View source for Vinkovci

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<!-- Infobox starts !-->
{{Infobox settlement
| name                = Vinkovci
| official_name       = ''Grad Vinkovci''<br /> City of Vinkovci
| native_name_lang    = hr
| settlement_type     = [[List of cities and towns in Croatia|City]]
| image_skyline       = Cibalae-Vinkovci-Винковци-Winkowitz.png
| imagesize           = 250px
| image_caption       = '''From the top, left to right''': [[Stadion HNK Cibalia]], [[Vinkovci railway station]], landmark historical building on the promenade with [[Vinkovačke jeseni]] banners, [[Church of Saints Eusebius and Polion, Vinkovci|Church of Saints Eusebius and Polion]], [[Bosut (river)|Bosut]] river, [[Church of Pentecost, Vinkovci|Church of Pentecost]], east side of the promenade, east side of the promenade, Slavonija hotel, Orion cycle astral calendar motives.
| image_flag          = Flag of Vinkovci.gif
| image_shield        = Wappen Vinkovci.jpg
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-wikidata = yes
| mapframe-zoom = 9
| mapframe-stroke-width = 1
| pushpin_map         = Croatia Vukovar-Srijem County#Croatia#Europe<!-- the name of a location map as per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Location_map -->
| pushpin_mapsize     = 250
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Vinkovci in Croatia
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| coordinates         = {{coord|45|17|28|N|018|48|04|E|region:HR|display=it}}
| subdivision_type    = [[Country]]
| subdivision_name    = {{flag|Croatia}}
| subdivision_type1   = [[Regions of Croatia|Region]]
| subdivision_name1   = [[Slavonia]] ([[Syrmia]])
| subdivision_type2   = [[Counties of Croatia|County]]
| subdivision_name2   = {{flag|Vukovar-Srijem|name=Vukovar-Syrmia}}
| government_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| government_type     = City
| leader_party        = [[Croatian Democratic Union|HDZ]]
| leader_title        = Mayor
| leader_name         = Josip Romić
| area_footnotes      = <ref>{{Cite Q|Q119585703|mode=cs1}}</ref>
| area_total_km2      = 94.2
| area_urban_km2      = 68.2
| elevation_m         = 90
| population_footnotes = <ref name="Census 2021">{{Croatian Census 2021|S}}</ref>
| population_as_of    = 2021
| population_total    = 30842
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_urban    = 28111
| population_density_urban_km2 = auto
| population_demonym  = Vinkovčanin ([[Male|♂]]) Vinkovčanka ([[Female|♀]])<br />
<small>(per [[grammatical gender]])</small>
| timezone            = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| timezone_DST        = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset          = +1
| utc_offset_DST      = +2
| postal_code_type    = Postal code
| postal_code         = 32100
| area_code_type      = <!-- defaults to: Area code(s) -->
| area_code           = [[Telephone numbers in Croatia|32]]
| registration_plate  = [[Vehicle registration plates of Croatia|VK]]
| website             = {{URL|grad-vinkovci.hr}}
| footnotes           = 
}}

'''Vinkovci''' ({{IPA|hr|ʋîːŋkoːʋtsi|pron}}) is a city in [[Slavonia]], in the [[Vukovar-Syrmia County]] in eastern [[Croatia]]. The city settlement's population was 28,111 in the 2021 census, while the total population was 30,842,<ref name="Census 2021"/> making it the largest town of the county. It is a local transport hub, particularly because of its railways.

==Name==
The name {{lang|hr|Vinkovci}} comes from the [[Croatian name|Croatian given name]] [[Vinko]], cognate to the name Vincent. It has been in use following a dedication of the oldest town church of [[Saint Elijah]] ({{lang|hr|Sveti Ilija}}) to [[Saint Vincent the Deacon]] ({{lang|hr|Sveti Vinko}}) in the Middle Ages.{{sfn|Bušić|2002|p=21}} The name of the city in [[Croatian language|Croatian]] is [[plural]].

