Zenica vs Bitola

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Zenica ( ZEN-it-sə; Serbo-Croatian Cyrillic: Зеница; Bosnian: [zěnitsa] (listen)), is a city and an administrative and economic center of the Zenica-Doboj Canton in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the valley of river Bosna, about 70 km (43 mi) north of the country's capital Sarajevo. The city is known for Zenica Ironworks and the second heavy industry but also as a significant university center. According to the final results of 2013 population census in BiH, the settlement of Zenica itself counts 70,553 citizens and the administrative area 110,663.The urban part of today's city is formed in several phases, including Neolithic, Illyrian, Roman Municipium Bistua Nuova (2nd–4th century) with early Christian dual basilica. Traces of an ancient settlement have been found here as well; villa rustica, thermae, a temple and other buildings were present too. Earliest findings in the place date from the period 3,000–2,000 B.C.; they were found on the localities of Drivuša and Gradišće. Zenica's current name was first mentioned on the 20 March 1436. Medieval church has been unearthed in Zenica, as well as Franciscan Monastery of St. Mary. Time of the independence of the Medieval Bosnia is directly connected to Zenica (Gradješa's plate and abdication act; Kulin ban's time; Vranduk, a castle of the Bosnian kings; Janjići and 'hižas' [homes] of the Bosnian Church members; stećci, stone tombstone monuments etc.

). During the Ottoman rule (1463–1878), Zenica became a Muslim town (kasaba); at the very end of the 17th century, Zenica had 2,000 citizens, mostly Muslims; Orthodox and Catholic Christians get mentioned again from the end of the 18th century, and Jews in the 19th century. Zenica has been mostly built in the Austro-Hungarian and Yugoslavian periods. The Number of citizens has been rising rapidly during the 20th century, and from the Bosnian War until 2013 city lost a quarter of its population. Municipality of Zenica became the City of Zenica in 2014. The city is geographically located in the heart of Bosnia. The area of the settled place is 43.01 km2 (16.61 sq mi) and of the city, 558.5 km2 (215.6 sq mi). The relief is valley-basin and the elevation 310–350 m (1,017–1,148 ft). Rivers Bosna, Lašva, Babina and Kočeva flow through the city itself. A moderate continental climate prevails. The city has 13 urban local settlements and the City consists of total 81 spread rural settlements. The city has nine national monuments. The football club Čelik is a landmark of Zenica, as is one of the tallest buildings on the Balkans – Lamela. Some of the most famous Zeničans are Semir Osmanagić, Anabela Basalo, Danis Tanović, Amar Jašarspahić Gile, Mladen Krstajić, Dejan Lovren, Mervana Jugić-Salkić and Amel Tuka.

Source: Wikipedia

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Bitola (; Macedonian: Битола [ˈbitɔɫa] (listen)) is a city in the southwestern part of North Macedonia. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba, Nidže and Kajmakčalan mountain ranges, 14 kilometres (9 miles) north of the Medžitlija-Níki border crossing with Greece. The city stands at an important junction connecting the south of the Adriatic Sea region with the Aegean Sea and Central Europe, and is an administrative, cultural, industrial, commercial, and educational centre. It has been known since the Ottoman period as "The City of The Consuls", since many European countries had consulates in Bitola.

Bitola, known during the Ottoman Empire as Manastir or Monastir, is one of the oldest cities in North Macedonia. It was founded as Heraclea Lyncestis in the middle of the 4th century BC by Philip II of Macedon. The city was the last capital of Ottoman Rumelia, from 1836 to 1867. According to the 2002 census, Bitola is the second-largest city in the country. Bitola is also the seat of the Bitola Municipality.

Source: Wikipedia