Počitelj, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| Počitelj Почитељ |
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|---|---|
| Town | |
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 Location of Čapljina municipality within Bosnia and Herzegovina. |
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| Country | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Entity | Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Canton | Herzegovina-Neretva |
| Municipality | Čapljina |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Area code(s) | +387 036 |
Počitelj is a village in the Čapljina municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The historic site of Počitelj is located on the left bank of the river Neretva, on the main Mostar to Metković road, and it is about 30 km. to the south of Mostar.
The village is built in a natural karst amphiteatre along the Neretva river. The walled town of Počitelj evolved in the period from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Architecturally, the stone-constructed parts of the town are a fortified complex, in which two stages of evolution are evident: medieval, and Ottoman.
The first recorded reference to Počitelj dates from 1444, in charters by King Alfonso V of Aragon and in 1448 by Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor. It was mentioned as a fortified town of the Dubrava district, ruled by Duke Stjepan Vukčič Kosača. In the period between 1463-1471 the town housed a Hungarian garrison and was fortified into a strategic defence stronghold. In 1471, following a brief siege, the town was conquered by the Ottomans. It lost its strategic significance. It remained within the Ottoman Empire until 1878. From 1782 to 1879 Počitelj was the seat of akadiluk (area under the jurisdiction of a qadi, or judge) and the center of the Počitelj military district from 1713 to 1835.
The significance and the town's appearance has altered during the course of its history. As far as the development of Počitelj goes, three significant periods can be distinguished:
After the establishment of Austro-Hungarian rule in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1878, Počitelj lost its strategic importance and started deteriorating rapidly. The population declined gradually. The loss of the town's strategic role assisted in the preservation of the original urban architectural ensemble, so that the town remained in its original form to present day.
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