# Vrbovsko

Vrbovsko (Serbian Cyrillic: Врбовско) 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.

## Geography

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.

## History

Vrbovsko was first mentioned in 1481.
After the Turkish invasion, Vrbovsko was eventually incorporated into the Austrian Military Frontier.
In 1710, the Sv. Antona chapel was built.
The construction of the Karolina [hr] in 1732 raised its economic importance significantly.
In 1765, it was removed from the Military Frontier.
In 1755–1756, original parish church Sv. Ivana Nepomuka, dedicated to Saint John of Nepomuk,
In 1785, it was declared a royal free city, and was granted a city magistrate and court.
The canonical visitation of the Vrbovsko parish by bishop Aldrago Antonio de Piccardi occurred on 17 July 1789.$^{:181}$
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.$^{:181}$
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.
In 1900, the cemetery chapel Gospe Karmelske, dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, was built in 1900.

### WWII

During WWII, 273 people were killed from the kotar of Vrbovsko, of which 101 by Croats, 56 by Italians, 48 by Serbs, 12 by Germans and 12 by Bulgarians.$^{:369}$
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.$^{:348,350}$
In May, the Ustaše began arresting prominent Serbian men in Vrbovsko, focusing on known or suspected JRZ and Chetnik members or sympathisers.$^{:352}$
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.$^{:353}$
On 3 June, an Ustaša rally was held in Vrbovsko, attended by 3000, concurrent with a 12,000 strong rally in Ogulin.$^{:351}$
On 1 July, Pavelić founded the Velika župa Modruš [hr] with its seat in Ogulin, by merging Ogulin with Slunj, Vrbovsko and Delnice.$^{:350}$
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.$^{:366}$

### SFR Yugoslavia

At the end of the war, Vrbovsko's municipal notary (Croatian: općinski bilježnik) and legal representative of Vladimir Arko [hr], Matija Paviša, was in Ogulin with Ante Pocrnić. Paviša warned Pocrnić not to return to Vrbovsko, which he did anyway, being mobilised by the Partisans and sent off to the Istrian front, where he died. Fearing retribution, Paviša retreated with the Ustaša column towards Austria, avoiding the Bleiburg repatriations, however, because he became ill with the flu on the way and returned to Vrbovsko. There, he was arrested and put on trial before judge Floršić, a Jewish judge of the new administration, who merely sentenced him to temporary house arrest until the political situation calmed down. After rehabilitation, Paviša served as a misdemeanor judge and then as the municipality secretary until retirement.

### Recent

In the 2010s, the Presvete Euharistije chapel was built in the basement of the parish priest's house.
In June 2018, the Lovnik water storage unit was found to have a coliform bacteria concentration of 391/100ml, while the Hambarište water storage unit had a concentration of 570/100ml, and both Escherichia coli and Enterococcus bacteria were present.
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.
In late 2021, a new water tank Senjsko II was installed
In 2023, many of Vrbovsko's yet-unpaved streets were asphalted: Jelovac, Gladi – Mlinari, Dragovići, Komlenići, Kovačevići toward Zelići, and Gvozdeni.

## Religion

Ecclesiastically, the Vrbovsko parish is under the Delnice diaconate, in turn under the Rijeka Archdiocese.
Parish priests:
* Gabrijel Vukšić (1796)
* Ivan Androić (January 2012 – September 2019), transferred to Ičići
* Hrvoje Poljak (September 2019 –)

## Demographics

Vrbovsko was the administrative seat of the Vrbovski kotar with an area of 270.1 square kilometres (104.3 sq mi) in 1869/1970.$^{:98}$ In 1811, at the time under Karlovac district, the Vrbovski kanton comprised the kotari of Vrbovsko with a population of 1971 in 5 villages, Severin and Bosiljevo.$^{:219}$
In 2011, 60.1% of the population were Croats and 35.2% were Serbs.
* v