It was called {{lang|la|Cibalae}} in antiquity. There is no known Latin or Greek etymology for {{lang|la|Cibalae}}, so it is assumed to be inherited from an earlier time.{{sfn|Šimunović|2013|p=148}} ''Cibale'' is a toponym derived from geomorphology, from Indo-European {{lang|ine-x-proto|*keball-}} meaning "ascension" or "head".{{sfn|Šimunović|2013|p=153}} It is assumed that the root is in [[Proto-Indo-European]] {{lang|ine-x-proto|*ghebhel}} (head), in the sense of a hill, meaning a place that was protected from the flooding of [[Bosut (river)|Bosut]].{{sfn|Šimunović|2013|p=185}}

In other historically and demographically relevant languages the name of the city is {{langx|de|Winkowitz}}, {{langx|hu|Vinkovce}}, {{lang-sr-cyr|Винковци}}, {{langx|rue|Винковцѣ}}, {{langx|la|Colonia Aurelia Cibalae}} and {{langx|grc|Κιβέλαι}} {{lang|grc-Latn|Kibelae}}.

==History==
The area around Vinkovci has been continually inhabited since the [[Neolithic period]]. 

The [[Sopot culture]] eponym site is [[Sopot, Vinkovci|Sopot]], an archeological site near Vinkovci, which was dated to 5480–3790 BC.<ref>{{cite journal | url = https://journals.uair.arizona.edu/index.php/radiocarbon/article/viewFile/4265/3690 | page = 245 | first1 = Bogomil | last1 = Obelić | first2 = Marija | last2 = Krznarić Škrivanko | first3 = Boško | last3 = Marijan | first4 = Ines | last4 = Krajcar Bronić | title = Radiocarbon Dating of Sopot Culture Sites (Late Neolithic) in Eastern Croatia | journal = Radiocarbon | issn =  0033-8222 | publisher = Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona | volume = 46 | number = 1 | year = 2004 | doi = 10.1017/S0033822200039564 | bibcode = 2004Radcb..46..245O | s2cid = 55066031 | doi-access = free }}</ref>

[[Vučedol culture]] finds in Vinkovci, generally dated to 3000–2500&nbsp;BC, include a piece of ceramics dated to 2600&nbsp;BC with an astral calendar, the first one found in Europe that shows the year starting at the dusk of the first day of spring.<ref name="Heritage-Vučedol">{{cite web|publisher=[[Ministry of Culture (Croatia)]]|url=http://www.bastina-slavonija.info/TematskeCjeline.aspx?id=8 |title=Vučedolska kultura|trans-title=Vučedol culture|work= 2009 Izložba Slavonija, Baranja, Srijem |language=hr|access-date=23 November 2021}}</ref>

In the 2nd century, it was made a {{lang|la|[[municipium]]}} (the Roman name for town or city) under [[Hadrian]] and gained the status of {{lang|la|Colonia Aurelia Cibalae}} during the reign of emperor [[Caracalla]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Report on the Situation of Urban Archaeology in Europe |date=1999 |publisher=[[Council of Europe]] |isbn=978-9287136718 |page=54 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3uFdey9AKlUC&pg=PA54 |access-date=2 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vinkovci.hr/f14469/povijest-grada |title=Povijest grada |publisher=City of Vinkovci |language=hr |access-date=25 September 2015 |archive-date=13 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160813021358/http://vinkovci.hr/f14469/povijest-grada |url-status=dead }}</ref> It was the birthplace of Roman emperors [[Valentinian I]] and [[Valens]]. The [[Thermae|Roman thermal bath]] is still preserved underground, along with several other Roman buildings located near the center of today's Vinkovci.<ref>{{cite book |author=Ivana Iskra Janošić |title=Urbanization of Cibalae and development of centers for pottery production |location=Zagreb-Vinkovci |year=2001 |pages=31–33, 147–150 }}</ref> The 4th century [[Battle of Cibalae]], between the armies of [[Constantine the Great]] and [[Licinius]], was fought nearby. A 4th-century [[Vinkovci Treasure]] was discovered in the city in 2012.

