Opuzen

Opuzen
Town
View of Opuzen
Opuzen
Location of Opuzen in Croatia
Coordinates: 43°01′03″N 17°33′44″E / 43.017577°N 17.562321°E / 43.017577; 17.562321Coordinates: 43°01′03″N 17°33′44″E / 43.017577°N 17.562321°E / 43.017577; 17.562321
Country  Croatia
County Dubrovnik-Neretva
Government
 • Mayor Ivo Mihaljević (HDZ)
Area
 • Total 24.04 km2 (9.28 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
 • Total 3,254
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)

Opuzen (Italian: Forte Opus) is a small town in Dubrovnik-Neretva County in Croatia. The town is located 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) upstream from the mouth of the river Neretva, in southern Dalmatia. This settlement is known as a major center of tangerine production in Croatia.

The total population of Opuzen is 3,254 (census 2011), in the following settlements:[1]

Opuzen got its name from its fortress, Fort Opus.[2] The fortress was built by the Republic of Venice in 1684. Ruins of the fortress that remain are called Recycle and are part of the old town wall. The center of the old part of Opuzen is a classic Roman Forum. In the Middle Ages, Opuzen was known as Posrednica. The Republic of Ragusa in the 14th century had major trading markets (mainly trading in salt) in Opuzen. The markets got burnt down in 1472. The first Community School was opened in 1798 and was the only school in the Neretva region until 1845.

In the town is located Opuzen's Parish church of St. Stephen and it is in the main square

Important cultural and sport events related to Opuzen and the local countryside are "The Melodies of the Croatian South" [3] and Opuzen Boat Marathon. The marathon is held on the river Neretva and about 35 boats participate each year.

Opuzen has several sports clubs:

  • NK Neretvanac - founded in 1932
  • RK Opuzen - established in 1977
  • ZRK Neretvanka Opuzen - founded in 1989

The partisan war soldier, Stjepan Filipović, was born in Opuzen in 1916. The local school was named after him between 1942 and 1992.

References

  1. 1 2 "Population by Age and Sex, by Settlements, 2011 Census: Opuzen". Census of Population, Households and Dwellings 2011. Zagreb: Croatian Bureau of Statistics. December 2012.
  2. ↑ Opus-www.culturenet.hr
  3. ↑ Opuzen-www.klek.info
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