Federation of B&H, Bosnia and Herzegovina · Europe
Zenica is worth a stop: 5 minutes from Lokvine, 30km from Prokoško Lake.
Zenica is in Federation of B&H, Bosnia and Herzegovina, with about 160,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Lokvine, about 4 km away.
Zenica (English: ZEN-it-sə, Bosnian: [zěnitsa] ) is a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and an administrative and economic center of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Zenica-Doboj Canton. It is located in the Bosna river valley, about 70 km (43 mi) north of Sarajevo. The city is known for its Ironworks ZenicaRead more
factory but also as a significant university center. According to the 2013 census, the settlement of Zenica itself counts 70,553 citizens and the administrative area 110,663, making it the nation's fourth-largest city.
The urban part of today's city was formed in several phases, including Neolithic, Illyrian, and the Roman Municipium of Bistua Nuova (2nd–4th century; old name of the city), with an early Christian dual basilica. Traces of an ancient settlement have been found here as well; villa rustica, thermae, a temple, and other buildings were also present. The earliest findings date from the period of 3000–2000 BC; they were found in the localities of Drivuša and Gradišće. Zenica's current name was first mentioned in 1415. A medieval church has been unearthed in Zenica, as well as the Franciscan Monastery of St. Mary. The independence of Medieval Bosnia is directly connected to Zenica (Gradješa's plate and abjuration act; Kulin ban's time; Vranduk, a castle of the Bosnian kings; Janjići and 'hižas' [homes] of Bosnian Church members; stećci, stone tombstone monuments, etc.) During Ottoman rule (1463–1878), Zenica became a Muslim town; at the end of the 17th century, Zenica had 2,000 citizens, mostly Muslims; Orthodox and Catholic Christians are mentioned again from the end of the 18th century, and Jews in the 19th century. Modern Zenica was mostly built in the Austro-Hungarian and Yugoslavian periods. The population rose rapidly during the 20th century; however, from the Bosnian War until 2013, the city lost a quarter of its population. The municipality of Zenica became the City of Zenica in 2014.
The city is geographically located in the heart of Bosnia. The settled area is 43.01 km2 (16.61 mi2) and of the city proper covers 558.5 km2 (215.6 mi2). Elevation is 310–350 m (1,017–1,148 ft). The rivers Bosna, Lašva, Babina, and Kočeva flow through the settlement. A moderate continental climate prevails. The city has thirteen urban local settlements and it consists of a total of 81 rural settlements.
Zenica has nine national monuments. The football club Čelik is a landmark of the city, and it also has one of the tallest buildings in Bosnia and Herzegovina—Lamela. Famous Zenicans include Semir Osmanagić, Anabela Basalo, Danis Tanović, Amar Jašarspahić Gile, Mladen Krstajić, Dejan Lovren, Mervana Jugić-Salkić, and Amel Tuka.
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Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Zenica.
Within an hour or so of Zenica: Vranduk Fortress (10 km), Prokoško Lake (30 km), Vrelo Bosne (52 km), Skakavac Waterfall (52 km).
The nearest famous roads are Neretva Canyon Road (M17), Biokovo Road to Sveti Jure and Piva Canyon Tunnel Road.
Zenica is in Federation of B&H, Bosnia and Herzegovina, about 4 km from Lokvine.
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Places within a drive of Zenica. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Essential numbers in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Full driving guide for Bosnia and Herzegovina8 notable places within an hour's drive.
castle
A small medieval fortress of the Bosnian kings on a hairpin bend of the Bosna river north of Zenica, with a huddled Ottoman-era village inside its walls. One of the country's most atmospheric and least-visited castles.
10 km · about 20 min drive
natural wonder
A glacial lake at about 1,635 metres on Vranica mountain surrounded by shepherds' huts, reached by a steep unsurfaced road from Fojnica.
30 km · about 35 min drive
natural wonder
A landscaped park at the spring source of the Bosna river below Mount Igman, reached by a tree-lined avenue on Sarajevo's western edge.
52 km · about 60 min drive
waterfall
A 98 m waterfall, among the highest in the Dinarides: hidden in forest above Nahorevo, a half-hour drive plus walk from central Sarajevo. A beloved local picnic escape that few visitors to the city ever find.
52 km · about 60 min drive
waterfall
A dramatic 17-meter waterfall plunging right in the center of a medieval town where the Pliva River meets the Vrbas River.
53 km · about 60 min drive
museum
A preserved section of the underground tunnel that served as the only lifeline for besieged Sarajevo during the 1990s war, now a powerful museum.
55 km · about 65 min drive
landmark
Sarajevo's enchanting Ottoman-era old bazaar quarter where East meets West, filled with copper workshops, mosques, and ćevapi restaurants.
57 km · about 65 min drive
landmark
The historic Ottoman bridge where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in 1914, triggering the start of World War I.
57 km · about 65 min drive
5 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 150km.
Other places to explore near Zenica.
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