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The Balkans
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October 2021

The Balkans

A 29-day adventure by skip's retirement travel Read more
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  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelThe Balkans

    Sibenik

    October 13, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Sibenik is another important city on the Adriatic. It is located on a channel behind a number of islands, creating a sound not like the ones behind Long Island and the outer banks. The main or St. Anthony's channel into this area is directly opposite Sibenik, making this a sheltered and safe anchorage.
    It is also easily defended. A fortress was built to control access, and 3 more fortresses are in and above the city. These defenses were strong enough to thwart even an overwhelming Ottoman army.
    The 1st picture is of the walls of St. Michael's fortress, the oldest of the 4 and the one around which the town grew up.
    The 2nd picture looks out from the Barone fortress on the hill above the city. You can see part of St. Anthony's channel where the St. Nicholas fort is located but isn't visible here.
    The 3rd picture is of the small chapel adjacent to St Michaels fortress.
    The 4th picture is of the old town hall, located across the square and directly facing the Lion Portal of the cathedral (see another post).
    The last 2 pictures are interesting locations in Sibenik that can give a flavor of what the old town is like.    Read more

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    Katedrala svetog Jakova

    October 13, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    The cathedral of St. James is the most significant example of renaissance architecture in Croatia. The cathedral dates to the 13th century and was a Romanesque church. Beginning in the 15th century and into the 16th, it was enlarged and remodeled to become what we see today.
    In case you're wondering why the name in Croatian seems to say Jacob and in English, James: in a number of language's they are the same name. In addition to Croatian, that includes Biblical Greek and Hebrew.
    The 1st picture is of the western or main entry and facade. Note the statues of the 12 apostles that surround the door.
    The 2nd picture is the north or lion portal named for the 2 Lions either side of the door. Above the lions are Adam and Eve. Here Eve has a navel rather than being created from Adam's rib. Also note the Renaissance dome. This is an early use of an octagonal drum for the transition from square base to round dome, and is considered a great accomplishment of Renaissance architecture.
    By the way, if you Game of Thrones fans find this familiar, the facade of the cathedral is the Iron Bank.
    The 3rd picture is of the modern bronze doors in the main entrance. The 4th picture is the nave and the 5th picture is one of the side chapels off the nave, this one dedicated to St. Christopher.
    The last picture is of the baptistery. Note the scallop shell above. (There is a series of identical shells all around the ceiling.) The scallop is the symbol for St. James.    Read more

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    St Nicholas Fortress, Sidenik

    October 14, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    In the Sidenik post, I made reference to the St. Nicholas Fortress as one of the 4 fortresses protecting Sidenik and controlling the St. Anthony channel that provides access to Sidenek from the Adriatic. However, I didn't have a picture of the fortress. This makes up for that.
    The 1st picture is of the fortress looking across one side channel. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th pictures look at the St. Anthony channel. The 2nd is of the modern access way out to the island. The 3rd looks out the channel, as does the 4th which locates the fortress in the channel. The last picture looks along the low water access to the fortress from the island.    Read more

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    Primosten

    October 14, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    Primosten is another seaside village that is located not far from Sidenik (see other posts). Originally, it was an island close to the shore that was accessed by a drawbridge. After the Ottoman invasions ended and they withdrew in the 15th century, the drawbridge was replaced with a causeway as it is today.
    The 1st picture looks down on the town. You can make out the narrow point where the causeway is located between the old and new town.
    The 2nd picture is of the main gate code not the old town. The 3rd picture is a typical street. The 4th picture is the St. George Church set on the very top of the hill of the island. The 5th picture is of the ancient stone roofing material. These are not the thin slate tiles I'm used to. These look like rock slabs.
    The last picture is of the small chapel of St Rocco.    Read more

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    Diocletian's Palace, Split

