Stolac

Stolac
Panoramic view
Location of Stolac Municipality within Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Country  Bosnia and Herzegovina
Entity  Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Government
 • Municipality president Stjepan Bošković (HDZ BiH)
Area
 • Total 237 km2 (91.5 sq mi)
Population (2006 census)
 • Total 11,941
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Area code(s) +387 36
Website http://www.stolac.gov.ba

Stolac () is a town and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in the southern part of Herzegovina. Administratively, it is part of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Stolac is situated in the area known as Herzegovina Humina, on the tourist route crossing Herzegovina and linking the Bosnian mountainous hinterland with the coastal regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dubrovnik and Montenegro. The road, running from Sarajevo via Mostar, Stolac, Ljubinje and Trebinje, enables one to reach Dubrovnik in less than 4 hours. Thanks to the town's favourable natural environment - geological composition, contours, climate, hydrographic and vegetation - Stolac and its area have been settled since ancient times. Its rich hunting-grounds along with other natural benefits attracted prehistoric man, and later the Illyrians, Romans and Slavs, all of whom left a wealth of anthropological evidence. [1]

Contents

History

This quaint, sunny southern town full of striking Ottoman architecture is a true playground for those intrigued by anthropology, archaeology and history.

The area has been settled for at least 15,000 years, as evidenced by the markings in Badanj Cave, which experts have dated 12,000 - 16,000 BCE.

Throughout its long history, Stolac has been an outstandingly cultured town. No other town in Bosnia and Herzegovina has produced such a rich array of intellectuals, artists, poets and leaders. Strolling through Stolac to the sound of the rushing Bregava river and the many songbirds, it is easy to imagine the inspiration felt by its many generations of extraordinary personalities.

Ali-paša Rizvanbegović (1783-1851), the semi-independent ruler (vizier) of Ottoman Herzegovina from 1833 to 1851, was born in the Begovina neighbourhood of Stolac.

During World War II the Cetniks attacked the city and killed over 1,150 people.

In July 1993, Croatian extremists burned the Begovina neighbourhood to the ground. The Bosnian government plans to rebuild the whole neighbourhood.

Architecture

Containing, in one small area, unique cultural and aesthetic values, Stolac's historic core is an example of a complex cultural-historical and natural environmental ensemble. It is an example of the organic vonnection between human and natural architectures, which also testifies to the fact that the beauty of the location was crucial in its building and planning - the guiding principle often present in the development of mediaeval towns. Nine historical layers compose Stolac's architectural ensemble: pre-history, Illyrian-Roman period, the early Middle Ages, advanced and late Middle Ages, Ottoman period, Austro-Hungarian period, and the time of the first and second Yugoslavia. A multitude of various influences on the architecture of town, in which contrasts and similarities are frequently evident as well as planning and full spontaneity, lend this town a complex image. Despite its unusual history and inclusion into four empires (Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and Austro-Hungarian), three kingdoms (Bosnian, Hungarian and Yugoslav), three world's monotheistic religions - Christianity (Orthodox Christianity and Catholicism), Islam, and Judaism, the historical core of Stolac is still a coherent and harmonious cultural-historical monument with individual properties grown together into one ensemble. [2]

Tourist attractions

Notable figures born in Stolac

Demographics

year of census total Bosniaks Croats Serbs Yugoslavs others
~1991~ 18,681 8,101(43.36%) 6,188(33.12%) 3,917(20.96%) 307 (1.64%) 168 (0.89%)
~1981~ 18,910 7,359(38.91%) 6,410(33.89%) 4,332(22.90%) 675 (3.56%) 134 (0.70%)
~1971~ 19,230 7,113(36.98%) 7,041(36.61%) 4,900(25.48%) 63 (0.32%) 113 (0.58%)

The town of Stolac

year of census total Bosniaks Serbs Croats Yugoslavs others
~1991~ 5,530 3,426 (61.95%) 1,111 (20.09%) 653 (11.80%) 239 (4.32%) 101 (1.82%)

2006 Stolac

Croats: 60%

Bosniaks: 37%

Others: 3%

Settlements of Stolac municipality, 1991.

Aladinići, Barane, Berkovići, Bitunja, Bjelojevići, Borojevići, Brštanik, Burmazi, Crnići-Greda, Crnići-Kula, Dabrica, Do, Hatelji, Hodovo, Hrgud, Komanje Brdo, Kozice, Kruševo, Ljubljenica, Ljuti Do, Meča,OrahovicA, Ošanići, Pješivac-Greda, Pješivac-Kula, Poplat, Poprati, Predolje, Prenj, Rotimlja, Stolac, Strupići, Suzina, Šćepan Krst, Trijebanj, Trusina and Žegulja.

In former municipality of Stolac from 1991. census, today there is two municipalities: Stolac in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Berkovići in Republic of Srpska.

References

External links