Old town of Visoki: A Medieval Royal Castle Town in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.6
- Popularity
- Low
- Country
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Primary era
- Medieval
- External website
- Open
- Eras represented
- Medieval
- Civilizations
- Kingdom of Bosnia
- Site type
- Military
- Remains
- Castle
On this page7 sections
History
A royal castle town in medieval Bosnia
Old town of Visoki is a medieval royal castle town in Bosnia and Herzegovina, above Visoko on Visočica hill. Built during the fourteenth century by the medieval Bosnian rulers, it served primarily as a defensive stronghold and also as a place where rulers issued documents and charters. The earliest known reference to Visoki dates to 1 September 1355, when the young ban Tvrtko I of Bosnia named it in a charter. A ban was a high-ranking medieval governor or a ruler’s representative in parts of the Balkans. Tvrtko I later became king of Bosnia.
Documents and noble connections
Visoki also held importance for the Bosnian nobility. A record from 1398 concerns Duke Priboje Masnović, who was accepted as a citizen of Ragusa, the medieval maritime republic centered on the city now called Dubrovnik. King Stjepan Ostoja issued charters at Visoki in 1402 and 1404, while two papers published in 1404 became the subject of a legal dispute in Ragusa.
In 1420, the great Bosnian duke Batić Mirković became seriously ill and was buried in the village of Kopošići. Documents issued by Duke Tvrtko Borovinić in 1429 and 1436 are regarded as the last direct written sources for the old town. The final important document associated with Visoki was signed there by Tvrtko Borovinić in 1436.
Abandonment and heritage status
Visoki was probably abandoned before 1503, because the town is not mentioned in the Turkish-Hungarian treaty of that year. In 1626, Đorđić listed it among the abandoned towns. The fortress is included on the list of national monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Remains
Hilltop defenses and entrance
The castle town occupies the summit of Visočica hill, which rises 213 metres above the surrounding landscape. Its elevated position overlooks the plains, with the mountains Romanija, Jahorina, Treskavica, and Bjelašnica to the east and southeast; Bitovnja to the south; Zec and Vranica to the southeast; Vlašić to the west; and Tajan and Zvijezda to the north. The entrance lies on the southwest side and includes two lookout towers. The castle town’s walls are approximately 2 metres thick.
Podvisoki
Beyond the entrance was Podvisoki, the lower settlement or associated area immediately outside the castle entrance. This section measures approximately 60 by 25 metres and contains signs and remains of early medieval houses.
Nearby sites
