In the shadow of the mighty walls of the Old Town of Srebrenik, one of the most beautiful and best-preserved fortresses, echoes the spirit of the time when the statehood of medieval Bosnia was being written here.
The town today is renewing its heritage and attracting more and more tourists.
The fortress, which even today impresses as if it were from a fairy tale, is first mentioned on February 15th, 1333, in the agreement concluded under Srebrenik (the so-called Srebrenik Charter) by Ban Stjepan II Kotromanic (1322-1353) and representatives of the Republic of Dubrovnik on the cession of Ston, Peljesac, Prevlaka, and some other properties to the Republic in exchange for an annual tribute of 500 perpera.
It is also considered that Srebrenik is the birthplace of the first Bosnian king, Tvrtko I Kotromanic.
A key place in Bosnian history
The mayor of Srebrenik, Adnan Bjelic, points out that this town is indeed one of the key places of Bosnian history.
“The Old Town of Srebrenik, as is already known, was mentioned for the first time on February 15th, 1333, in the Charter of the Bosnian Ban Stjepan II Kotromanic, when he, at the foot of this Old Town, received representatives of the Republic of Dubrovnik and when he issued that, for Srebrenik, famous Charter,” said Bjelic.
He added that this historical event is today marked through numerous manifestations through which Srebrenik seeks to revive its rich heritage and affirm itself as a town that was crucial for Bosnian statehood during the Middle Ages.
“That Charter is one of the proofs of the statehood of medieval Bosnia in that period,” Bjelic said, stating that they are proud that Stjepan Kotromanic, with his stay “here left that first mention of our town and today we base most of our manifestations on that first mention and attempt to highlight Srebrenik both within the framework of Tuzla Canton (TC) and of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) as a place where the statehood of BiH was immortalized.”
A special place in local tradition is also held by the assumption that the first Bosnian king, Tvrtko I Kotromanic, was born in Srebrenik, since his family often stayed in this region at that time.
“And that is something that in recent years we use as part of branding Srebrenik as a royal town,” emphasized the mayor.
The fortress on the slopes of Mount Majevica
The Old Town of Srebrenik is located on the northeastern slopes of Majevica, about five kilometers from the town of Srebrenik.
Throughout the centuries, the fortress went through various phases, losing and gaining importance, but thanks to conservation and restoration works, it managed to preserve its authentic appearance. The first major restoration was carried out in 1977, which, according to the words of the mayor, was key to the preservation of this exceptional monument.
“Today, after conservation and restoration, the fortress has opened its doors to both domestic and foreign tourists,” emphasized Bjelic, adding that the Old Town of Srebrenik is one of the best-preserved fortresses from the Middle Ages, and is located on a rock at a height of about 70 meters.
Today, the Old Town of Srebrenik attracts a growing number of visitors – from students and researchers to foreign tourists and lovers of history.
Its position, on a rock dominating the valley of the river Tinja, makes it one of the most photogenic sites in BiH.
“Srebrenik is located in a fairly busy location, and when it comes to individual visits, visits from Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic take the lead…,” he explained, noting that it is nice to see that in recent years they often have campers in the parking lot next to the Old Town.
Due to the development of Tuzla Airport and the establishment of new routes in recent years.
“Travel writers from various surrounding countries and Europe often stop by here, and Srebrenik has in the past few years been placed on the list of the most underrated tourist destinations,” added Bjelic.
The mayor concludes that Srebrenik today does not live only in the shadow of its glorious past, but draws inspiration for the future precisely from it.
Gradina
The Srebrenik fortress, like many others throughout BiH, is called Gradina by the locals. It consists of three parts that follow one another with four towers and a small castle. The Lower Town consists of the entrance square, a four-sided tower, a gate with an auxiliary building, and a courtyard.
From there, alongside the rounded four-sided tower, one reaches the plateau on which the barracks are located, from where, next to the square four-sided tower, stone stairs lead to the gate of the Upper Town, that is, the Srebrenik citadel. In the citadel, there is a smaller castle, next to which, at the top of the rock above the entrance city tower-gate, is placed the large round four-sided Donjon.
In the period after the Ottomans, Srebrenik was in a certain historical background, so there are not many testimonies about the town from the period of Austro-Hungarian rule, nor the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. It experiences a renewed awakening after the Second World War.
The Old Town of Srebrenik was declared a national monument of BiH in 2004.
