COMPLEX OF OLD TOWN STOLAC (VIDOŠKI) - THE PROJECT OF RECOVERY AND CURRENT MAINTENANCE
2012
PROJECT ARCH STOLAC
COMPLEX OF OLD TOWN STOLAC (VIDOŠKI)
THE PROJECT OF RECOVERY AND CURRENT MAINTENANCE
Sarajevo, April 2012.
INSTITUTE FOR PROTECTION OF HISTORICAL MONUMENTS
FEDERAL MINISTRY FOR CULTURE AND SPORTS SARAJEVO
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COMPLEX OF OLD TOWN STOLAC (VIDOŠKI) - THE PROJECT OF RECOVERY AND CURRENT MAINTENANCE
2012
PROJECT ARCH STOLAC
COMPLEX OF OLD TOWN STOLAC (VIDOŠKI)
THE PROJECT OF RECOVERY AND CURRENT MAINTENANCE
EXECUTIVE
LIDIJA MIĆIĆ, dia
MADE BY:
ROBERT STERGAR, dia
AZRA TUNOVIĆ, dia
Sarajevo, april 2012.
INSTITUTE FOR PROTECTION OF HISTORICAL MONUMENTS
FEDERAL MINISTRY FOR CULTURE AND SPORTS SARAJEVO
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COMPLEX OF OLD TOWN STOLAC (VIDOŠKI) - THE PROJECT OF RECOVERY AND CURRENT MAINTENANCE
2012
COMPLEX OF OLD TOWN STOLAC (VIDOŠKI)
By the decision of Commission to Preserve National Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the
session from 21st to 27th January, the Historical Site – Old Town Stolac is declared to be a national
monument of this country (“Official Gazette of the Federation of BiH”, no 2/02 and 27/02). Measures of
protection and rehabilitation are being applied to the national monument by the Law on
Implementation of the Decisions of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments according to
Annex 8 of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
1. LOCATION
The Old Town of Stolac is located on the site spanning across 215/1, Stolac, municipality of Stolac,
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It consists of lower town, upper town, central plateau with
construction dating back to Austro-Hungarian period, access road along Veli-dedo hill in total length of
1200 m between the lower and upper gate, including the part of the hill beneath the bastion.
2. HISTORY
Old Town of Stolac is located on the rise above the town Stolac; it is a type of defence facility being one
of the largest in BiH. Name Vidovski (Vidoški) comes from the river Vidovštica (today, Bregava) running
through the Vidovo Field. Vidovski is mentioned in the year 1444 „Vidosich Vuidonopoglyo castello con
lo contato“ in the charter of Argonian-Naples King Alfonso V as an estate of Stjepan Vukčić and in the
year 1454 civitate Vidouschi cum castris et pertinentiis suis in the charter of Friedrich III AS castrum
Widosskiy.
It is assumed that the life in prehistoric period ensued at the north-west part of the fort toward
Podgrad, and the Late Antiquity sub-structions have been discovered at the northern part of the town.
At the site of today’s town of Stolac there was an antique municipium Diuntum with findings dating back
from first to fourth century A.D. and fortifications for the Late Antiquity period. In the Middle Ages, the
site of the town belonged to parish of Vidoši. Vidovo Field is mentioned in 1474 in Latin translation
"Planum Sancti Viti”. The first reliable account about Medieval Stolac comes from XV century, i.e. year
1420. “Loco dicto Stolac” related to merchant lootings, the reference reappeared in 1436. Archeological
works from 1976 did not find clear remains of the medieval town, but it is assumed that they have been
covered with the fort construction of the Austro-Hungarian period
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COMPLEX OF OLD TOWN STOLAC (VIDOŠKI) - THE PROJECT OF RECOVERY AND CURRENT MAINTENANCE
2012
In 1456 Stolac became part of the Ottoman Empire, and subsequently a part of the Austro-Hungarian
Monarchy. The town was destructed twice due to the thunder stroke, and was twice restored (first time
in 1768 when the Šarić family was the Captain of Stolac, and the second time in 1843 when Ali Pasha
Rizvanbegović was the ruler). The town was thoroughly restored in 1883, and in 1888 a modern fortress
was erected above the one existing in the Ottoman period.
3. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE OLD TOWN OF STOLAC
The Old Town of Stolac falls under the group of large fortified cities and according to the type it is
among the forts of irregular rectangular base following the configuration of the terrain. It streches
accross ca. 20,503 m2. Stone bastions and turrets are made from hewn limestone blocks. In XVII century
the city had thirteen turrets and was the best fortified town in Herzegovina. Besides turrets and defence
bastions, the town had ten water tanks, powder magazine, flour magazine, residences and a mosque.
