Travnik Castle

Last updated
Travnik Castle
Travnik, Central Bosnia Canton
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg  Bosnia and Herzegovina
Travnik Fort.jpg
Travnik Fortress
Travnik Castle
Bosnia and Herzegovina relief location map.png
Red pog.svg
Travnik Castle
Coordinates 44°08′01″N17°23′37″E / 44.1335°N 17.3935°E / 44.1335; 17.3935
Type castle
Site information
Owner The Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Controlled byRegional Museum of Travnik
Conditionpreserved
Site history
Built15th century [1]
Built by(unknown) possibly King Tvrtko II, Batalo of Lašva or King Ostoja
In useUntil 1918 [2]
Materialshewn stone (ashlar)
Battles/wars Siege of Jajce (1463)
Designations
Official nameOld Travnik fortress, the architectural ensemble
TypeCategory II cultural and historical property
CriteriaA, B, C i.iii.iv., D ii.iv., E v., F ii.iii., G v.vii, I iii.iv.
Designated25 January 2005 (?th session 05.2-2-268/04-6)
Reference no. 2529
State National Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Travnik Castle, locally known as Stari Grad Castle (old town castle), is a medieval town-fortress complex in the town of Travnik, Central Bosnia Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Contents

Location

The fortress is located in the Plava Voda neighbourhood of the town, overlooking the northbound side E661.

History

Dating back to pre-Ottoman Bosnia [3] when the former Christian Kingdom ruled the region, there is no historical data as to the construction date of the Medieval fortress. However, the construction type and other characteristics indicate that it was built sometime in the second half of the 14th century or in the first half of the 15th century. [4] As a result, It was probably built during the time of the Bosnian Kings Tvrtko II or Ostoja, and then rebuilt and expanded during the time of Stephen Thomas. The Travnik fortress was erected before the arrival of the Ottoman Turks for the purpose of defence as the Ottomans penetrated deeper into Bosnia. Travnik itself was one of a number of fortified towns in the region built for this purpose but was built too late to stem the Ottoman advance.

In 1462 King Stephen Tomašević was accepted as a vassal of Hungary [5] and thereafter refused to pay tribute to the Porte. As a consequence, both Ottoman and Christian sides began war preparations. [6] Sultan Mehmed II gathered an army of 150,000 soldiers in Adrianopolis and departed for the Lower Danube area in April 1463. [7] As a part of a diversion attack, he commanded Ali Bey Mihaloğlu to invade southern lands of the Kingdom of Hungary. The Bey crossed into Syrmia, but was pushed back by Andrew Pongrácz, Master of the cupbearers. He then made a flanking move to the heart of Hungary until he reached Temesvár, where he encountered John Pongrác Voivode of Transylvania and was defeated in a fierce battle. [8] Meanwhile, Mehmet II had advanced on Travnik, which he besieged and took. That year the Bosnian Kingdom fell to the Ottomans.

From 1463, until 1878, Travnik was under Ottoman rule, becoming part of the Sanjak of Bosnia. The conquering Ottomans saw the significance this strategic location represented for the military, later developing and expanding the castle, transforming it into a fortress with watchtowers. Today's walls represent that result.

In 1878, Travnik (as with the rest of Bosnia) came under Austro-Hungarian control. [9] During the period of the First World War, Travnik was behind the front lines and the fortress saw no action; however military activities were carried out within its walls. The town was a military garrison of the Austro-Hungarian army as Travnik was in central Bosnia and very well connected by rail. [10] The old train was used for the transportation of soldiers, officers and wounded soldiers, while military equipment, weapons, and ammunition were brought in and distributed.

