DESCRIPTION

Pljevlja is a town situated in northern Montenegro, located near the Ljubišnja mountain at the junction of the borders of Montenegro, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is graced by the Ćehotina and Breznica rivers, which flow through the town. The region’s history of human settlement dates back to the second millennium BC, with evidence of Roman occupation confirmed by the excavation of the Municipium S settlement in Komin, a town from the 2nd century AD. The area served as a thoroughfare for trade caravans en route to Constantinople. As a result, Pljevlja has historically been a crossroads of Christianity and Islam. During the Middle Ages, Pljevlja saw the construction of some of the most exquisite monuments representing these two religions: the Monastery of the Holy Trinity and the Hussein Pasha Mosque. The Gazi-Hussein Pasha Mosque, erected in 1562 and located in the town’s center, is a stunning example of Eastern architecture and one of the Balkans’ most beautiful pieces of oriental-sacred architecture. The Monastery of the Holy Trinity was renowned as a center of literature and manuscript copying, with some of the most significant works now housed in museums and archives worldwide. The Trebišnjica River, which flows through Trebinje, is a sinkhole river that forms part of a complex network of above-ground and underground waters, ultimately connected to the Adriatic Sea. Trebinje was first mentioned as Tribunia in the 10th century in the writings of Constantine Porphyrogenitus. It was part of the Byzantine archonty and later became the center of Travunia in the 14th century, which was under the rule of the Nemanjić dynasty. In the 15th century, Trebinje fell under Ottoman rule, sharing the fate of other cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. During this period, the city shifted from being a trading hub to a defensive stronghold due to its strategic position in relation to neighboring Montenegro, free Dubrovnik, and Venetian Dalmatia. After centuries of Ottoman control, Trebinje came under the rule of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which lasted until the end of the First World War. During the Austro-Hungarian period, the city underwent modernization, with the construction of the main street, parks, squares, schools, and other facilities.