The Balkan Peninsula has a lot to offer, starting from food, life style and its unique architecture represented by communist buildings and famous castles. With a wealthy history, culinary and cultural traits, the Balkan Peninsula should be the first destination on your travel list. Feel free to dive into the unique architecture only the Balkan has to offer.

 

 

 

Kalemegdan Citadel in Belgrade, Serbia

 

The Kalemegdan Citadel is located in Stari Grad, in the heart of the capital city of Serbia, Belgrade. Lying on the banks of the rivers Sava and Danube, around 100 battles were fought over the astonishing Kalemegdan. Throughout the centuries, its Citadel was destroyed nearly more than 50 times. Even though this fortress may have been through some horrible times throughout the history, nowadays you can enjoy the beautiful panoramic view and drink your cup of coffee in the nearby cafes.

 

 

 

 

Tsarevets in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

 

Tsarevets is one of the castles the Balkan can be proud of. Two hundred years ago, this castle was the home of the Second Bulgarian Empire, meaning the emperor and the patriarch. As a part of the castle, there is also a cathedral and dungeons where Latin emperors rest in peace. Nowadays, if you are able to pay a visit to Tsarevets on 22nd March which is the city’s holiday, you are going to witness a marvelous spectacle with audiovisual effects and an exquisite light show.

 

 

 

 

Central Post office in Skopje, Macedonia

 

Even though the Center of Skopje and its architecture in general is a mix of Ottoman authenticity and buildings from the neo-historical period, the visitors’ attention is turned towards the Central Post office. It is without any surprise that its mixture of modern details and beautiful shape, its unique design was created by a famous Macedonian architect Janko Konstantinov who had the chance to learn from the famous Finnish architect, Aalto Alvar. This concrete building is one of the most famous buildings the city of Skopje is proud of.

 

 

 

 

Smederevo’s Castle, Serbia

 

Smederevo is the former capital of Serbia and offering you one of the most beautiful landmarks, the famous castle of Smederevo. It is located west of Belgrade, on the bank of the river Danube. Its shape is triangular, and altogether it has got 25 big towers, a citadel and a moat. This castle was built in only a year in the fifteenth century and it is a representative of the last bulwark of the Serbs against the Ottoman Imperia.

 

 

 

Pazel Kastel, Croatia

 

Pazin is the capital of the Norhern part of Istria’s region. A town of about 6.000 people, it is the home to one of the most stunning, medieval and famous castles, the Pazel Kastel. Its origin take us back to 938 AD when it was actually first mention in historic documents. Pazel is a town that had a very turbulent history, this castle fell under many conquerors, having included the famous Habsburg Dynasty and Venice’s government. Over the years, the castle was the home of the government center, a defense fortress, a prison and a remarkable location for public events, celebrations and festivals. Today, the Ethnographic museum of Istria is a part of the castle, where musical instruments, clothing, bells, farm tools and barrels can be found.

 

 

 

 

Jajce Castle, Bosnia and Herzegovina

 

Jajce is a small city, known as the independent capital of Bosnia and the fortress town. In the heart of Jajce, you definitely won’t miss the Jajce Castle, one of the most famous medieval castles looking towards the Old Town. This castle was once home to many kings and their crest can still be seen at the main entrance. You will be stunned by the amazing panoramic view towards the mountains and the waterfalls.

 

 

http://www.slavorum.org

 

 

 

The Jajce Town is the capital of the homonymous municipality in the county of central Bosnia and Herzegovina. The city in 1991 counted 13,579 and 45,007 inhabitants of the municipality. The climate is temperate continental with warm summers and snowy winters. The Jajce Town is one of the most significant places of Bosnian, Yugoslav and Croatian history. Jajce is a town in central Bosnia, on the island of Pliva and the Vrbas. It was first mentioned in written records in 1396. It was the possession of Hrvoje Vukčić Hrvatinić, and around the middle of the 15th century took the power of the King. In 1463 fall into the Turks empire, but by the end of that year it is being swept away by Matthias Corvinus and the established Jajce Region for defense against from the Turks. At the turn of 1527, in 1528 it again occupied by the Turkish empire, and the town lost its importance, so that in the 17th century walls of the fortress significantly crumbling. In the great fire in 1658 completely destroyed, and then only partially repaired, so that works Jajce in poor condition until the 80s of the 19th century, when performed extensive conservation work on the citadel and the tower of St. Luke.

 

In the 12th century there are several buildings profane and sacred character, for example, the church in the Romanesque style on the site of the young Gothic church of St. Mary. Another Romanesque building stood in the lower part of the city, and the Emperor’s field is disclosed Romanesque relief plate. In the 13th and early 14th century, built a large wall around the village, which is in the second half of the 14th century significantly boosts, then builds the citadel palace in Romanesque forms retarded. Next to Bear tower carves the underground hall on two floor, known as the Catacombs, which is probably supposed to serve as a space for rituals Order of the Dragon. Judging from the coat of arms in the lobby, premises carved on the orders of Duke Hrvoje, perhaps at the end of his life because the work remained unfinished.