    October 15, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    The Roman emperor, Diocletian, had this palace built as his retirement residence around the end of the 3rd century. Even though it is called a palace, it is closer to a fortress than what I think of as a palace. In fact, about half of the building was a military garrison, and it was used as a refuge when the city was attacked. The palace was another place used in Game of Thrones.
    The 1st picture is the palace substructure or basement. It is original, and the engineer in me is fascinated by the design and construction that is still standing and being used after all these centuries. Currently, there are market stalls among the support pillars.
    The 2nd picture is of one of the gates looking into the palace. The 3rd picture is of one of the walls. The 4th and 5th pictures are of opposite sides of the peristyle courtyard. The cathedral (see another post) is behind the columns in the 5th picture. The 6th picture is looking straight up at the oculus or round opening in the roof in one of the palace rooms.    Read more

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    Split Cathedral

    October 15, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    The Cathedral of St. Domnius (technically, the church is dedicated to Mary and the bell tower to Domnius, but together they form of be cathedral) was constructed in 305 CE as the mausoleum for Diocletian. It was consecrated as a cathedral in the 7th century and is considered the oldest cathedral still in use in it's original building.
    The 1st picture is of the bell tower and one of the side walls of the church. The 2nd picture is of the door which was carved in the 13th century and is considered among the best Romanesque sculpture in the country.
    The 3rd picture is the main altar taken from the doorway next to the carving in the 2nd picture. The 4th picture is a side chapel. Here you can see some of the detail work and get a sense of the shape of the building as it was modified from the mausoleum of an emperor who persecuted Christians to become a center of Christian worship.
    The 5th picture is the cathedral baptistery. This is in the former Temple of Jupiter of Diocletian's palace. It was converted as early as the 6th century and was dedicated to St. John the Baptist. That is a cruciform immersion font in front of the statue of John the Baptist which stands where the statue of Jupiter stood. The last picture is in the crypt dedicated to St. Lucy located beneath the cathedral.    Read more

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    Split Old Town

    October 15, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Split is the largest city in Dalmatia (2nd largest in Croatia). It dates back to the 2nd or 3rd century BCE. It remained a minor town until the Roman emperor, Diocletian, built his palace here (see another post). Some later, Split succeeded Salona as the regional Ronan capital. (See another post).
    These pictures are random glances at the old town of Split. The major sites here (the palace and cathedral) are in other posts.    Read more

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    Trogir

    October 16, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Trogir dates back 2300 years and is considered the best preserved complex of Romanesque and Gothic buildings in central Europe. Much of the layout reflects its roots in the Hellenistic period, though most of the structures today date from the 10th to the 15th century. It is located on an island not far from Split.
    The 1st picture is of the Fortress Kamerlengo, dating to the 15th century. The 2nd picture is of the main square. One side of the square includes the clock tower in the 3rd picture. This is part of the 15th century Loggia.
    Another side of the main square is the Church of St. Lawrence that is most famous for its entry portal in the 4th picture. It is considered a masterpiece of the sculptor Radovan. The last 2 pictures are of a couple of the streets in town that give a sense of the very old feel of the place.    Read more

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    Salona

    October 16, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Salona was the regional capital (the Roman province of Dalmatia) and the hometown of the Roman emperor Diocletian. The city was founded in the 3rd century BCE, and was mostly destroyed during invasions in the 7th century. It is not far from Split (see other posts) where the capital moved.
    The 1st picture is the Porta Caesarea or main city gate that was named for Julius Caesar who the town supported in the civil war against Pompeii.
    The 2nd is the Roman theater which holds the distinction of being the place where the 1st Christians were killed during the Diocletian persecutions.
    The 3rd picture is of the remains of a Roman 5 arch bridge over a now silted in backwater. It is still functional or would be if the stream was there. It is open to walk under.
    The 4th picture looks down the remains of the nave of a ruined basilica. The apse is in the background.
    The 5th picture is of the remains of the thermae or baths. The last picture is a longer view over a larger portion of the city.    Read more

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    Omis

    October 17, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Omis, pronounced Omish, is another Adriatic port town on the Dalmatian coast. This one is known for its pirate history. The Corsairs of Almissa and their fast attack ships were feared by traders in the Adriatic region. They were able to easily escape into the Cetina River here, and, in turn, protected Omis from invaders.
    The 1st picture is of the main square in the center of town. The size of the square shows just how small Omis is. The 2nd picture is St. Rocco's church or plague church as St. Rocco is often associated with ending plagues.
    The 3rd picture looks up the Cetina River from the edge of the old town. That is a canyon cutting into the mountains which might explain how the corsairs were able to escape do readily.
    The 4th picture looks up to the mountain behind the town. About in the center is a flag atop one of the 2 fortresses above the town that I'm told the pirates used to identify ships to be attacked.
    The 5th picture looks up to another of the old churches and shows how much of the town is accessed by stairs. The last picture is of a typical side street in the part of town below the steep hillside.    Read more

