Vrbovsko

Vrbovsko Врбовско (Serbian)
Town
Grad Vrbovsko Town of Vrbovsko
Vrbovsko Location of Vrbovsko in Croatia
Coordinates: 45°22′30″N 15°04′44″E / 45.375°N 15.079°E / 45.375; 15.079
Country	Croatia
County	Primorje-Gorski Kotar
Government
• Mayor	Dražen Mufić (Ind.)
Area [1]
• Town	279.9 km2 (108.1 sq mi)
• Urban	10.8 km2 (4.2 sq mi)
Elevation	506 m (1,660 ft)
Population  (2021)[2]
• Town	3,876
• Density	14/km2 (36/sq mi)
• Urban	1,257
• Urban density	120/km2 (300/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	51326
Area code	051
Vehicle registration	RI
Website	vrbovsko.hr

Vrbovsko (Serbian Cyrillic: Врбовско^[3]) is a town in western Croatia, situated at the far east of the mountainous region of Gorski Kotar in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County; on its 280 square kilometers area, Vrbovsko features 60 settlements and a total of 6,047 inhabitants. The town of Vrbovsko itself has a population of 1,673.^[4]

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

In the north, river Kupa separates Vrbovsko from adjoining Slovenia, while the eastern border follows the line of Zdihovo, Liplje and Bosiljevo settlements and cuts through the river Dobra valley near Ljubošina. The western border starts at the Kupa gorge at Radočaj, goes around Razdrto and passes over the railway tracks between Koritnik Veliki and Palež, continues to Lužac and ends in Sušica-Jablan area. The southern border is the highest in its relief characteristics – it runs along mountain peaks at an altitude of 1000 meters or higher. Debela Kosa (1169 m), Bukovica (1253 m), Bijela kosa (1289 m), Mirkovica (1283 m), and Smolnik (1219 m) peaks are especially distinguishable by their beauty, forests and height. Towards the east, the border continues over Kozarice and Lombarda passes, and ends in the river Dobra valley, thus rounding off Vrbovsko area.

The geographical position of Vrbovsko that places it along the transit lines halfway between Zagreb and Rijeka is of extreme importance. Good rail and highway connections provide for quick access to Vrbovsko.

Vrbovsko was first mentioned in 1481.^[5]

After the Turkish invasion, Vrbovsko was eventually incorporated into the Austrian Military Frontier.^[5]

In 1710, the Sv. Antona chapel was built.^[5]

The construction of the Karolina [hr] in 1732 raised its economic importance significantly.^[5]

In 1765, it was removed from the Military Frontier.^[5]

In 1755–1756, original parish church Sv. Ivana Nepomuka, dedicated to Saint John of Nepomuk,^[5]

In 1785, it was declared a royal free city, and was granted a city magistrate and court.^[5]

The canonical visitation of the Vrbovsko parish by bishop Aldrago Antonio de Piccardi occurred on 17 July 1789.^[6]: 181

The canonical visitation of the Vrbovsko parish by bishop Ivan Krstitelj Ježić occurred on 10 July 1796 while Gabrijel Vukšić was parish priest in Vrbovsko. A 3 folio list drawn up by Vukšić survives in the archive of the Archdiocese of Senj.^[6]: 181

In 1887, Sv. Ivana Nepomuka was demolished because of its state, the new church being finished in 1895, only to be demolished in 1901 and rebuilt again in 1904 as the present building, in Neo-Gothic style.^[5]

In 1900, the cemetery chapel Gospe Karmelske, dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, was built in 1900.^[5]

In the 2010s, the Presvete Euharistije chapel was built in the basement of the parish priest's house.^[7][8]

During WWII, 273 people were killed in the kotar of Vrbovsko, of which 101 by Croats, 56 by Italians, 48 by Serbs, 12 by Germans and 12 by Bulgarians.^[9]: 369

On 13 April 1941, Ante Pavelić passed through Vrbovsko on his way to Zagreb, awaited by a number of Ustaše who cheered him on. Along with Ravna Gora and Mrkopalj, Vrbovsko was one of the only places in Gorski Kotar that already had Ustaše.^{[9]: 348, 350}

In May, the Ustaše began arresting prominent Serbian men in Vrbovsko, focusing on known or suspected JRZ and Chetnik members or sympathisers.^[9]: 352