 

At about the same time Franciscans raise on the ruins of the Romanesque church of their monastery of St.. Mary, while still maintaining the Romanesque west portal of the older buildings, above which are inserted Gothic rosette. About 1460 on the north side of the church was built on the tower of St. Luke, who is in the lower parts was implemented in the Gothic style, while the upper three galleries were formed as Romanesque triforium. Around the mid-15th century was built on the citadel of the royal palace in the style of the Venetian-Dalmatian late Gothic, close shop Andrija Alesi. At the entrance to the citadel was erected in a festive Gothic portal with the coat of arms of King Stjepan Tomasevic. In the first decades of the 16th century, the house was expanded annexes in the style of late Gothic medieval. At the time of the Turks church of Sts. Mary was reconstructed into a mosque and the tower of St. Luke turned into a minaret. The royal palace is still standing in the 17th century as a ruin, and was completely destroyed in the late 18th or early 19th century.

 

 

 

Source: http://www.trec.ba

Jajce Fortress was the stronghold of the town of Jajce, a former royal capital and the last territorial possession of the Kingdom of Bosnia.

 

 

Jajce was founded in the 14th century by Hrvoje Vukčić Hrvatinić, a powerful feudal lord in medieval Bosnia. Built at the confluence of the Pliva and Vrbas Rivers, the town served as the seat of power for Hrvoje, who bore the title Grand Duke of Bosnia and was heavily involved in the political intrigues and military actions needed to protect Bosnia’s independence from her more powerful neighbors, the Kingdom of Hungary and the Ottoman Empire. Thus it is altogether sensible that Hrvoje also built a fortress atop the hill at the center of his new town, to deter foes and safeguard his own power.

 

 

Hrvoje died in 1416 after shifting his alliances one too many times and being stripped of most of his lands in the process. His town and the fortress at its heart, however, still stood, and in 1421 King Stjepan Tomasevic moved his royal court to Jajce, thus making it the capital of the Kingdom of Bosnia. To reflect the city’s new royal status, a palace was built within Jajce Fortress in the mid-15th century and an royal portal was added to the complex, emblazoned with the royal Bosnian coat of arms.

 

Jajce Fortess stood fast for another century and helped maintain the independence of the city while the rest of the Kingdom of Bosnia fell to encroaching Ottoman forces. It could not hold out forever, though, and in 1527 Jajce was finally overtaken, making it the last Bosnian town to fall to Ottoman rule.

 

Today, Jajce Fortess still stands on top of the rounded hill at the center of the medieval city, but the tall stone walls and watch towers now only enclose a grass-covered plateau that the Bosnia royal court once called home. The fortress is a short walk from the famous waterfall at the center of Jajce.

 

 

 

(atlasobscura.com)

 

 

One of Jajce’s most unique features is this waterfall which is unusually situated right in the centre of the town. The falls are more than 20 meters high, and are at the point where two rivers meet and converge. The water is almost perfectly clear, and is a glittering bright turquoise color. There are a number of excellent viewing points, the best one being the official viewing platform where visitors are close enough to feel the spray of the water. The falls are currently at their highest recorded point, after an earthquake in the 1990s caused the area to flood and consequently increased the size of the waterfalls. Thanks to their central location, the Pliva waterfalls are a difficult attraction to miss when in Jajce.

 

 

 

 

(theculturetrip.com)

 

Jajce was once the seat of some of Bosnia’s medieval kings, and the remains of their castle are still in a good condition today. Jajce fortress was first built around the mid-14th century, although over the years many alterations and additions have been made. The central castle is located on top of a hill overlooking the city, and within the town there a various parts of old fortified wall as well as gates. One of the most interesting features to look out for is the crest of one of the medieval ruling families, which can be seen in its near-perfect condition at the entrance to the castle. Thanks to this historic legacy, Jajce is currently a candidate for being named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

 

(theculturetrip.com)

 

(foto: JU Agencija Jajce)

Jajce bills itself as Bosnia’s ‘Open Air Museum’, and boasts an impressive urban waterfall right in the town centre. The fortified Old Town climbs a steep rocky knoll to the powerful, ruined castle where Bosnia’s medieval kings were once crowned.

 

More about Jajce on: Jajce-Lonely Planet

 

In this period since passing an important exam in college, I continued treating myself with some travel. Local tourism. Yesterday’s visit to Jajce proved once more to me that local tourism is a great thing. Low expenses. No need for planning. Everything done in just one day. And great experience. So, wherever you live, I suggest you visit some interesting place in your surroundings, where you’ve never been before. Most probably, there are many such places.

 

 

Now some background info. I live in Banja Luka. It’s around 50 kilometers north from Jajce. I decided to visit Jajce because it’s so near to where I live AND very famous for a number of things:

 

It has one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world, at the confluence of Pliva and Vrbas river.

It was a very important city in medieval Bosnian Kingdom. It was the residence of Bosnian kings in 14th and 15th century. A large fortress atop of the hill in the center of Jajce is from this period.

It is the place where former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was born, on the Second Session of AVNOJ, on November 29th, 1943.

More about Zlatkos visit to Jajce, click here .