Sisak (German: Sissek, Hungarian: Sziszek, Italian: Sisek) is a city in central Croatia. It has a population of 45,992 (2001) and is the administrative centre of Sisak-Moslavina county. Sisak is located at the confluence of the Kupa and Sava rivers, 57 km southeast of the Croatian capital Zagreb.
Sisak is usually considered to be where the Posavina (Sava basin) begins, with an elevation of 99 m.
Sisak is Croatia's biggest river port and a centre of river shipping industry (Dunavski Lloyd). Sisak lies on the main road Zagreb-Sisak-Petrinja (M12.2) and the railroad Zagreb-Sisak-Sunja.
The long history of urban life here (around 2,500 years) as well the extremely favourable position on the confluence of three rivers, (the Sava, the Kupa and the Odra), have made Sisak an important town in the history of Croatia. During the Roman Empire, Christian martyr St. Quirinus was nearly killed in what was known at that time as Siscia. Today he is the patron saint of Sisak.
The 16th century triangular fortress of the Old Town, well-preserved and turned into the Native Museum, is the main destination of every tourist. The fortress is famous for the victory of the Croats over the Turks in 1593. It was the very first significant defeat of the up-to-then invincible Turkish army on European territory.
The Baroque palace of Mali Kaptol, the classicist Veliki Kaptol, the brick Stari most ("Old Bridge") over the Kupa, and the ethnological park are the most frequently visited landmarks.
During World War II, Sisak was the site of a concentration camp which was part of the large Jasenovac cluster where Serbs, Roma, and Jews were killed.
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