Vranje (
SerbianSerbian is a South Slavic language, spoken chiefly in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, and in the Serbian diaspora...
: Врање,
Vranje; ; , ) is a town and municipality located in
SerbiaSerbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a country located in both Central and Southeastern Europe. Its territory covers the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and central part of the Balkans...
at 42.57° North, 21.91° East. In 2002 the town had total population of 55,052, while population of municipality was 87,288. It is the administrative center of the
Pčinja DistrictThe Pčinja District expands to the southern parts of Serbia, bordering Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia. It has a population of 243,529...
of Serbia, encompassing the Vranje Valley. Central Serbia's two land border crossings with the
Republic of MacedoniaMacedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country in the central Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
lie within the district. Its population has been permanently refreshed by the newcomers from its surroundings as well by the refugees who, under the Albanian ethnic pressure, emigrated from Kosovo and Metohija during the last 2 decades.
Vranje (
SerbianSerbian is a South Slavic language, spoken chiefly in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, and in the Serbian diaspora...
: Врање,
Vranje; ; , ) is a town and municipality located in
SerbiaSerbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a country located in both Central and Southeastern Europe. Its territory covers the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and central part of the Balkans...
at 42.57° North, 21.91° East. In 2002 the town had total population of 55,052, while population of municipality was 87,288. It is the administrative center of the
Pčinja DistrictThe Pčinja District expands to the southern parts of Serbia, bordering Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia. It has a population of 243,529...
of Serbia, encompassing the Vranje Valley. Central Serbia's two land border crossings with the
Republic of MacedoniaMacedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country in the central Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
lie within the district. Its population has been permanently refreshed by the newcomers from its surroundings as well by the refugees who, under the Albanian ethnic pressure, emigrated from Kosovo and Metohija during the last 2 decades. The last wave of emigration was one in 1999, following the
1999 NATO bombing of YugoslaviaThe NATO Bombing of Yugoslavia was NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted from March 24, 1999 to June 11, 1999...
.
Name and history
Its name stems from the old word for "black" ("vran") in the
Serbian languageSerbian is a South Slavic language, spoken chiefly in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, and in the Serbian diaspora...
and first appears in the
AlexiadThe Alexiad is a medieval biographical text written around the year 1148 by the Byzantine historian Anna Comnena, daughter of Emperor Alexius I....
(9, 4) by Byzantine princess and scholar Anna Comnena (1083 – 1153). In ancient times, various Thracian tribes inhabited present-day Vranje, as well as the Agrianes (Paionian tribe) inhabiting the whole of
Pčinja DistrictThe Pčinja District expands to the southern parts of Serbia, bordering Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia. It has a population of 243,529...
.
The front between the Serbian and Bulgarian forces at the time of the 1915
Battle of Ovche PoleThe battle of Ovche Pole occurred between 14 October 1915 and 15 November 1915. The Bulgarian aim was not to allow the Serbian troops to join the Allied army in Solun...
in the
Serbian Campaign (World War I)The Serbian Campaign was fought from August 1914, when Austria-Hungary invaded Serbia at the outset of First World War, until the end of the war in 1918...
stretched near to Vranje.
Geography
Municipality of Vranje is located between municipalities of
BujanovacBujanovac is a town and municipality in Pčinja District of Serbia, situated in the Preševo Valley.-Population and territory:...
, Trgovište, Bosilegrad, Surdulica, Vladičin Han, Leskovac, and Kosovska Kamenica (which is in Kosovo).
Culture
Vranje is an agricultural centre and was historically an important Ottoman trading site. The White bridge (hamamm) is a symbol of the city and is called "most ljubavi" (Lovers bridge) after the tale about the forbidden love between the Muslim girl Ajša and Christian Stojan that resulted in the father shooting at the couple, killing her daughter instead of the boy, he built the bridge where he had shot her and had the story in-scripted in Ottoman Arabic. The 11th century Markova kula fortress is in the north of the city. The city has traditional Balkan architecture as well as Ottoman.
The well-known theater play “Kostana” by
Bora StankovicThere are two famous people known as Bora Stanković:* Borisav Stanković, Serbian writer from beginning of 20th century* Borislav Stanković, basketball official and long-time president of FIBA...
is placed in Vranje.
Vranje is famous for its popular, old music, lively and melancholic at the same time. The best known music is from the theater piece with music “Kostana”, by Bora Stankovic. This original music style has been renewed recently by taking quite different and quite specific, and more oriental form, with rich brass instruments contribution. It is played particularly by the Vranje Roma, who are often referred to as Gypsies (a derogatory term which wrongly implies their Egyptian origin).
Institutions
- National Museum, built 1765
- Youth Cultural Centre
- National Library
- Centre for Talents
Famous or notable citizens
- Borisav (Bora) Stanković
Borisav "Bora" Stanković was a Serbian writer belonging to the school of realism. His novels and short stories depict the life of people from Southern Serbia....
(* March 31, 1875, Vranje; † October 22, 1927, BelgradeBelgrade Belgrade Belgrade (Serbian Cyrillic: Београд, Serbian Latin: Beograd (meaning "White City" in Serbian) is the capital and largest city of Serbia. The city lies on two international waterways, at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where Central Europe's Pannonian Plain meets...
