occupied areas. The Nehaj Fortress was completed in 1558 on the hill Nehaj, which at the time was outside of town (today it is wholly within the town's borders.)

Some of the Senj's towers; names were listed as Radomerić (east); Lipica and Pope Leo's (north); Ladarska, Gatska, and Šabac (west); and Zvancić, and Tulac (south).{{cite book |last1=Szabo |first1=Gjuro |title=Sredovječni gradovi u Hrvatskoj i Slavoniji |date=1920 |publisher=Matica hrvatska |location=Zagreb |pages=197-198}}

The wars with the Ottomans lasted well into the 17th century. During this time the Uskoks lived in Senj and occupied its fortress. One of the most significant Uskoks was Ivo Senjanin (Ivo of Senj), who frequently launched expeditions against the Ottomans until his execution in 1612. They served an important purpose during the wars since they had small units of men rowing swift boats that proved to be very effective guerrilla forces. However, after the Uskok War with Venice, which ended in 1617, they were forbidden to settle in the area. Prince Radic was appointed Prince of Senj by king Rudolf emperor of Austria (1 December 1600). (Radic family) Native noble family from Lika region; members of the family were Uskok military leaders at the headquarters in Senj.

Notable polymath and writer Pavao Ritter Vitezović was born within the city walls in 1652, whose work later inspired the Illyrian movement.

The 18th century brought some prosperity, especially with the construction of the Josephina (named after Emperor Joseph II) linking the Adriatic coast via Senj to Karlovac. The railway line built in 1873 between Fiume (Rijeka) and Karlovac did not pass by Senj which held back further development.

In March 1873, a savings bank opened in Senj.{{cite book |date=1879 |orig-date=written November 1878 |first=Milovan |last=Zoričić |publisher=Kraljevski zemaljski statistički ured, 🖶 Dragutin Albrecht |chapter=Tvrdka, sjedište, početak poslovanja i dionička glavnica bankov. zavoda i štediona |pages=2–3 |chapter-url=https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/en/view/bsb11386292?page=110 |title=Statistika vjeresijskih zavoda za godine 1847-1877 za godine 1847-1877 |location=Zagreb}}

Apart from a brief period as part of the Illyrian Provinces during the Napoleonic Wars, the town was part of the Croatian Military Frontier (District II, {{lang|de|Ottochaner Regiment}}, right on the border with District III, {{lang|de|Oguliner Regiment}}) within the Habsburg monarchy (from 1804 the Austrian Empire, after the compromise of 1867 Austria-Hungary).Josephinian land survey, see :File:Josephinische Landaufnahme Karlstadter.jpgHandbook of Austria and Lombardy-Venetia Cancellations on the Postage Stamp Issues 1850–1864, by Edwin MUELLER, 1961. When the frontier was dissolved in 1881 it became part of the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia (itself within Transleithania and Austria-Hungary) where it was briefly part of the Lika-Otočac District:File:A Magyar Korona Orszagainak... (Carte de la Hongrie (Hongrie, Croatie et Esclavonie)) - (levée en plan, faite et dessinée par Ignace Hatsek) - btv1b530229718 (4 of 7).jpg (a transitional merger of Military Frontier districts I and II) before becoming part of Lika-Krbava County in 1886.

In 1929, an HKD Napredak branch was founded in Senj.{{sfn|Matić|2004|p=1185}}

In the fall of 1943, during World War II, when Fascist Italy capitulated, the Partisans took control of Senj and used it as a supply port. Subsequently, the Luftwaffe started bombarding the town. By the end of the year they had demolished over half of the buildings in town and inflicted heavy civilian casualties.{{cite news |url = http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=27787 |language = hr |title = Bombardiranje Senja zrakoplovima u Drugom svjetskom ratu |author=Mihael Sobolevski |date = December 1, 2003 |journal=The Review of Senj |publisher=City Museum Senj – Senj Museum Society |issn = 0582-673X}}

Senj has a temperate climate which is usually described as temperate Oceanic or Marine west coast, with mild, windy winters and relatively dry and warm summers. According to the Köppen (and Trewartha) climate classification it falls within a subtropical zone (Köppen Cfa/Trewartha Cf), with Mediterranean characteristics such as its slightly drier summers.

Since records began in 1949, the highest temperature recorded at the local weather station at an elevation of {{convert|26|m|ft}} was {{convert|39.7|C|F}}, on 22 July 2015.{{cite web |date=2022-07-19 |author=DHMZ |title=Najviše izmjerene temperature zraka u Hrvatskoj za razdoblje od kada postoje mjerenja |url=https://meteo.hr/objave_najave_natjecaji.php?section=onn¶m=objave&el=priopcenja&daj=najvise_temperature_zraka |website=Državni hidrometeorološki zavod}} The coldest temperature was {{convert|-16.6|C|F}}, on 10 February 1956.{{cite web |date=2022-01-21 |author=DHMZ |title=Najniže izmjerene temperature zraka u Hrvatskoj za razdoblje od kada postoje mjerenja |url=https://meteo.hr/objave_najave_natjecaji.php?section=onn¶m=objave&el=priopcenja&daj=najnize_temperature_zraka |website=Državni hidrometeorološki zavod}}

File:Senj Croatia.JPG

Modern Senj is a seaside tourist town. Primary industries are fishing, boating, and tourism.