In the Middle Ages, Vinkovci was one of the sites of the [[Bijelo Brdo culture]].<ref name="Heritage-Bijelo-Brdo">{{cite web|publisher=[[Ministry of Culture (Croatia)]]|url=http://www.bastina-slavonija.info/TematskeCjeline.aspx?id=21 |title=Bjelobrdska kultura|trans-title=Bijelo Brdo culture|work= 2009 Izložba Slavonija, Baranja, Srijem |language=hr|access-date=23 November 2021}}</ref> The City museum of Vinkovci maintains a survey of thirteen medieval archeological finds in Vinkovci and its surroundings, {{as of|lc=on|2010}}.<ref>{{cite journal | url = https://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=110712 | language = hr | journal = Journal of the Archaeological Museum in Zagreb | volume = 43 | issue = 1 | year = 2010 | title = Pregled novorekognosciranih i reambuliranih srednjovjekovnih lokaliteta na području bivše općine Vinkovci | trans-title = Survey of the recently inspected mediaeval sites in the territory of the former community of Vinkovci | first = Anita | last = Rapan Papeša | pages = 325–351 | publisher = [[Archaeological Museum in Zagreb]] | issn = 1849-1561}}</ref>

From 1526 to 1687 it was part of the [[Ottoman Empire]], administratively located in [[Syrmia|Sirem]] {{lang|ota-Latn|[[sanjak]]|italic=no}} (whose seat was in {{lang|ota-Latn|[[Sremska Mitrovica|Dimitrofça]]}}) within the [[Budin Province, Ottoman Empire|Budin Eyalet]]. It was captured by the [[Habsburg monarchy|Habsburg Empire]] in 1687, which was later confirmed by the [[Treaty of Karlowitz]] in 1699. Until 1918, Vinkovci (named ''Winkowcze'' before 1850)<ref>{{cite book |title=Handbook of Austria and Lombardy-Venetia Cancellations on the Postage Stamp Issues 1850–1864 |author=Edwin Mueller |year=1961 }}</ref> was part of the [[Austrian monarchy]] ([[Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia]] after the [[compromise of 1867]]), in the [[Slavonian Military Frontier]], under the administration of the {{lang|de|Brooder Grenz-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. VII}} until 1881.

[[File:Hungary 1871-72 Sc9.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Kingdom of Hungary stamp canceled with the Hungarian name ''VINKOVCE'' in 1874.]]

In the late 19th and early 20th century, Vinkovci was a district capital in the [[Syrmia County]] of the [[Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia]]. ''Zion'', the first [[Zionism|Zionist]] organisation in the area of modern-day Croatia was established in Vinkovci.<ref name="Bogišić">{{cite book |last=Barišić Bogišić |first=Lidija |page=170 |title=O neslavenskom stanovništvu na vukovarskom području |publisher=Hrvatska sveučilišna naklada  |isbn= 978-953-169-497-1 |date=2022 }}</ref> Following the German-Soviet [[invasion of Poland]], which started [[World War II]] in 1939, one the main escape routes of [[Polish people|Poles]] from [[Occupation of Poland (1939–1945)|occupied Poland]] led through Vinkovci towards [[Trieste]] and then further to [[Franco-Polish Alliance (1921)|Polish-allied]] [[France]], where the [[Polish Army in France (1939–1940)|Polish Army]] was reconstituted to continue the fight against Germany.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Wróbel|first=Janusz|year=2020|title=Odbudowa Armii Polskiej u boku sojuszników (1939–1940)|magazine=Biuletyn IPN|language=pl|publisher=[[Institute of National Remembrance|IPN]]|issue=1–2 (170–171)|page=104|issn=1641-9561}}</ref> From 1941 to 1945, Vinkovci was part of the [[Independent State of Croatia]], whose authorities destroyed the [[Vinkovci Synagogue]] in 1941–42, which was among the largest and the most prestigious synagogues in Croatia. From 17 April 1944 the city was heavily bombed by the Allies due to its important position in transportation.<ref name="Obradov">{{cite web |url=http://www.cpi.hr/download/links/hr/7334.pdf |language=hr, en, de |author=Marica Karakaš |title=Saveznička bombardiranja Srijema u Drugome svjetskom ratu |publisher=Political Science Research Centre |location=Zagreb, Croatia |access-date=2010-08-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522034201/http://www.cpi.hr/download/links/hr/7334.pdf |archive-date=2011-05-22 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On April 13, 1945, as a part of [[Syrmian Front]] offensive, [[Yugoslav Partisans]] launched an offensive to liberate Vinkovci with Partisan units entering the city by 6 p.m. of the same day.<ref name="Maksić & Vidović">{{cite book |author1=Veljko Maksić |author2=Nebojša Vidović |title=Сведоци времена: историјски преглед развоја села Остеова |trans-title=Witnesees of Time: Historical Review of the Development of the Ostrovo Village |page=57-62 |publisher=[[Joint Council of Municipalities]] |isbn= 978-953-8489-02-0 |location=[[Vukovar]] |date=2022}}</ref>

