Blagaj (Mostar)
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Blagaj Благај |
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| Basic data | |||
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| State : | Bosnia and Herzegovina | ||
| Entity : | Federation of BiH | ||
| Canton : | Herzegovina-Neretva | ||
| Municipality : | Mostar | ||
| Coordinates : | 43 ° 16 ' N , 17 ° 53' E | ||
| Height : | 60 m. i. J. | ||
| Area : | 12.72 km² | ||
| Residents : | 2,684 (2013) | ||
| Population density : | 211 inhabitants per km² | ||
| Telephone code : | +387 (0) 36 | ||
Blagaj is a place in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton ( Bosnia and Herzegovina ). It is located about 10 kilometers southeast of Mostar and is now administratively part of the larger municipality. With the associated settlements, Blagaj had 2,684 inhabitants in the 2013 census, compared to 4,446 before the Bosnian War .
The karst spring Vrelo Bune of the river Buna , the dervish monastery ( Tekija ) located there, the fortress Stjepan grad located above the village and other architectural monuments are worth seeing .
Architectural history
The earliest mention of the place comes from the year 1423. The urbanization took place under Ottoman rule in the second half of the 15th century and in the 16th century.
The center was formed by the bazaar ( Čaršija ) as a trade and handicraft center. There was also a mosque complex with a harem , Mekteb (elementary school) and Han (guest house). The residential buildings were arranged in several quarters ( mahala ) with their fronts facing inner courtyards. A similar complex ( Velagić House, Velagićevina, Velagića kuća) , built before 1776, can still be visited today and is partly used as a guest house.
The city developed mostly on the right bank of the river. Among the first public buildings was the Emperor Mosque ( Careva džamija , also called Sultan Suleyman Mosque , 1520/21). With their construction, the settlement got the status of a kasaba (small town settlement). This was followed by the construction of the five- arch Karađoz-beg Bridge (1570) and the Leho Bridge ( Lehina ćuprija ) (before 1664). A hammam was built between 1570 and 1664, and a han also before 1664.
The Tekija ensemble is located at the Buna spring . Their buildings are built close to the rock. The Musafirhana (guest house for travelers) and the Turbe (tomb) were probably built around 1520 at the latest and have been preserved to this day along with more recent buildings. Some burial sites in the Blagaj area have been preserved. The old tombs have similarities with the Stećci found in Herzegovina . Several smaller prayer houses ( masjids ) have been completely or largely destroyed.
A few watermills are still preserved in the urban area .
Even in the Austro-Hungarian period, Blagaj largely retained its character as an oriental-type settlement. During this time the orthodox church named after St. Basil von Ostrog was built in neo-Romanesque style (1892-1893). It was badly damaged during the Bosnian War. In 1908 a Catholic church was built. It was also damaged during the war, but has since been restored.
Personalities
- Katarina Kosača-Kotromanić (1424–1478), Queen of Bosnia
Individual evidence
Web links
- The natural and architectural ensemble of Blagaj , site of the UNESCO World Heritage Center