Old Town of Stolac is divided in three clearly defined units:
1. Lower town–north-west side (a site beneath the Austro-Hungarian part of the town, located
north-west wise according to that part of the town) surfacing 8,481 m2
2. Middle town - (a part constructed in the Period of Austro-Hungarian administration at the
plateau of the hill), a site of 7,005 m2
3. Upper town - (a site above the Middle town, located east from it), covering the site of 8,579 m2.
Lower town is closed on three sides with turrets and bastions: on north-east, north, and south-west. At
the north-east wall 44,95m in length there is a main city gate. The gate is arched and above the arch
there was a room for guards with a stone pathos. A mosque of 113, 42 m2 is located above the city
entrance, and according to the observations to-date, in its pathos there is a water tank. It is impossible
to determine the depth of the space beneath the pathos of mosque because it is filled with stone
fragments, possibly belonging to the mosque, and earth. The only known name for the mosque is Velidedo’s Mosque, and the tradition states that the time of its construction is related to the cliff beneath it
that was used as a prayer site in the pre-Ottoman period of the Bosnia history. At the south wall of the
demolished mosque the remains of the stone minaret and stone mihrab are evident. The remains of
mosque’s mihrab point to the style found in oldest mosques in BiH: precisely hewn complex stalactite
ornaments placed in seven horizontal zones which have been polychrome processed by a direct color
coating on the marl. Traces of red color and black lines indicate to early 16 century when mihrab was
treated with color. Stone chunks of small torch hewn marl were tied with small cramps of wrought iron.
Considering the insufficient exploration of that part of the fort, it is possible to assume that the space
below the plateau of the mosque or its extension in hill slope functioned as a kuija. The assumption is
helped by the preserved name of the mosque which relates it to the Sufi champion of which the
tradition says (not confirmed) to be the old man at the time of Sandalj.
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COMPLEX OF OLD TOWN STOLAC (VIDOŠKI) - THE PROJECT OF RECOVERY AND CURRENT MAINTENANCE
2012
The walls of the mosque were around 1m thick; minaret made out of stone and with rectangular
intersection. The mosque has been used as a shelter by the Austro-Hungarian soldiers for ten years, and
was demolished in 1888.
Northern site consists of four high turrets with two rows bastions with loopholes between them.
Turret I, at the fraction of southern bastion, surfacing to 96,72 m2 is substantially demolished. At the
site between that turret and the entrance gate there is a massive water tank with two doors now
blocked with stones. Turret no II is much better preserved and it surfaces to 108, 29 m2. Turret no III is
107, 20 m2. Turret no IV is located at the north-west corner and it surfaces to 107, 20 m2. The wall of
this turret is destroyed at the height of 12 m. The wall between the first and the second turret is 22, 25
m long, between the second and the third 25, 50 m, and between the third and the fourth 22,25m. The
access to the walls binding these four turrets is harsh, the walls are high with loopholes built in two rows
that recognize two construction phases. The wall between the Turret number II and III is in poor
condition and is around 50 cm bent outwardly. The walls of turret no III are cracked from the
earthquakes, and were repaired with concrete in 1939. Bastion between the turret no IV and V is 29, 62
m in length. Turret number V surfaces to 116, 46 m2. At that nearly demolished turret are evident
beams dating back to its construction time. Bastion connecting turrets no V and VI is 41, 60 m in length.
Turret no VI surfaces to 07, 52 m2 and it is best preserved. The entire tuff vault has been preserved.
Between the turrets V and VI there is a destroyed water tank. Between the turrets III and IV is a passage
leading to town. It has been used in the cases of danger. Bastion connecting turrets VI and VII is 22, 75 m
long and it makes a connection to turret no VII surfacing to 105,30 m2. From this turret to the
furthermost corner is a wall 36,62 m in length. There is a turret VIII whose surface is around 65, 11 m2.
Above this turret there is a natural passage similar to that found at the turret IV. Bastions and turrets of
this north-west part are at the different stages of preservation, because there were somewhere three
and somewhere two construction phases. Oak beams and loopholes are made in two rows one above
the other and probably dating back to Ottoman period. The existence of Medieval parts in the
fortification cannot be negated in its lowest structures and its foundations and this is supposed to be
clarified in subsequent explorations.
2. Middle town,surfacing up to 2,005 m2, is at the center of the complex. This part has been built form
the white hewn limestone from Brač. A few objects for garrison have also been built. Parts of the old
walls have been used to build new objects. This complex had three water tanks, fortified part of the
bastion and the ammunition repository. Its walls are rather damaged, but the entrance gate has been
repaired.