The [[volunteer fire department]] DVD Spačva was founded on 12 July 1960.<ref>{{cite web |date=2022 |first1=Nikola |last1=Jagodin |first2=Vedran |last2=Runjić |title=Popis vatrogasnih organizacija s datumima osnivanja |url=https://mhv.hr/popis-vatrogasnih-organizacija-s-datumima-osnivanja |website=Muzej hrvatskog vatrogastva |archive-date=2023-01-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130104803/https://mhv.hr/popis-vatrogasnih-organizacija-s-datumima-osnivanja |language=hr |trans-title=List of Firefighting Organisations with Date of Founding}}</ref>

The city and its surroundings were gravely impacted by the 1991–95 [[Croatian War of Independence]]. The city was close to the front lines between the forces of Croatia and the [[republic of Serbian Krajina|rebel Serbs]] of [[SAO Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia]], but it managed to avoid the fate of nearby [[Vukovar]], which was besieged in the infamous [[Battle of Vukovar]]. The eastern sections of the town were substantially damaged by shelling, and the nearby village of [[Cerić, Croatia|Cerić]] was almost completely destroyed. The most significant destruction in the town center were the town library, which burned down to the ground, the town court, the Catholic and Orthodox churches (the [[Church of Saints Eusebius and Polion, Vinkovci|Church of Saints Eusebius and Polion]] and the [[Church of Pentecost, Vinkovci|Church of Pentecost]], respectively), both of its hospitals, the town theatre, two cinemas, and a host of businesses and factories. The Church of Pentecost was dynamited by local Croatian forces as retaliation after rebel Serbs forces severely damaged the local Catholic rectory.<ref name="novosti">{{cite news |url=http://www.novossti.com/2011/03/zlo-u-ratu-dobrota-u-miru/ |language=sr |title=Zlo u ratu, dobrota u miru |newspaper=[[Novosti (Croatia)|Novosti]] |issue=585 |date=2012-03-05 |access-date=2012-04-05 }}</ref><ref name="Škiljan2025">{{cite journal |author=Filip Škiljan |title=Stradanje hramova Srpske pravoslavne crkve u ratu u Hrvatskoj 1991. - 1995. i poraću (1996. - 1997.) |trans-title=Destruction of Serb orthodox churches in the war in Croatia 1991 - 1995 and the immediate post-war period (1996 - 1997) |url=https://hrcak.srce.hr/en/clanak/481026 |journal=[[Tragovi: Journal for Serbian and Croatian Topics]] |language=hr |year=2025 |volume=8 |issue=1 |pages=7-46}}</ref> In December 1995–96, the Vinkovci rail station served as a rail offloading base for the [[1st Armored Division (United States)|United States Army's 1st Armored Division]] en route to [[Županja]] to cross the Sava River into Bosnia during [[Operation Joint Endeavor]].