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    Mostar Old Town, Bosnia and Herzegovina

    October 18, 2021 in Bosnia and Herzegovina ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    A lovely old town on both sides of the Nerveta River. It is best known for the Stari Most or Old Bridge (see another post). In fact, it is likely that the city is named for the Most which means bridge in English. The name probably derives from mostari or bridge keepers.
    The pictures are all various looks at the old town except the last one. This is traditional Bosnian coffee, similar to Turkish coffee but with a slightly different preparation and drinking ritual.    Read more

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    Medjugorje

    October 18, 2021 in Bosnia and Herzegovina ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Medjugorje is a village in the part of the country identified as Herzegovina. It is said that in 1981 Mary began a series of appearances to 6 local children, and it is saud they they are continuing. Shortly thereafter, this became an unofficial Catholic pilgrimage site. While the Vatican still has not stated if the apparitions are true or false, they began to authorize pilgrimages in 2019.
    The Church of St. James (dedicated to St. James the Greater, the patron saint of pilgrims) dates only to 1969 and is where all these pictures were taken. The 1st is the church front, and the 2nd is in the nave . The 3rd is a side chapel dedicated to Mary. The 4th is some of the stained glass
    The last picture is the outdoor altar of St. James. The church itself cannot hold all the pilgrims.    Read more

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    Kravice Waterfall

    October 18, 2021 in Bosnia and Herzegovina ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    This waterfall is a large tufa cascade in the Trebizat River. It is a recognizable symbol of Herzegovina. These pictures try to capture the sense of the place. The pictures were taken at low water. So please recognize that this can be more spectacular in the he spring. Even so, this is a lovely spot. Note that the 2nd picture was taken from the coffee shop along the shore of the lake below the falls.Read more

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    Pocitelj

    October 18, 2021 in Bosnia and Herzegovina ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Thus village sits in a natural amphitheater along the Naretva River where it grew up around the castle built on the ridge to control trade passing through the valley. The Naretva River valley provides the best route from the sea to the interior. So control of the corridor mattered.
    It is likely that development here goes back to at least the 13th century when the fortification probably was begun and the village followed. For an extended period, the castle and surrounding area was part of the Ottoman empire. Once Ottoman rule ended in the 19th century, the importance of Pocitelj decreased with the result that the town retains its medieval layout and character.
    The 1st picture is of a town gate. The 2nd is a portion of the castle ruins. The other three pictures are taken from the fortress ramparts on the ridge above the village. Please note the the 4th picture looks almost straight down on top of the village.    Read more

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    Mogorjelo

    October 18, 2021 in Bosnia and Herzegovina ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Mogorjelo is a Roman villa rustica from the early part of the 4th century. The structures were probably built for active, working agricultural purposes, and including processing their produce.
    The 1st picture is an artist's rendering of what the villa probably looked like when it was active. In the following pictures, you'll be able to find where they fit in the site.
    The 2nd picture is the main entrance. The 3rd picture is an ancient wine press, one example of their processing their produce.
    The 4th and 5th pictures are of a couple sections of the remains along different parts of the walls.
    The last picture is of a portion of the drainage of the site. It is said that the villa was far advanced in that it had running a water and a system of drains to remove waste. I suspect that this is part of that as it is connected with a trench through the center of the site    Read more