3. Upper town lies at almost the same height as the Middle town east of it. During the construction, a
part of the fortification along with bastions and turrets has been crashed, and the terrain flattened,
which is assumed based on remaining walls and foundations. This site surfaces up to87, 79 m2 and it
houses five turrets. Turret number IX surfaces 93, 39 m2. The length of the bastions between turrets VIII
and IX visible on the Austro-Hungarian town is 113, 62m. From this turret up to the next one at the
north-east corner where the turret X is, there is a bastion 48, 40 m in length, the turret itself surfacing
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COMPLEX OF OLD TOWN STOLAC (VIDOŠKI) - THE PROJECT OF RECOVERY AND CURRENT MAINTENANCE
2012
up to 104, 53 m2. From that corner up to the central eastern tower, turret number XI, the wall is 33,
88m in length, and the turret surfaces 231, 70m2. From there up to the south-eastern tower, turret
number XII there is a bastion 42,42 m in length, the tower surfacing 86, 72 m2. The wall from the last
turret, turret number XIII in south is 40, 000 m in length. This tower served as an ammunition and
explosives repository and was twice demolished by lightning strikes. The surface of the tower is 69, 16
m2, and the lengths of the wall from this turret to south-eastern corner is the wall of 94, 50 m in length.
4. EXISTING CONDITIONS AND THE GOAL OF THE PROJECT
Th current condition of the old town is bad. Due to the lack of use, care and maintenance of the Town,
all the primary konstructive elements of the complex have been damaged. Due tot he impact of
atmospheric condition and vegetation connecting tissue (plaster) between stone blocks dissipated, so
the stone structures of the walls and bastions teared. Larger and smaller breakages in the walls and
bastions are evident, as well as the absence of parts of wall, roof, staircases, fense or parts of the water
tanksm, which poses a threat to movement of the town visitors. The goal of this project is to, based on
the detailed research on the site, scientific research, Cilj ovog projekta jeste da se na osnovu detaljnih
istraživanja na terenu, naučno-istraživačkog rada, the correct approach to restoration and conservation
in design, careful interventions and professional execution, enable constructively stable and safe
complex available to citizens and visitors of Stolac.
5. INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CONTRACTOR
Since the works are specific, the construction material as well as the technology must be completely
adjusted with cultural and historical value of the object, existing materialization, geometry of structures,
visual-forming characteristics and construction technology of the old builders of Herzegovina.
-It is necessary to carefully remove vegetaion in a following way:
Moss needs to be removed by hand, by the blade of the knife or soft brushes with natural fibers, taking
care not to damage the surface of the stone. The remains of moss and lichens need to be treated with
the with the mentioned means, taking care that they are not aggressive for the structure of the stone.
The main ivy tree needs to be cut at the height of 10 cm above the ground level or the surface of the
wall. The cut surface of the tree needs to be three times treated with herbicide that is acceptable from
the aspect of safety and protection of the environment and human health. In such condition, the tree is
to be left to absord the herbicide and die. Dried tree and root is to be carefully disposed of. The remains
of ivy , bows and leaves are also to be removed. The stone wall and joints need to be washed out with
water of 80°C and under pressure of 3-5 Bar. (VAP mashine)
In the aforementioned way, other trees are to be removed. It is necessary to be very careful and decide
according to several factors whether to remove the root of the tree or not.
- Triggered stone blocks from the structure walls (stone blocks that are not stable and lost a constructive
relationship with the healthy parts of the walls) should be carefully removed. The stone is to be marked,
cleaned and stored in a dry and protected place and be prepared for re-installation. Stones which have
lost their constructiveness are to be separated and saved for the eventual use as an aggregate to
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COMPLEX OF OLD TOWN STOLAC (VIDOŠKI) - THE PROJECT OF RECOVERY AND CURRENT MAINTENANCE
2012
produce mortar for stone masonry walls and filling. With pressured water from VAP machines (highpressure spray of water) clean all the joints from the remains of decomposed mortar, earth and shoot.
The pressure in VAP must not exceed 3 Bars.
-Cleaning and grouting of the walls is to be performed based on the previously made technical report
about geomechanical and geotechnical investigations of the foundations and underlying soil, and
structural analyzes that are an integral part of project documentation. The injection is to be performed
with specialized grout having the high hydraulic resistance to leaching and degradation due to the
aggressive action of the elements. Lime-cement mortar is to be used for injection (cement supplement
10 %, considering that the cement must be white, from Split or Kakanj in order to achieve a visual sense
of the effect of pure lime mortar). The injection is to be performed under standard procedure.
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