The [[Croatian Army]] has stationed the headquarters of its [[Guards Armoured Mechanized Brigade (Croatia)|Armored-Mechanized Guard Brigade]] at the Vinkovci barracks. The current brigade was formed in 2007 and it incorporated two former guards brigades (3rd and 5th) as well as several other units formed in the 1990s during the war of independence.

==Geography==
[[File:Vinkovci.png|thumb|right|The Vinkovci municipality includes the [[naselja|settlements]] of Vinkovci (marked red) and Mirkovci (marked green) on this map of settlements of eastern Slavonia.]]
[[File:Bosut - panoramio (1).jpg|thumb|[[Bosut (river)|Bosut]] river|left|upright=0.85]]
Vinkovci is located in the eastern part of the [[Slavonia]] region, {{convert|19|km|mi|abbr=on}} southwest of [[Vukovar]], {{convert|24|km|mi|abbr=on}} north of [[Županja]] and {{convert|43|km|mi|abbr=on}} south of [[Osijek]]. The city lies in a flatland on the [[Bosut (river)|Bosut river]], at an elevation of approx. {{convert|90|m}}, and has a mild [[continental climate]]. Vinkovci is also on the northwestern edge of the smaller subregion of [[Syrmia]].

Nearby villages and adjacent municipalities include [[Ivankovo, Croatia|Ivankovo]], [[Jarmina]], [[Markušica]], [[Nuštar]], [[Privlaka, Vukovar-Syrmia County|Privlaka]] and [[Stari Jankovci]].

==Climate==
Since records began in 1981, the highest temperature recorded at the local weather station was {{convert|39.9|C|F}}, on 6 August 2012.<ref>{{cite web |date=2022-07-19 |author=DHMZ |title=Najviše izmjerene temperature zraka u Hrvatskoj za razdoblje od kada postoje mjerenja |url=https://meteo.hr/objave_najave_natjecaji.php?section=onn&param=objave&el=priopcenja&daj=najvise_temperature_zraka |website=Državni hidrometeorološki zavod}}</ref> The coldest temperature was {{convert|-30.5|C|F}}, on 14 January 1963.<ref>{{cite web |date=2022-01-21 |author=DHMZ |title=Najniže izmjerene temperature zraka u Hrvatskoj za razdoblje od kada postoje mjerenja |url=https://meteo.hr/objave_najave_natjecaji.php?section=onn&param=objave&el=priopcenja&daj=najnize_temperature_zraka |website=Državni hidrometeorološki zavod}}</ref>

==Economy and transportation==

[[File:Vinkovci Zeljeznicka stanica.JPG|thumb|left|[[Vinkovci railway station]]]]
Its [[economics|economy]] is primarily based on [[trade]], [[transport]] and [[food processing|food]] and [[metal processing]]. Industries include foodstuff, building material, wood and timber, metal-processing, leather and textile. Due to the surrounding [[agriculture|farmland]], also notable are farming and livestock breeding, and the town hosts a Crop Improvement Centre.

Vinkovci is also the intersection of the main roads [[D55 (Croatia)|D55]] (Županja–Vinkovci–Vukovar), [[D46 (Croatia)|D46]] ([[Đakovo]]–Vinkovci–Serbian border), [[D518 (Croatia)|D518]] (Osijek–Vinkovci) and several regional roads, thereby providing an eastern connection between [[Podravina]] and [[Posavina]] roads, including motorways ([[A3 (Croatia)|A3]] and [[A5 (Croatia)|A5]]).

[[Vinkovci railway station]] is the main [[railway]] junction of eastern Croatia, of railroads leading from [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]] toward [[Hungary]] and from the capital [[Zagreb]] toward [[Belgrade]]. The large railway junction, after [[Zagreb]] the second largest in [[Croatia]], underlies the importance of transit in Vinkovci.

The river Bosut is not a waterway.

