OLD TOWN SOKOLAC

Author: Dino Dupanović, MA, Museum of the Una-Sana Canton • New photos & video: Mirza Hasanefendić


In the past, the region of Pounje and a considerable part of Cazinska Krajina had a significant role in the defense of the Ottoman Empire toward the west, and were also the starting point for new conquests. In such circumstances building fortification structures was a necessity. One of the fortresses which had a significant role in the defense of these regions is the Sokolac Fortress. Like in the case of many other fortification, religious and other buildings, it is difficult to establish the time when the fortress at Sokolac was built.

According to some studies and historical sources, primarily in the opinion of chronicler Ivan Tomašević, Sokolac was first mentioned in 1020, 1090, 1380 and 1395. However, it can be established with certainty that Sokolac as a royal town was first mentioned in 1395, in a charter pursuant to which Sokolac castellans Ivan Uza and Grgur Eten made peace with Klokočani tribe before the judge of Bihać. Besides, other historical sources also suggest the existence and importance of Sokolac. Thus, Sokolac is mentioned in a charter of King Sigismund, whereby he took over the Blagaj town of Ostrožac and in return gave properties Omršalj and Brekovica, owned by the town of Sokolac, to dukes of Blagaj .

The old town of Sokolac was built on a high and steep hill, where traces were found which indicate that a fort from prehistoric age existed at this site. Traces of prehistoric pottery found during archeological excavations indicate the period from the 10th to the 9th century B.C., which coincides with the time of the existence of stilt houses on the Una River in a nearby village of Ripač. At that time, the area by the Una was inhabited by members of Illyrian people Japodi. Defense of this firmly walled town relied upon the high and strong Sokolac Tower, built in the most prominent part of the town, on a rock which steeply dropped down toward the Una and Bihać, on the north and east side of the town. Compared to other forts and towns in the Pounje, Ostrožac or Ostrovica, Sokolac is a relatively small fort, which by no means decreases its significance. At the base, Sokolac has relatively long dimensions, of a triangular shape, and is enclosed by high walls on two sides, while on the third side the wall extends only to the steep parts of the hill, which makes it almost completely impregnable. At the entrance to the town, there is a small gate tower, of an area of 3x4 meters. In the interior of the tower there are several loopholes which were protected by the wall on both sides. The most prominent part of the fort is a 16.5-meters high tower, of a fairly irregular shape. One entered the lobby of the tower through a door, while the other door were next to the main wall and led to terrace which in turn extended along the bulwark below the loophole. In the lobby there was a big water tank, about 2 meters deep. At the entrance to the tower there was a movable wooden bridge, which could be raised in the event of danger. Besides, security was additionally reinforced by 2.4 meters thick tower walls.  

Sokolac had a fairly turbulent past, which can be traced from the early 15th century. Besides great wars in this period, regardless of the fact that Sokolac was one of the most important forts in Sigismund’s opinion, in 1410 the town was pledged to Pavlo Čupor together with Bihać and Ripač due to a lack of money in Sigismund’s treasury, and in 1431 it was pledged to Nikola and Stjepan Frankopan. In the following years Sokolac continued changing owners, and thus Croatian ban Ivaniš Korvin, and later on the Orlovićs and the Kerečens are mentioned in this context. After 1527 Sokolac was guarded by royal soldiers who were commanded by Bihać captain. Thus, in 1563, the town had a garrison with 12 guards. Like Bihać, Sokolac was conquered by Ottoman army in 1592, and they immediately deployed a strong military garrison commanded by the ćehaja (assistant) of Bihać captain to this fort. The garrison of Sokolac was gradually decreased, and thus in the early 17th century it included only 19 people: two companies, 14 mustahfizes (members of territorial militia) and five artillerymen. It seems that in the following period the garrison in this town was completely revoked, since it is not mentioned at all in the census of 1643. In the mid-18th century, the garrison consisted of 20 people, and two small cannons were brought to the fortress for defense purposes.

Today, Sokolac is one of the best-preserved old towns in the Pounje. In the late 19th century, it was restored at the initiative of the commissioner of Bihać County at the time, count Lothar Berks, and was then opened for visitors. Eventually, a coffee shop for visitors was opened on one of the floors of the Sokolac Fortress, where postcards of the town could be bought. The latest partial repair of the town was made in 1953. In 2015, a new reconstruction was made within the project “Sustainable management of tourism of Adriatic heritage HERA”, which was funded by the European Union and co-funded by the Government of the Una-Sana Canton and the City of Bihać. Within the project, most structures, about 90% of them, were renovated and made operational.

Sokolac has been declared a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 
 

References:

  • Kruhek, Milan, Krajiške utrde hrvatskog kraljevstva, Zagreb, 1995.  

  • Maslak, Nijazija, Mujadžić, Mirzet, Kadić, Amir, Stari gradovi Unsko-sanskog kantona, Zavod za zaštitu kulturnog naslijeđa, Bihać, 2013.

  • Midžić, Fikret, Tvrđava Sokolac, Arhiv

  • Unsko-sanskog kantona i Društvo arhivskih radnika Unsko-sanskog kantona, Bihać, 2013.

  • Truhelka, Ćiro, Naši gradovi, Sarajevo, 1904.