Zvečan

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Звечан / Zvečan Zveçan / Zveçani

Coordinates: 42°55′N 20°51′E / 42.917, 20.85
Population (2006)
- Total	16,600
- Density	204/km² (528.4/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
Postal code	38227
Area code(s)	+381 28

Zvečan (Serbian: Звечан, Zvečan, Albanian: Zveçan or Zveçani) is a town and municipality in the Mitrovica District of northern Kosovo. According to 2006 estimates, the municipality of Zvečan had a population of 16,600 people.

1 Demographics
2 History
3 Economy
4 Culture
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Demographics

In November 2005, it was estimated that the municipality was 95% Kosovo Serb, with only 4 Kosovo Albanian families in the area.

About 4,000 Kosovo Serbs are located in the municipality as Internally displaced persons (IDPs) as well as 250 refugees Serbs from Croatia

Year/Population	Albanians	%	Serbs	%	Others	%	IDP	%	Total
Ethnic Composition, Including IDPs
1991	1,934	19.3	7,591	75.7	554	5	0	0	10,030
January 1999	2,261	24.5	6,825	73.9	146	1.6	0	0	9,229
Current figure	350	2.1	12,050	72.6	250	1.5	4,200	25.3	16,600
Ref: OSCE - [1]

[edit] History

The town of Zvečan is located near Kosovska Mitrovica. It was mentioned for the first time in connection with the border clashes between the Serbs and Byzantines between 1091 and 1094. There is also an inscription that Stephen Nemanja, after the victory over the Byzantines in 1170, ordered that a prayer for the successful outcome of the battle be held in the church of St. George at Zvečan.

In the 13th and 14th centuries Zvechan was one of the royal residences of the Serbian court. Queen Theodora died there in December 1322, and nine years later her husband, Stefan Uroš III was imprisoned and strangled there.^[1] On the highest spot, i.e. the Upper Town, there are remains of the church of St. George, cistern and the main octagonal tower. The ramparts of this part of the fort are reinforced by massive towers. The main entrance to the town was on the western side.

[edit] Economy

The largest employer in Zvečan is the lead and zinc smelting factory “Trepča.” Due to the serious environmental pollution from the factory, however, UN and KFOR shut it down and the only ongoing operation is alloy production for batteries and battery recycling. Once employing up to 4,000, the very low operations of “Trepča” has had a devastating effect on the local economy. Today, in the municipality only about 500 people are working at 60 small private companies and 150 shops.

[edit] Culture

In Zvečan is situated the Faculty of Arts of Priština, part of the University of Pristina at Kosovska Mitrovica.

In Zvečan is held North City Jazz & Blues festival, an international annual music festival^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8], as well as international annual art colony Sokolica^[9] and international rock festival Overdrive^[10].