Protection and management

Today, the castle is one of the best preserved in Bosnia. It has a small museum dedicated to its history and an ethnographic section inside. The Old Fortress of Travnik is inscribed by KONS into a register of the National Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 25 January 2005. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jajce</span> Town and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Jajce is a small city in Bosnia & Herzegovina, central not only geographically but also culturally. Throughout Bosnia's long history, Jajce has been the home of medieval kings, Ottoman governors, and a range of different ethnic groups, as well as being one of President Tito's earliest Communist strongholds. Jajce has been so far undiscovered by tourists, although UNESCO has recently been investing in renovating the city's historical areas,Town and municipality located in the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the 2013 census, the town has a population of 7,172 inhabitants, with 27,258 inhabitants in the municipality, It is situated in the region of Bosanska Krajina, on the crossroads between Banja Luka, Mrkonjić Grad and Donji Vakuf, on the confluence of the rivers Pliva and Vrbas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travnik</span> Town and municipality in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Travnik is a town and a municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the administrative center of Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, 90 kilometres west of Sarajevo. As of 2013, the town had a population of 15,344 inhabitants, while the municipality had 53,482 inhabitants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visoko</span> City in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Visoko is a city located in the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, the municipality had a population of 39,938 inhabitants with 11,205 living in Visoko town. Located between Zenica and Sarajevo, Visoko lies where the river Fojnica joins the Bosna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tešanj</span> Town and municipality in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Tešanj is a town and municipality located in the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, it has a population of 43,063 inhabitants, while the town of Tešanj has a population of 5,257 inhabitants. It is situated in the northern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina</span> Overview of tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina is a fast-growing sector making up an important part in the economy of the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ottoman Bosnia and Herzegovina</span> Period of Bosnian and Herzegovinan history from the 15th–19th centuries

The Ottoman Empire era of rule in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Herzegovina lasted from 1463/1482 to 1878 de facto, and until 1908 de jure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Počitelj, Čapljina</span> Town in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Počitelj is a settlement and a historic village in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Town of Čapljina. Its walled nucleus is protected National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina and an open-air museum. The settlement is situated on the left bank of the river Neretva, on the main road Mostar-Metković.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lašva Valley</span> Valley in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Lašva Valley is a 17 kilometers long valley in central Bosnia, defined geographically by the Lašva River's route. It is a tributary of the Bosna River. The Lašva River basin covers the territory of four municipalities: Travnik, Novi Travnik, Vitez and Busovača.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Srebrenik Castle</span> Medieval fortress in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Srebrenik Fortress is a fortress located near the city of Srebrenik in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has been a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2 November 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walled city of Jajce</span>

The Walled City of Jajce is a medieval fortified nucleus of Jajce in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with Jajce Citadel high above town on top of pyramidal-shaped steep hill, enclosed with approximately 1,300 metres (4,300 ft) long defensive walls,. It is one of the best preserved fortified capitals of the Bosnian Kingdom, the last stronghold before the kingdom dissolved under the pressure of military advancement at the onset of Ottoman Empire takeover.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sanjak of Bosnia</span> 1463–1878 Ottoman sanjak in Southeast Europe

Sanjak of Bosnia was one of the sanjaks of the Ottoman Empire established in 1463 when the lands conquered from the Bosnian Kingdom were transformed into a sanjak and Isa-Beg Isaković was appointed its first sanjakbey. In the period between 1463 and 1580 it was part of the Rumelia Eyalet. After the Bosnia Eyalet was established in 1580 the Bosnian Sanjak became its central province. Between 1864 and the Austro-Hungarian occupation of Bosnia in 1878 it was part of the Bosnia Vilayet that succeeded the Eyalet of Bosnia following administrative reforms in 1864 known as the "Vilayet Law". Although Bosnia Vilayet was officially still part of the Ottoman Empire until 1908 the Bosnian Sanjak de facto ceased to exist in 1878; when it was occupied by Austria-Hungary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siege of Jajce</span>

The siege of Jajce was a siege of the town of Jajce and its citadel in 1463, in a push by Ottomans to conquer as much of the Bosnian Kingdom, and continuation of the Ottoman–Hungarian Wars. After the fall of Travnik and royal fortress of Bobovac, in the initial days of invasion, Ottomans, led by Sultan captured the town. One of the parties pursued Bosnian King Stjepan Tomašević, and caught up with him at Ključ fortress, after which he was brought to Jajce and executed. Soon the Ottomans forces withdraw, leaving the town under the protection of a small garrison. The Hungarian took the opportunity to capture the citadel, and this meant that Ottoman advancement in Bosnia was halted for the time being. The northern part of Bosnia were brought under Hungarian control, and divided into three administrative regions, Banate of Jajce, Banate of Srebrenik, established around Srebrenik fortress, and a puppet statelet named "Bosnian Kingdom". This situation and Jajce under Hungarian garrison will last until 1527 when the Ottomans finally took the town, and breaking the lines advanced northward to Hungary and westward to Bihać, which was part of the Kingdom of Croatia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ostrovica Castle</span> Medieval castle in Ostrovica, Bosnia