### Villages

The list of settlements in the municipality of Vrbovsko is:
* Blaževci, population 38
* Bunjevci, population 35
* Carevići, population 17
* Damalj, population 27
* Dokmanovići, population 54
* Dolenci, population 10
* Donji Vučkovići, population 17
* Donji Vukšići, population 13
* Draga Lukovdolska, population 19
* Dragovići, population 6
* Gomirje, population 343
* Gorenci, population 44
* Gornji Vučkovići, population 13
* Gornji Vukšići, population 0
* Hajdine, population 80
* Hambarište, population 38
* Jablan, population 209
* Jakšići, population 50
* Kamensko, population 4
* Klanac, population 35
* Komlenići, population 11
* Lesci, population 0
* Liplje, population 62
* Lukovdol, population 129
* Ljubošina, population 173
* Majer, population 16
* Mali Jadrč, population 35
* Matići, population 13
* Međedi, population 0
* Mlinari, population 7
* Močile, population 88
* Moravice, population 664
* Musulini, population 152
* Nadvučnik, population 29
* Nikšići, population 30
* Osojnik, population 102
* Petrovići, population 15
* Plemenitaš, population 38
* Plešivica, population 11
* Podvučnik, population 0
* Poljana, population 8
* Presika, population 14
* Radigojna, population 23
* Radočaj, population 0
* Radoševići, population 35
* Rim, population 38
* Rtić, population 11
* Severin na Kupi, population 118
* Smišljak, population 21
* Stubica, population 53
* Štefanci, population 3
* Tići, population 48
* Tomići, population 13
* Topolovica, population 3
* Tuk, population 79
* Veliki Jadrč, population 73
* Vrbovsko, population 1,673
* Vučinići, population 64
* Vučnik, population 11
* Vujnovići, population 41
* Vukelići, population 20
* Zapeć, population 9
* Zaumol, population 39
* Zdihovo, population 28
* Žakule, population 24

### Official usage of Serbian minority language

The Town of Vrbovsko has officially introduced the Serbian language with Serbian Cyrillic alphabet as the equal co-official language. The town Statute guarantees the Serb national minority in Vrbovsko the right to proportional representation in the city’s legislative, executive, and administrative bodies. It also includes provisions on the establishment of the local Council of the Serb National Minority as an advisory body. 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. 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.

## Politics

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).
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.
Mayors of Vrbovsko:
* Anton Mance (1997 – 2009), HDZ
* Željko Mirković (2009-05-31 – 2013-06-02), SDP
* Dražen Mufić (2013-06-02, 2017, 2021), Independent
Presidents of local committee:
* Milivoj Matejić (2008)
* Leonida Rački (2009)
* Sanja Bradić (2013)
* Ivan Mužević (2017)
* Anton Burić (2021)
In 2020, the option of dividing Vrbovsko into 4 municipalities (Croatian: općine) was being considered: Vrbovsko, Moravice, Gomirje and Severin na Kupi/Lukovdol.

## Infrastructure

The water storage unit Kratofil, with a capacity of 154 cubic metres (5,400 cu ft) at an elevation of 508.3 metres (1,668 ft), is responsible for Vujnovići and part of Vrbovsko. The unit Sv. Ilija,with a capacity of 500 cubic metres (18,000 cu ft) at an elevation of 515 metres (1,690 ft), is responsible for part of Vrbovsko, Hambarište and Smreka. The water storage unit Lovnik, with a capacity of 130 cubic metres (4,600 cu ft) at an elevation of 610 metres (2,000 ft), is responsible for part of Vrbovsko and for Hajdine, Presika, Kamensko and Stubica.
Vrbovsko has a post office,$^{:24}$ an infirmary, the elementary school "Gorana Kovačića", an Udaljeni pretplatnički stupanj (as does Senjsko).$^{:24}$

## Notable people

* Nikola Hajdin (1923 – 1929)

## Gallery

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