), a SerbiaSerbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a country located in both Central and Southeastern Europe. Its territory covers the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and central part of the Balkans...
n writer.
- Miroslav-Cera Mihajlović, contemporary poet.
- Jovan Hadži-Vasiljević, (1866-1946), historian.
- Djordje Tasić, (1892-1943), one of the most notable Serbian jurists.
- Justin Popović (1894-1979), theologian and philosopher.
- Physicians: Dr. Franjo Kopsa († 1898); Dr. Dragoljub Mihajlović († 1980).
- Scientists: Marjan Bosković, (MD), anatomy professor; Dragan Pavlović, (MD); Dragoslav Mitrinović, mathematician.
- Painters: Jovica Dejanovic, Miodrag Stankovic-Dage, Zoran Petrusijević-Zop, Suzana Stojanović.
- Musicians: Bakija Bakić († 1989), Stanisa Stosić († 2008).
- Curators: Jelena Veljkovic, Marko Stamenković.
Population through history
- 1900: 10,586
- 1905: 10,110
- 1910: 10,487
- 1921: 8,221
- 1931: 9,817
- 1941: 11,000 (estimate)
- 1948: 10,472
- 1953: 12,690
- 1961: 17,261
- 1971: 27,959
- 1981: 44,094
- 1991: 51,122
- 2002: 55,052
- 2007: 59,586 (estimate)
Municipality
Municipality of Vranje include following settlements:
- Aleksandrovac
- Babina Poljana
- Barbarušince
- Barelić
- Beli Breg
- Bojin Del
- Bresnica
- Bujkovac
- Buljesovce
- Buštranje
- Crni Lug
Crni Lug is a Serbian village situated in Vranje, Pčinja District. As of 2002, it has a population of 266....
- Crni Vrh
- Čestelin
- Ćukovac
- Ćurkovica
- Davidovac
- Dobrejance
- Donja Otulja
- Donje Punoševce
- Donje Trebešinje
- Donje Žapsko
- Donji Neradovac
- Dragobužde
- Drenovac
Drenovac is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Šabac municipality, in the Mačva District. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 2,345 people .-See also:*List of places in Serbia*Mačva...
- Dubnica
- Duga Luka
- Dulan
- Dupeljevo
- Golemo Selo
Golemo Selo is a small village located between the towns of Dupnitsa and Bobov Dol in Kyustendil Province, western Bulgaria. The village name means "big village". The population of the village is 573 inhabitants...
- Gornja Otulja
- Gornje Punoševce
- Gornje Trebešinje
- Gornje Žapsko
- Gornji Neradovac
Gornji Neradovac, in Serbian Cyrillic , is a village in Serbia situated in the municipality of Vranje, district of Pčinja. In 2002, it had 326 inhabitants.- Linked articles :* List of cities, towns and villages in Serbia...
- Gradnja
- Gumerište
- Izumno
- Katun
- Klašnjice
- Klisurica
- Koćura
- Kopanjane
- Korbevac
- Korbul
- Kriva Feja
- Kruševa Glava
- Krševica
- Kumarevo
- Kupinince
- Lalince
- Lepčince
- Leva Reka
- Lipovac
Lipovac is a village located in Srijem, eastern Croatia, at the border with Serbia. It is administratively part of the Nijemci municipality. The population is 1,243 ....
- Lukovo
Lukovo is a small mountain village in the south of Serbia, situated in the Lukovska Banja in the municipality of Vranje, district of Pčinja.The 13th century church of St. Peter and Paul is situated in the village. It was damaged in the 14th century....
- Margance
- Mečkovac
- Mijakovce
Mijakovce is a village in Vranje municipality, Pčinja District, Serbia. In 2002 the village had a population of 37. In 1991, the population was 73....
- Mijovce
- Milanovo
- Milivojce
- Moštanica
- Nastavce
- Nesvrta
- Nova Brezovica
- Oblička Sena
- Ostra Glava
- Panevlje
- Pavlovac
- Pljačkovica
- Preobraženje
- Prevalac
- Prvonek
- Ranutovac
- Rataje
Rataje may refer to the following places in Poland:*Rataje, part of the Nowe Miasto district of Poznań*Rataje, Lower Silesian Voivodeship *Rataje, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship...
- Ribince
- Ristovac
Ristovac is a small town in the Municipality of Vranje located in the Pčinja District of south-east Serbia. Ristovac has 342 according to the 2002 census....
- Roždace
- Rusce
- Sebevranje
- Sikirje
- Slivnica
- Smiljević
- Soderce
- Srednji Del
- Stance
- Stara Brezovica
- Stari Glog
- Strešak
- Stropsko
- Struganica
- Studena
- Surdul
- Suvi Dol
- Tesovište
- Tibužde
- Toplac
- Trstena
- Tumba
- Urmanica
- Uševce
- Viševce
- Vlase
- Vranje
- Vranjska Banja
Vranjska Banja is a town and spa resort in Serbia. It is situated in the Vranje municipality, in the Pčinja District. The population of the town is 5,882 people . This small town has nice surroundings and a good restaurant by the old clinic situated at the end of the town. It is also hotest spa in...
- Vrtogoš
- Zlatokop
Ethnic groups (2002 census)
Ethnic grooups in the Vranje municipality:
- Serbs = 81,198
- Roma = 4,647
- others