==Demographics==
{{Historical populations|1857|4493|1869|5773|1880|7315|1890|8123|1900|9832|1910|11670|1921|12640|1931|16038|1948|18633|1953|20834|1961|25313|1971|31605|1981|35944|1991|38580|2001|35912|2011|35312|2021|30842|source=Naselja i stanovništvo Republike Hrvatske 1857–2021, [[Croatian Bureau of Statistics|DZS]]}}

The city administrative area includes the following [[naselje|settlements]] (population from the 2011 census):<ref name="census2011-as">{{Croatian Census 2011|S|16|4871}}</ref>
* [[Mirkovci, Croatia|Mirkovci]], population 3,283
* '''Vinkovci''', population 32,023

The local administration consists of the following local boards ({{lang|hr|mjesni odbor}}):<ref>{{cite web | url = https://grad-vinkovci.hr/hr/mjesna-samouprava | title = Grad Vinkovci - Mjesna samouprava | publisher = City of Vinkovci | access-date = 28 December 2021}}</ref>
# Lenije
# Stjepan Radić (Radićev blok)
# Centar
# Kolodvor
# Dvanaest redarstvenika (Vrtno naselje)
# Vinkovačko Novo Selo
# Lapovci
# Ban Jelačić
# Zagrebački blok
# Slavija
# Mala Bosna (Gortanovo naselje)
# Mirkovci

In 2011, it was the [[List of cities and towns in Croatia|17th largest city in Croatia]].

By [[Demographics of Croatia|ethnic group]], as of census 2011, the population of Vinkovci is:<ref name="census2011-ethnicity">{{Croatian Census 2011|E|16}}</ref>
* [[Croats]], 92.35%
* [[Serbs]], 4.87%
* [[Hungarians]], 0.46%
* Others, 2.32%

==Politics==

===Minority councils and representatives===
Directly elected minority councils and representatives are tasked with consulting tasks for the local or regional authorities in which they are advocating for minority rights and interests, integration into public life and participation in the management of local affairs.<ref name="T-Portal">{{Cite web |url=https://www.tportal.hr/vijesti/clanak/manjinski-izbori-prve-nedjelje-u-svibnju-krecu-i-edukacije-20230313 |title=Manjinski izbori prve nedjelje u svibnju, kreću i edukacije |date= 13 March 2023 |author= |publisher=[[T-portal]] |access-date=2 May 2023}}</ref> At the [[2023 Croatian national minorities councils and representatives elections]] [[Serbs of Croatia]] fulfilled legal requirements to elect 15 members minority councils of the City of Vinkovci while [[Hungarians of Croatia]] elected their individual representative with [[Romani people in Croatia|Roma]] representative remaining unelected due to lack of candidates.<ref name="VSŽ-Manjine-2023">{{cite web | url=https://www.izbori.hr/site/UserDocsImages/2023/Manjinski%20izbori%202023/Rezultati/Z16_VUKOVARSKO_SRIJEMSKA_ZUPANIJA.pdf | title=Informacija o konačnim rezultatima izbora članova vijeća i izbora predstavnika nacionalnih manjina 2023. XVI. VUKOVARSKO-SRIJEMSKA ŽUPANIJA | date=2023 | author= | publisher=Državno izborno povjerenstvo Republike Hrvatske | page=8 | language=hr | access-date=3 June 2023 | archive-date=3 June 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603112238/https://www.izbori.hr/site/UserDocsImages/2023/Manjinski%20izbori%202023/Rezultati/Z16_VUKOVARSKO_SRIJEMSKA_ZUPANIJA.pdf | url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Culture==
[[File:Vinkovci-(20090523)-Crkva Silaska Sv. duha.jpg|thumb|190px|right|[[Church of Pentecost, Vinkovci|The Church of Pentecost in Vinkovci]].]]

The town features extremely rich cultural and historical heritage, the most interesting attraction being the pre-[[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] church on Meraja from 1100, with the coats of arms of the kings [[Coloman of Hungary|Koloman]] and [[Ladislaus I of Hungary|Ladislas]], as one of the most important medieval cultural monuments in Croatia. The building was recently renovated, the old wooden beams were removed and a new, modern, upper part and roof made of bricks were added, and in the space thus created, the Art Photography Gallery was opened on July 13, 2014, which has so far managed to realize a very rich program of exhibitions, but maintaining their high standards.

