Walled town of Počitelj
Walled town of Počitelj
Почитељ | |
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Historic town | |
The historic urban site of Počitelj | |
Official name | Počitelj, the historic urban site |
Type | historic urban site |
Criteria | II. Value A, B, C iii.iv., D ii.iv., E i.ii.iii.iv.v., F i.ii.iii., G i.ii.iii.iv.v.vi.vii, H i.ii., I i.ii.iii. |
Designated | 21 January 2003 (?th session) |
Reference no. | 780 |
Decision no. | 01-278/02 |
Operator | - |
Walled town of Počitelj (
The earliest mention of Počitelj dates back to 1444 and 1448, in charters issued by king
Geography
It is located in the municipality of Čapljina, in the
Description and protection of architectural ensemble
Due to its significant architectural and urbanistic historical value, it is considered an open-air museum.[1]
Citadel
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Pocitelj_tlocrt.svg/250px-Pocitelj_tlocrt.svg.png)
The Počitelj Citadel with a silo-shaped Tower (
Gavrankapetanović House
The Gavrankapetanović House is built at the end of the 16th century, it was named after and housed the captains of Počitelj, who belonged to the Gavrankapetanović family. It is typical example of the residential architecture of the village. It is the only house in town to have separate rooms for men and women. The house became the residence of an artists' colony between 1961 and 1975, one of which was the Italian painter Vittorio Miele. This was the longest operating artist colony in Southeast Europe. During the Bosnian war, the house was set on fire. It was restored in its original state in 2003.[1]
Šišman Ibrahim Pasha Mosque
The most representative building within the walls is Šišman Ibrahim Pasha Mosque (
Sahat Kula
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Bosnia_and_Herzegovina-02169_-_Clock_Tower_%2810476918183%29.jpg/250px-Bosnia_and_Herzegovina-02169_-_Clock_Tower_%2810476918183%29.jpg)
The Sahat Kula (transl. Clock tower), is located closer to the river and toward the southern walls of the town.[1]
Significance
Počitelj represents one of the few urban ensembles in Bosnia and Herzegovina that were preserved in their integrity to the present times. It was also developed through the several phases of the history beginning with the medieval period.[1] Its significant strategic role from the 13th to 17th century gave its inhabitants the power to build one of the most important, and best preserved ensembles within the city walls in the region. The town can be compared with some of the noted world heritage sites as the old towns of Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Ohrid (North Macedonia), Safranbolu (Turkey), Gjirokastër (Albania). Počitelj's layout and use of building materials put it into the group of Ottoman-Mediterranean types of small settlements. The architectural ensemble of Počitelj is proposed as such for inscription into the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites. The bid for inscription is currently placed on the UNESCO Tentative list.[2]
History
The earliest mention of or recorded reference to Počitelj is in charters of king
In the period between 1463–1471 the town housed a Hungarian garrison and was fortified into a strategic defense stronghold. In 1471, following a brief siege, the town was conquered by the Ottomans. It lost its strategic significance. It remained within the Ottoman Empire until 1878. From 1782 to 1879 Počitelj was the seat of akadiluk (area under the jurisdiction of a qadi, or judge) and the centre of the Počitelj military district from 1713 to 1835.[1]
The town's layout and appearance, as well as its importance has altered during the course of its history. Three significant periods can be distinguished in the development of Počitelj:[1]
- The period of the Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus during which the town had a major strategic importance (1463–1471)
- The period of the settlement development under the Ottoman Empire with the erection of public buildings: mosques, and the clock-tower (1471–1698).
- The period after the Venetians conquered and destroyed Gabela (1698–1878), the main Ottoman fortification facing Dalmatia, and recovery of Počitelj's strategic importance.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/Narrow-Gauge-Railway_Narentabahn_Pocitelj.jpg/250px-Narrow-Gauge-Railway_Narentabahn_Pocitelj.jpg)
After the establishment of Austro-Hungarian rule in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1878, Počitelj lost its strategic importance and started deteriorating rapidly. The population declined gradually. The loss of the town's strategic role assisted in the preservation of the original urban architectural ensemble, so that the town remained in its original form to present day.[1]
The entire historic urban site of Počitelj and surrounding area suffered extensive collateral damage during the 1992–1995
As proposed by the University of York, United Kingdom, and the University of Sarajevo, Počitelj was in 1996 named by the
As of 2008, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) expressed concern over the proposed construction of a nearby highway, Corridor Vc. Initial plans include a 1,000-meter long, 100-meter high bridge over the Neretva river. It is feared that the construction will result in a “physical, visual and ecological degradation and devastation of this cultural and historical unity and its authentic surroundings.”[8] While a new potential location for the bridge crossing is being investigated, non-controversial sections are under construction.[9]
Gallery
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A view of the mosque from the citadel, October 2007
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Through the streets of Počitelj
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Hamam - bath (A view from above)
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Entrance into han, today multimedia center
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Typical houses with gardens
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Sahat-kula (clock-tower)
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Citadel of Počitelj
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "The historic urban site of Počitelj". old.kons.gov.ba (in Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, and English). Commission to preserve national monuments. 5 November 2002. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
- ^ a b c The historic urban site of Počitelj
- ^ a b Čelić, Ing. arh. Džemal (20 December 2014). "Počitelj na Neretvi – Urbanističko-arhitektonska studija s osvrtom na problematiku održavanja" (in Serbo-Croatian). Naše starine VII - 1959. Archived from the original (pdf) on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
- ^ "Ing. arh. Džemal Čelić: Počitelj na Neretvi – Urbanističko-arhitektonska studija s osvrtom na problematiku održavanja". katalog.kgz.hr - Katalog Knjižnica grada Zagreba (in Serbo-Croatian). NAŠE starine : godišnjak Zavoda za zaštitu spomenika kulture i prirodnih rijetkosti N. R. Bosne i Hercegovine. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
- ISBN 90-420-1460-1.
- ^ ISBN 0-415-21695-8.
- ^ ISBN 0-520-21662-8.
- ^ ICOMOS Bosnia-Herzegovina (2008). "Appeal to Save Počitelj". In Christoph Machat, Michael Petzet and John Ziesemer (Eds.), "Heritage at Risk: ICOMOS World Report 2008-2010 on Monuments and Sites in Danger" (PDF).. Berlin: hendrik Bäßler verlag, 2010, pg. 36.
- ^ Bankwatch Network (18 July 2010). "Report from fact-finding mission on Corridor Vc motorway, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 23–25 February 2010" (PDF). Retrieved 27 May 2011.
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