The Ostrovica Castle is a large medieval structure situated above the small village of Ostrovica near Kulen Vakuf, Bihać municipality, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Having been built on a heavily wooded ridge of a steep hill overlooking left bank of the shallow Una river, the castle was located on a strategic site connecting the northern and southern parts of the long Una valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vratnik (Sarajevo)</span> Neighborhood in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Vratnik, also known as Stari grad Vratnik, is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The siege of Jajce took place between 10 July and 22 August 1464, during the Ottoman conquest of Bosnia and Herzegovina, when an Ottoman army under Sultan Mehmed II made a new attempt to conquer Bosnia and take control of the strategic fortress of Jajce, south of Banja Luka, at the time under Hungarian control.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walled city of Vratnik</span> Walled city of Vratnik, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Walled city of Vratnik, also Old Vratnik Fort, is located in Vratnik neighborhood, in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It represents urban core within the wider neighbourhood of the same name. Since 2005 the KONS designated walled area of the neighborhood a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ključ Castle (Gacko)</span> Medieval castle in Ključ near Gacko, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Ključ fortrass, locally known as Stari grad Ključ, is a medieval castle complex in the village of Ključ, Gacko, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The historic area includes the Ključ fortress, the Podključ castle town as part of a wider area just beneath of the fortress, the Ključ Mosque with a harem. The site has been declared a National monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Commission to preserve national monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sokograd (Pliva)</span> Fortress in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Sokograd, also known as Pliva or Plivski grad, Pliva-Soko, Sokol-grad, Soko-grad, or simply Soko or Sokol, is a medieval fortress with a castle town in the Pliva river valley, between Gerzovo and nearby Šipovo, in Šipovo municipality, Republika Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was a very important fortress for the medieval Bosnian state, and the center of the župa Pliva. It was built in a canyon on a steep slope high above the river Sokočnica, which flows into Pliva in Šipovo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ključ Castle (Ključ)</span>

Ključ Fortress is a medieval fortress in Bosnia and Herzegovina, above the modern-day town of Ključ. It is located on an elongated slope on high rocks that dominate the valley of the river Sana. Before it was redeveloped, there was a small ancient fortress from Roman times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walled town of Počitelj</span> Historic town in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Walled town of Počitelj is a medieval fortified nucleus of Počitelj historic village, in the municipality of Čapljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Due to its significant architectural and urbanistic historical value, it is considered an open-air museum. The Walled town is nested in a natural karst amphitheater along the left bank of the Neretva river, on the main road Mostar-Metković. The walled nucleus is protected as a National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The architectural ensemble of Počitelj is also 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.

References

  1. ↑ "Old Town Fortress | Travnik, Bosnia & Hercegovina Attractions".
  2. ↑ "Detail".
  3. ↑ "Top Things to See and do in Travnik, Bosnia". 24 December 2017.
  4. ↑ "Detail".
  5. ↑ Bánlaky (1929), p. 39
  6. ↑ Stavrides (2001), p. 146
  7. ↑ Fessler (1867), p. 103 (a number excluding the infantry and retinues)
  8. ↑ Borovszky (1898), p. 357
  9. ↑ https://ww1sites.eu/index.php?id=35&tx_wwicaheritage_caheritage%5BcaHeritage%5D=40&tx_wwicaheritage_caheritage%5Baction%5D=show&tx_wwicaheritage_caheritage%5Bcontroller%5D=CaHeritage&cHash=653a068d9153629a9b9cd8c0ee6db83e the city became an important economic and traffic centre, and the fortress was maintained, marked in their military charts.
  10. ↑ https://ww1sites.eu/index.php?id=35&tx_wwicaheritage_caheritage%5BcaHeritage%5D=40&tx_wwicaheritage_caheritage%5Baction%5D=show&tx_wwicaheritage_caheritage%5Bcontroller%5D=CaHeritage&cHash=653a068d9153629a9b9cd8c0ee6db83e the city became an important economic and traffic centre, and the fortress was maintained, marked in their military charts.
  11. ↑ "Old Travnik fortress, the architectural ensemble". old.kons.gov.ba. Sarajevo: Commission to preserve national monuments. 25 January 2005. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.