The most famous annual event, one of the biggest in Slavonia, is the traditional folk [[music festival]] "Vinkovci Autumns" or ''[[Vinkovačke jeseni]]'', which includes the [[folklore]] show and the presentation of folk customs of [[Slavonia]]. It is characterized by a number of original [[folk music]] performances, beautiful traditional costumes, a beauty contest, competitions of the manufacturers of ''[[kulen]]'' (smoked [[paprika]]-flavoured [[sausage]]), plum [[brandy]] and other traditional foodstuffs, and especially by the magnificent closing [[parade]].

Vinkovci's [[music school]] [[Josip Runjanin]] is named after the composer of the Croatian [[national anthem]]  ''[[Lijepa naša domovino]]''. The Vinkovci [[gymnasium (school)|gymnasium]] is named after [[Matija Antun Relković|Matija Antun Reljković]], a Slavonian writer who lived in the city in the 18th century.

Vinkovci, though it is spelled Vincovci in the book, and its railway station are featured in [[Agatha Christie]]'s ''[[Murder on the Orient Express]]'' as the place near which the Orient Express runs into a snowdrift.

==Roman Days festival==
The '''Roman Days''' (''Rimski dani'') is a historical, cultural, and educational festival held annually in June in Vinkovci. The event celebrates the city’s Roman heritage, particularly its identity as the ancient settlement of ''Colonia Aurelia Cibalae''. It is organized by the Vinkovci Tourist Board and the City Museum and aims to bring Roman history to life through interactive programming.<ref name="VisitVinkovci">{{cite web |title=Roman Days |url=https://visitvinkovci.com/en/istrazite/rimski-dani/ |website=Visit Vinkovci |access-date=2025-07-01}}</ref>

The festival program includes children's workshops, a junior gladiator school, reenactments of historical battles, storytelling sessions, and demonstrations of Roman-era pottery making.<ref name="VisitVinkovci"/> A local craft beer festival is also held during the event, in honor of Emperor Valens—born in Vinkovci—who was nicknamed ''Pivopija'' (beer-lover). The beer festival features special Roman-themed brews named after him.<ref name="TotalCroatia">{{cite web |title=Vinkovci to Become Rimkovci for 10th Roman Days |url=https://total-croatia-news.com/news/travel/rimkovci/ |website=Total Croatia News |date=2023-06-11 |access-date=2025-07-01}}</ref>

Since at least 2019, the festival has included Roman military camps, gladiatorial displays, and performances by historical reenactment groups from Croatia and abroad. These events highlight Vinkovci’s role in the late Roman Empire and its distinction as the birthplace of emperors Valens and Valentinian I.<ref name="Scythica">{{cite web |title=Rimski dani u Vinkovcima – Roman days in Vinkovci |url=https://legio-iiii-scythica.com/index.php/en/roman-historical-restorations/roman-events/vinkovci-2019.html |website=Legio IIII Scythica |access-date=2025-07-01}}</ref>

