Prijepolje

Traces the life of the Prijepolje population can be traced from prehistory to present day. In the area of Prijepolje and middle Polimlje a lot of immovable and movable archaeological material belonging to different periods of human civilization was found, discovered, and studied.


Particularly interesting is the site of Roman necropolis ‘Dvorine’ on Kolovrat from the Roman period in which they found items of pottery, glass, bronze, silver and gold.

Prijepolje was first mentioned by Gijom Adam in 1332, while in Dubrovnik’s and historical sources it was first mentioned in 1343 for the monastery Mileseva. The historical records document Prijepolje as a settlement developed on the caravan road known as ‘road to Dubrovnik’, which connected the central and eastern parts of the Balkans with the secondary part of the Adriatic coast. Traders who followed the caravans met there, workers finishing their hard work, workers who took the goods and all.

Distance between Dubrovnik and Mileseva was then much larger, and could be overcomed in a few days. As the road lead through forests full of bandits, in many places were crew of soldiers was set to secure the roads, and according to following terms of collective responsibility - if one dies on the roads or lose his wealth, all the guards of the town clossest to the road were made to compensate the damage. Because of that the road was full of peasants obliged to guard the woods all day, where they looked out for the bandits. Hitting a small drum they gave passers-by know that there is no danger. In the Middle Ages Prijepolje area, high Polimlje, and the whole valley of Lim were base axis of Raska and its most populated and the most advanced area. In parishes of the valley of Lima, Dabar, Crna Stena, Zvezda, Bihor, Ljubovidi, Budimlja and Plava about seventy monasteries and churches were raised. Therefore, at that time the parish in Lim valley and its tributaries represented the most important part of Serbia, Nemanja state, and his descendants. This was proved by many monuments, among which are the most important: Davidovic at Brodarevo, and Mileseva near Prijepolje by the confluence of Kosatica and Milesevka, built by King Vladislav Nemanjic at the end of the second decade of the thirteenth century, between 1218 and 1219. Due to the fact that the it has beautiful frescoes, and that for a long time there was the tomb of St. Sava, that first Serbian Archbishop and educators were there, the monastery Mileseva has excellent reputation. The most famous frescoes of Mileseva are the authentic image of St. Sava, the White Angel whith which Europe welcomed America when they established the first satellite link between them. Today, Mileseva is placed under the protection of UNESCO. During the long Turkish rule more facilities were built. Among them are the famous Ibrahim Pasha Mosque, and Clock Tower. Ibrahim Pasha Mosque is located in Sarampov, probably built in the sixteenth century. It is very beautiful and attractive mosque with a minaret, and covered with ceramids. Prijepolje area is known for very turbulent past, as it wes integral part of the First Serbian Uprising, old wives' rebellion in 1875, Javor’s War in 1876, Raonik rebellion, the Balkan Wars, and both World Wars.

GEOGRAPHY OF THE TOWN

The average elevation of the area is above 1200 m, indicating that this is mountain area whose highest point is on mountain Jadovnik (Katunic) at 1734 m, and lowest is at the mouth of the Lim and Milesevka at 440 m above sea level. Prijepolje is placed at the place of contact maritim and continental air masses. From the sea air line distance is 140 km, and the Pannonian plain 160 km. However, between the Adriatic and the Pannonian Plain the high mountain ranges interfere, whose height is sometimes over 2500 m. They prevent the penetration of continental and maritim impact in the space of Prijepolje area. Therefore Prijepolje can be counted as a city with moderate - continental climate that is significantly modified by the influence of relief. Mean annual temperature is about 9.3 ° C. Lowest middle temperatures in January are around -2.8 ° C, while middle maximum in July are about 19.1 ° C. Lim is the largest river of the Prijepolje area, and all smaller water flows are directed towards it. It has the characteristics of composite valley because between Priboj and Bijelopoljka valleys river gorges alternate with extensions - ravines. To the left of Lim Gostunska, Slatinska, Komaranska rivers, Gracanica, Mioska, Ratajska, Seljasnica and Ljupco confulate, and on the right Grobljanska, Stranjanska, Dubocica, Krusevica, Ribnjak, Zebuda, Milesevka and Bistrica. Most of them are very fast.