As of the 2021 census, Senj had a population of 5,973, with 97.30% being ethnic Croats. The largest minorities are Serbs with a population of 43 (0.72%) and Albanians with a population of 27 (0.45%){{Croatian Census 2021 | url = https://podaci.dzs.hr/media/y00bavu1/popis_2021-stanovnistvo_najveci_gradovi_opcine_i_naselja.xlsx | title = Stanovništvo u najvećim gradovima, općinama i naseljima | trans-title = Population in major towns, municipalities and settlements }}{{Croatian Census 2021 | M }}

{{Croatian population data graph |popisi=HRV |upisano=2022-06-04 |područje=Town of Senj |p1857=13268 |p1869=15295 |p1880=14782 |p1890=14852 |p1900=15857 |p1910=16713 |p1921=14963 |p1931=14572 |p1948=13289 |p1953=12953 |p1961=12235 |p1971=10399 |p1981=9582 |p1991=9205 |p2001=8132 |p2011=7182 |p2021=5973}}

There are 27 settlements in the Town of Senj and they include (population as of 2011):{{Croatian Census 2011|S|}}

{{div col | colwidth = 15em }}

• Alan, population 17
• Biljevine, population 51
• Bunica, population 85
• Crni Kal, population 72
• Jablanac, population 83
• Klada, population 39
• Krasno, population 476
• Krivi Put, population 33
• Lukovo, population 36
• Melnice, population 57
• Mrzli Dol, population 28
• Pijavica, population 262
• Podbilo, population 25
• Prizna, population 45
• Senj, population 4,810
• Senjska Draga, population 85
• Starigrad, population 15
• Stinica, population 73
• Stolac, population 41
• Sveta Jelena, population 16
• Sveti Juraj, population 599
• Velike Brisnice, no population
• Veljun Primorski, population 70
• Volarice, population 86
• Vrataruša, population 11
• Vratnik, population 59
• Vrzići, population 8

{{div col end}}

The local HPS chapter was called HPD "Senjsko Bilo".{{cite magazine |date=1936 |orig-date=1936-05-15 |first=Josip |last=Plaček |title=Izvještaj tajnika |pages=212–245 |magazine=Hrvatski planinar |issn=0354-0650 |volume=32 |issue=7–8 |url=https://www.hps.hr/hp-arhiva/193607.pdf |language=hr}}{{rp|214}}

• Blaž Baromić (c. 1450 – 1505)
• Nikola Jurišić (1490 – 1545)
• Ivo Senjanin (c. 1571 – 1612)
• Pavao Ritter Vitezović (1652 – 1713)
• Ivan Paskvić (1754 – 1829)
• Vjenceslav Novak (1859 – 1905)
• Silvije Strahimir Kranjčević (1865 – 1908)
• Milan Ogrizović (1877 – 1923)
• Eugen Kvaternik (1825 – 1871)
• Milan Moguš
• Vladimir Ćopić
• Sandra Šarić
• Edi Karić
• Domagoj Krajina
• Milan Ćopić

{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Croatia}}

Senj is twinned with:{{cite web |title=Gradovi prijatelji Grada Senja|url=https://www.senj.hr/gradovi-prijatelji-grada-senja/|publisher=Senj|language=hr|access-date=2024-02-08}}

• {{flagicon|HUN}} Kőszeg, Hungary
• {{flagicon|AUT}} Parndorf, Austria
• {{flagicon|SVK}} Senec, Slovakia
• {{flagicon|FRA}} Sorbiers, France
• {{flagicon|CZE}} Vratimov, Czech Republic

File:Senj6.jpg|Senj waterfront

File:Winter bora in Senj.jpg|Senj harbor chained with snow after a cold front

File:Senj statue.jpg|The Three Seamen statue

File:Suncanik Senj 45 paralela 07.jpg|The Sundial in the town that lies on the north 45th parallel

File:Nehaj Senj Croatia outhouse 090727a.JPG|View of the Adriatic Sea

File:Nehaj Senj Croatia West 090728.JPG|The fortress Nehaj is the most famous monument and symbol of Senj

File:Senj from the sea.jpg|A view of Senj from the sea.

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{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• {{cite encyclopedia |date=2013–2024 |author=Leksikografski zavod Miroslav Krleža |title=Senj |url=https://enciklopedija.hr/clanak/senj |encyclopedia=Hrvatska enciklopedija |edition=online |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231226013241/https://enciklopedija.hr/clanak/senj |archive-date=2023-12-26}}

• {{cite journal |date=2016-12-31 |first1=Martina |last1=Šašić |first2=Ana |last2=Nahirnić |first3=Gerhard M. |last3=Tarmann |title=Zygaenidae (Lepidoptera) in the Lepidoptera collections of the Croatian Natural History Museum |pages=233–248 |url=https://hrcak.srce.hr/171967 |doi=10.20302/NC.2016.25.19 |journal=Natura Croatica: Periodicum Musei Historiae Naturalis Croatici |eissn=1848-7386 |volume=25 |issue=2}}

• {{cite journal |date=2004-12-22 |first=Zdravko |last=Matić |title=Osnivanje i rad "Napretkovih" organizacija na području Hrvatskog primorja i Gorskog kotara (1928. - 1950.) |pages=1183–1204 |url=https://hrcak.srce.hr/103278 |journal=Časopis za suvremenu povijest |issn=1848-9079 |volume=36 |issue=3 |language=hr |trans-title=The Foundation and Work of "Napredak" Organisations on the Territory of Hrvatsko Primorje and Gorski Kotar}}

{{Commons category|Senj}}

• [http://www.senj.hr/ Official website of the town of Senj]
• [http://www.tz-senj.hr/en Official website of the Tourist Board of Senj]

{{Cities and Municipalities of Lika-Senj county}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities and towns in Croatia

Category:Populated coastal places in Croatia

Category:Populated places in Lika-Senj County

Category:Illyrian Croatia

Category:Cities in ancient Illyria