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    Tekija Blagaj

    October 19, 2021 in Bosnia and Herzegovina ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    This is a Sufi monastery located at the source of the Buna River and dates to the early 16th century. Much of what exists today consists of repairs and restoration of the complex mostly due to falling rocks from the cliffs above.
    The 1st picture is of a part of the tekija visible from across the river. The 2nd picture is taken from a foot bridge abroad the river looking towards the source of the river. The tekija is visible on the left. The 3rd picture is the cave from which the Buna River emerges. The tekija us located immediately to the left.
    The rest of the pictures are taken within the monastery. The 4th picture is in the courtyard and looks at the main building. The 5th and 6th pictures are of rooms within.
    This is a dervish worship space, but to my surprise, these are not the whirling dervishes as there are something like 12 forms of Sufism, and this one doesn't dance. They meet and study the Quran and Sufi texts.    Read more

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    Blagaj Fortress

    October 19, 2021 in Bosnia and Herzegovina ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Blagaj fortress, sometimes called Old Town Blagaj, is built on the crest of a ridge above modern Balgaj and the dervish monastery (see another post) located at the source of the Buna River. Settlement and defensive remains here indicate that activity goes back to the Roman period and earlier. The current fortress is from the medieval and Ottoman periods. During the medieval period, this was the seat of the local rulers.
    The 1st picture looks up at the fortress from one of the switchbacks on the walk up the ridge. The 2nd picture looks at the remains of some internal structures in the complex. Likewise in the 3rd picture which appears to be a cistern.
    The 4th picture looks across the fortress to the remaining high tower from which the last 2 pictures were taken. The 5th takes a look along the walls atop the cliffs and the 6th is the view.    Read more

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    Mostar bridges

    October 19, 2021 in Bosnia and Herzegovina ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    There are many bridges in Mostar, but two are in the old town and have historical importance.
    Stari Most or the old bridge is the most recognizable point in Mostar. Unfortunately, the bridge we see today is a reconstruction of the bridge that was destroyed in 1993 during the Balkan War. The original was built by the Ottomans in the 16th century to connect the 2 parts of the town. The bridge was commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent and is constantly dented a prime example of Islamic architecture in the Balkans.
    The 1st 2 pictures are different views of the old bridge, one from river level and one from street level. It is said the this was the widest arch in the world when completed. The 3rd picture is a view from the peak of the bridge along the Neretva River.
    The 4th picture is of the so called Crooked Bridge. This bridge was begun at least 7 years before the Stari Most and may have been a practice run for the larger Old Bridge. This is also not the original structure that was destroyed be a flood in 2000. It is said the the original workmanship was so poor that it began to crumble and was repeatedly repaired, giving it the name crooked
    The last picture looks along the Rabobolja Creek from the peak of the crooked bridge. The bridge was built over the Rabobolja just upstream from where it empties into the Neretva.    Read more

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    Radimlja Necropolis

    October 20, 2021 in Bosnia and Herzegovina ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    This necropolis dates mostly to the 15th and 16th century. The stones are markers, not sarcophagi: the stones are solid and the bones are buried beneath. A number of smaller sites with similar stones are found around the region, suggesting that this was a typical burial custom of the people who lived here. It seems that this practice faded as the Ottoman empire took control.
    The 1st picture looks at a section of the necropolis. There are 133 of these stećci as these gravestones are called in this cemetery. Almost half are decorated with bas relief images, some of which are shown in the rest of the pictures. Some have the inscriptions of the name of the deceased, who ordered or carved, etc.
    There are carvings of men with raised hands, hunting or military scenes, even some dancers, suggesting that part of the burial ritual may have included dance. There are some indications of weaving together pagan and Christian imagery.    Read more

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    Vidoski

    October 20, 2021 in Bosnia and Herzegovina ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    It is said that the 1st fortress on this site was commissioned by Constantine in the 5th and 6th centuries to protect his caravans heading to and from Byzantium.
    This old fortress town on a hill above modern Stolac as it is today, dates to at least the 15th century. It is a typical walled fortress town built on the hillside with several levels on which the remains of structures can be seen.
    The 1st picture is of the main gate into the lower part of the city. The 2nd looks along the walls to the left of the gate. The 3rd picture looks over some of the ruined structures to a glimpse of modern Stolac.
    The 4th picture looks across the mid section of the town. In the distance, left of center, you can just make out one of the remote watchtowers associated with the fort.
    The 5th picture looks across the uppermost portion of the fortress. The cross and altar are modern additions added during the Balkan War of the 1990s. The last picture is a view from the very highest point of the fortress.    Read more