From 28 May through 1 June, about numerous arrests were made in Ogulin, Vrbovsko and the surrounding areas. Most were arrested at the market or returning from it. The arrested were then held in the Ogulin castle. This was in connection with a visit of Lovre Sušić to Ogulin, ostensibly for his security. Few survived this arrest.^[9]: 353

On 3 June, an Ustaša rally was held in Vrbovsko, attended by 3000, concurrent with a 12,000 strong rally in Ogulin.^[9]: 351

On 1 July, Pavelić founded the Velika župa Modruš [hr] with its seat in Ogulin, by merging Ogulin with Slunj, Vrbovsko and Delnice.^[9]: 350

In July, when the deportations of Serbs to accommodate the Slovenes of the population exchange commenced, the logornik in Vrbovsko informed his superiors that all the Serbs were in Moravice apart from two retired Serb gunmen in Severin na Kupi. For the temporary accommodation of Slovenes in Vrbovsko, the barracks for railway construction were offered for the housing of 150 people, the Vatrogasni dom for 100 people, the Narodni dom for 50 people and the depot of the match factory for 50 people.^[9]: 366

In 2021, the old Mance house was reconstructed, an infant day care centre was added to the kindergaten "Bambi" in Vrbovsko and a recycling yard was built.^[10]

In late 2021, a new water tank Senjsko II was installed^[10]

In 2023, many of Vrbovsko's yet-unpaved streets were asphalted: Jelovac, Gladi – Mlinari, Dragovići, Komlenići, Kovačevići toward Zelići, and Gvozdeni.^[11]

Ecclesiastically, the Vrbovsko parish is under the Delnice diaconate, in turn under the Rijeka Archdiocese.^[8]

Parish priests:

• Gabrijel Vukšić (1796)^[6]
• Ivan Androić (January 2012 – September 2019),^[7] transferred to Ičići^[12]
• Hrvoje Poljak (September 2019 –)^[12]

In 2011, 60.1% of the population were Croats and 35.2% were Serbs.^[13]

The list of settlements in the municipality of Vrbovsko is:^[4]

The Town of Vrbovsko has officially introduced the Serbian language with Serbian Cyrillic alphabet as the equal co-official language.^[14] The town Statute guarantees the Serb national minority in Vrbovsko the right to proportional representation in the city’s legislative, executive, and administrative bodies.^[14] It also includes provisions on the establishment of the local Council of the Serb National Minority as an advisory body.^[14] Vrbovsko ensures that public signage, official documents, public records, and other official communications are available in both languages and scripts, using the same font size for each.^[14] Additionally, in the settlements of Bunjevci, Carevići, Dokmanovići, Donji Vučkovići, Donji Vukšići, Dragovići, Gomirje, Gornji Vučkovići, Gornji Vukšići, Hajdine, Hambarište, Jakšići, Kamensko, Komlenići, Ljubošina, Majer, Matići, Međedi, Mlinari, Moravice, Musulini, Nikšići, Petrovići, Presika, Radigojna, Radoševići, Tići, Tomići, Topolovica, Tuk, Vučinići, Vujnovići, Vukelići, and Žakule, the names of streets, squares, places, and geographical locations are written in both languages and scripts, using the same font size.^[14]

In 1997, Vrbovsko was upgraded from a municipality (Croatian: općina) with a municipal president (Croatian: općinski načelnik) to a city (Croatian: grad) with a mayor (Croatian: gradonačelnik).^[5]

As of its foundation on 3 March 2008, it is the seat of a local committee [hr] encompassing Jablan, Poljana, Vujnovići, Hambarište, Tuk, Stubica, Hajdine and Presika. There are 9 local committees under Vrbovsko: Vrbovsko itself, Moravice, Gomirje, Ljubošina, Lukovdol, Plemenitaš, Severin na Kupi, Jablan and Jadrč-Osojnik.^[15]

Mayors of Vrbovsko:

• Anton Mance (1997 – 2009),^[16] HDZ
• Željko Mirković (2009-05-31 – 2013-06-02),^[17][18] SDP
• Dražen Mufić (2013-06-02,^[19][20] 2017,^[21] 2021),^[22] Independent

Presidents of local committee:

• Milivoj Matejić (2008)^[23]
• Leonida Rački (2009)^[24]
• Sanja Bradić (2013)^[25]
• Ivan Mužević (2017)^[26]
• Anton Burić (2021)^[27]

• Nikola Hajdin (1923 – 1929)

• 
  Sv. Ivana Nepomuka church.
• 
  Vrbovsko main street.
• 
  Train station.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vrbovsko.

• Official website
• Tourist map