==Notable natives and residents==
{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2011}}
* [[Goran Bare]], rock singer ([[Majke]], ''Hali Gali Halid'')
* [[Vanja Drach]], actor
* [[Stanislav Femenić]], children's writer<ref>{{cite encyclopedia | url = https://hbl.lzmk.hr/clanak/femenic-stanislav | encyclopedia = [[Croatian Biographical Lexicon]] | title = FEMENIĆ, Stanislav | first = Vinko | last = Brešić | date = 1998 }}</ref>
* [[Mirko Filipović]], Kickboxer and Mixed Martial-Arts fighter
* [[Satan Panonski]], Yugoslav and Croatian musician and freak performer
* [[Marko Divković]], footballer
* [[Mavro Frankfurter]], last Vinkovci Rabbi
* [[Carl Heitzmann]], pathologist and dermatologist
* [[Lavoslav Kadelburg]], lawyer, judge, polyglot and activist
* [[Branko Karačić]], footballer/manager
* [[Mario Kasun]], basketballer
* [[Josip Kozarac]], writer
* [[Ivan Kozarac]], writer
* [[Dubravko Mataković (illustrator)|Dubravko Mataković]], cartoonist
* [[Dina Merhav]], Israeli sculptor
* [[Eugen Miskolczy]], physician
* [[Otto Miskolczy]], entrepreneur and World War II partisan
* [[Josip Runjanin]], composer of [[Croatian anthem]]
* [[Stjepan Šejić]], comic-book author
* [[Rade Šerbedžija]], actor
* [[Erich Šlomović]], art collector
* [[Josip Šokčević]], Croatian viceroy
* [[Valens]], Roman Emperor
* [[Valentinian I|Valentinian]], Roman Emperor
* [[Ivan Bošnjak (footballer)|Ivan Bošnjak]], footballer
* [[Sava Šumanović]], Serbian painter
* [[Vanja Radauš]], Croatian sculptor, painter and writer

==International relations==

{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Croatia}}

===Twin towns — sister cities===

Vinkovci is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tz-vinkovci.hr/en/city/natural-and-geographic-features/|title=The City • Natural and geographic features • Turistička zajednica grada Vinkovaca|access-date=2020-09-23|archive-date=2019-10-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191029074052/http://www.tz-vinkovci.hr/en/city/natural-and-geographic-features/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|
*{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Camponogara]], [[Italy]]
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Kenzingen]], [[Germany]]
*{{flagicon|NMK}} [[Ohrid]], [[North Macedonia]]
||
*{{flagicon|CRO}} [[Koprivnica]], [[Croatia]]{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}
*{{flagicon|HUN}} [[Kőbánya]] ([[Budapest]]), [[Hungary]]
*{{flagicon|BIH}} [[Široki Brijeg]], [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]]
|}

==Sport==

A local [[Association football|football]] club still carries the Latin name for Vinkovci, ''[[HNK Cibalia|Cibalia]]''.

==References==

===Bibliography===
{{Refbegin}}

*{{cite book|last1=Cresswell|first1=Peterjon|last2=Atkins|first2=Ismay|last3=Dunn|first3=Lily|title=Time Out Croatia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VZweAAAACAAJ|access-date=10 March 2010|date=10 July 2006|publisher=Time Out Group Ltd & Ebury Publishing, [[Random House|Random House Ltd.]] 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SV1V 2SA|edition=First|location=London, Berkeley & Toronto|isbn=978-1-904978-70-1}}
* {{cite journal | url = https://hrcak.srce.hr/clanak/175376 | language = hr | title = Pre-Roman placenames in present-day (and historical) Croatia | first = Petar | last = Šimunović | journal = Folia onomastica Croatica | issue = 22 | year = 2013 | issn = 1848-7858 | publisher = [[Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts]] | access-date = 28 December 2021}}
* {{cite journal | url = https://hrcak.srce.hr/118837 | language = hr | title = Prilog poznavanju povijesnog razvoja kršćanstva na vinkovačkom prostoru: kontinuitet društvenoga i urbanoga života oko gotičke crkve sv. Ilije (Meraja) u Vinkovcima | first = Krešimir | last = Bušić | journal = Croatica Christiana Periodica | volume = 26 | issue = 50 | year = 2002 | issn = 0350-7823 | publisher = Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Zagreb | page = 21 | access-date = 28 December 2021}}
{{Refend}}

===Notes===
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Vinkovci}}
*{{Official website}} {{in lang|hr}}

{{Vinkovci}}
{{Croatian cities}}
{{Subdivisions of Vukovar-Srijem County}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Vinkovci| ]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Croatia]]
[[Category:Slavonia]]
[[Category:Populated places in Syrmia]]
[[Category:Populated places in Vukovar-Srijem County]]
[[Category:Syrmia County]]