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    Trebinje, BiH

    October 21, 2021 in Bosnia and Herzegovina ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Trebinje is the southernmost city in Bosnia and Herzegovina (abbreviated BiH), located near the borders of Croatia and Montenegro. The old town is small and what exists today dates to the 17th century Ottoman period.
    The 1st 2 pictures are taken from across the Trebisnjica river. The 1st, framed by a tree trunk and leaves, is a corner of the old city wall. The 2nd is a bit upstream from the 1st and isa local water access. The orange-ish building is a local madrassa.
    The 3rd and 4th pictures are inside the old town. The 3rd is of the south gate and a portion of the wall, while the 4th is one of the open squares in the old town.
    The 5th picture is of the main square, just outside the old town walls and is the market square, as it still is today.
    The last picture is the Arslanogić Bridge. This bridge is an historic landmark that dates to the 16th century and to the 20th century. In 1966, the bridge was moved, stone by stone, to its current location. So what we see today is the same bridge with the same stones in the same places in the structure. This bridge isn't as high as that bridge in Mostar, but it is more interesting engineering to my eye.    Read more

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    Vjetrenica Cave

    October 22, 2021 in Bosnia and Herzegovina ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    The name literally means "wind cave" for the strong wind that blows through it. This is the largest cave in BiH and is said to be the most biodiverse cave in the world. And I'm told that this cave has the most endemic species of any cave anywhere. In other words, this cave has more species found no where else than any other cave. Also, complete skeletons, including bear and leopard, have been found here and are now in the national museum.
    The 1st picture is of a map if the cave system. The 2nd picture is just inside the entrance. If you look closely, you can make out some ancient cave art.
    Vjetrenica is an hydrologically active cave with streams and lakes throughout. The 3rd and 4th pictures are of a formation I'm have not seen before. I understand they are called rimstones and are the rather serpentine formations separating pools.
    The 5th picture may look strange, but it is taken across one of the cave pools and picks up some of the surface reflection.
    The last picture is simply a look along a section of the cave.    Read more

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    Zavala Monastery

    October 22, 2021 in Bosnia and Herzegovina ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Zavala Monastery is a Serbian Orthodox monastery just a short distance from the Vjetrenica cave (see another post). It is one of the most important monasteries in the country. This monastery dates to at least the 16th century but was badly damaged in world war 2 and the Balkan War. It was abandoned for a while but has been rebuilt and now houses about 10 monks
    The 1st picture looks up the hill from the road from Vjetrenica to the monastery complex. The 2nd looks down the long tunnel entrance into the monastery from the entry courtyard. The 3rd picture is of a picture inside the main chapel as no photography was allowed. A portion of this chapel is built in a cave. The 4th picture is of a devotional site at a closed cave above the main chapel.
    The 5th picture looks across the entry courtyard to the pergola and the view. The last picture is taken from the hill above the monastery looking over the chapel bell tower.    Read more

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    Tvrdos monastery

    October 22, 2021 in Bosnia and Herzegovina ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Another of the important, arguably most important, Serbian Orthodox monasteries in BiH, this one dating to the 15th century, though the foundations of the 1st Ronan church, dating to the 4th century can still be seen. I'm told there has been a monastic presence since then.
    The 1st picture is of the church within the monastery. This is 20th century as the original structure was destroyed by the Venetians in the late 17th century. The 2nd picture looks across the atrium garden to the cloister. The 3rd picture is an outdoor painting for the monastery that is dedicated to the Dormition of the Theotokos.
    The 3rd and 4th pictures are in the church. The 4th is the nave, and the 5th looks up into the dome. All of this is 20th century art. All the originals that could be saved from the destruction are now at a monastery in Montenegro.
    The last picture acknowledges that this monastic community is well known for its wines. And they offer tastings! These are the 2 that I tasted. Fear not the Cyrillic labels. The one on the left is a Cabernet Sauvignon, and the one on the right is their Vranac. I can't recommend the Vranac highly enough. It's outstanding. One of the best wines I've ever tasted.    Read more

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