Fortresses and old towns of Bijelo Polje

MILITARY ARCHEOLOGY AND FORTS OF THE PAST: Old towns and fortifications of Bijelo Polje The territory of the municipality of Bijelo Polje abounds with material traces of the turbulent history of fortification, which is most vividly reflected in the remains of old fortifications, ramparts, hidden refuges and defensive towers. Due to its strategically crucial geographical position in the valley of the river Lim - which for centuries served as a natural traffic route and a key link between the Adriatic Sea, the coast and the deep interior of the Balkans - this region has been an eternal target of invaders throughout history. In order to secure important trade routes (such as the Dubrovnik and Skadar roads) and detect the movement of enemy armies in time, a complex, in-depth defense system was built on hard-to-reach heights and naturally protected cliffs. These stone guardians of the past bear witness to the strategic genius of the ancient builders and the centuries-old struggle for control over the Lima Valley.

1. The old town of Bihor (Bihor fortress) – Center of military power The old town of Bihor is the most significant, the largest and the most archaeologically valuable medieval and Ottoman fortification in the wider area of ​​Bjelopolje municipality. It is located on the steep, rocky and dominant hill of Gradin, above the village of Bioča. From this point there is an unobstructed panoramic view of kilometers of roads, which allowed for complete military control over the entire Bihor and the Lim Valley. THE OLD TOWN OF BIHOR
   (Military-administrative chronology) XIV - XV century | Raising the Fortress (Christian Lordship)
2. year | Fall under Ottoman rule (Kluka kaza) 1852 | Official leaving of the military crew

Historical development and change of empires Although the archaeological finds on Gradina Hill point to the continuity of life since prehistoric times and antiquity, the fortress itself is most clearly identified in historical sources in the 14th century, during the period of the strengthening of the Serbian medieval state. Bihor is mentioned in written documents as an important possession of the Christian rulers and as a key customs station on one of the busiest branches of the Dubrovnik road. The Ottomans conquered Bihor in 1455, in the rush of Isak Bey's army, almost at the same time as the nearby Novi Pazar fell. From that moment, the fort changed its role completely: it became the seat of the eponymous kaza (military-administrative area) and one of the most important defense bases in Novopazarski sandžak. For centuries, a permanent Ottoman military crew lived in the fortress under the command of the dizdar (commander of the fortress). The building remained in active military use until the middle of the 19th century (more precisely until 1852), when with the development of modern artillery it lost its old strategic importance and was permanently abandoned. Architectural solutions and the interior of the ramparts Architecturally, Bihor was built according to strict and advanced principles of medieval and early modern fortification. The complex was divided into two levels: Upper Town (Citadel): The highest and best defended point on the rock itself, reserved for the crew commander and ammunition storage. Lower Town: A wider area surrounded by powerful stone ramparts that follow the natural, irregular shape of the cliff, where the army was stationed. The walls were built from local, hewn stone bound with lime mortar. Inside the ramparts there were facilities necessary for long-term defense: massive towers with cannon openings and loopholes, military barracks, powder room, guardhouses and a small mosque for the crew's needs. The secret of Bihor's invincibility: A special feature of the fortification, confirmed by folklore and partial archaeological soundings, is the existence of a hidden, extremely steep underground passage (or a well-secured, inaccessible path) that led straight down from the interior of the citadel to the river bed at the foot of the hill. This secret road allowed the soldiers to supply themselves with water and food under the cover of night, making the fortress virtually impregnable during months-long enemy sieges. 2. Samograd Complex - Ancient and Early Byzantine defense system Although the archaeological complex Samograd itself is located on the historical border between Berane and Petnjica (geographically closest to the Bjelopolje village of Brzava), it represents an inseparable part of the defense system of the Lima valley and an older layer of fortification in this region. Natural fortress: Samograd got its name from the fascinating natural configuration of the terrain - the complex consists of gigantic, vertical rocks that look as if they "popped out of the ground by themselves". Ancient builders took advantage of these natural boulders and built massive connecting ramparts and towers among them. Justinian era: Research shows that this fortification system was most active in the 6th century, at the time of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I, when it served as a powerful defensive cordon against the penetration of barbarian tribes. Inside its walls functioned a real small fortified city with early Christian basilicas and a refuge for the civilian population, providing security to the entire upper Polimlje for centuries before the Bihor fortress was built. 3. Network of prehistoric and medieval fortifications

The defense of the Bjelopolje region did not depend on just one object. The entire area of ​​the municipality was networked with smaller fortifications, known in archeology as fortifications. These fortifications were built in the Bronze and Iron Ages, and were later renovated by the Romans and medieval rulers: Gradina in Koriti: A strategic elevation that controlled the road routes towards the Pešter Plateau. Remains of prehistoric stone land borders and later medieval walls are still visible in this locality. The hill above the entrance of Bistrica to Lim (Voljavac): Control point that provided the entrance to the fertile Bistrica valley. This position allowed the army to spot any movement along the river course in time and send signals to other fortifications. Fortified localities in Zaton and Brzava: Remains of smaller stone casters (fortifications) that were used to accommodate smaller military guards that guarded caravans on the Dubrovnik road. 4. System of bey towers and watchtowers (Late Ottoman period) In the 17th and 18th centuries, due to the change in the way of warfare and the more frequent incursions of bandits, the defense strategy moved from the high hills to the plains and to the very approaches to the city. Then a specific system of fortified bey towers and watchtowers was created. Towers as miniature fortresses: Rich Bey families from Bjelo Polje (such as Ćorović, Zaimović, Martinović and Hajdarpašić) built massive stone towers with three or four floors in the Bjelo Polje plain and suburban settlements. These buildings had extremely thick walls of hewn stone, windows kept to a minimum and numerous loopholes (mulgales) on the upper floors. The ground floor was usually used as stables and food storage, while the upper levels were used for living and defense. Early Warning System: These towers, along with military watchtowers located along the borders of the kaza, functioned as a linked signaling system. In the event of a major attack or rebellion, sentinels from outpost towers would light large fires or fire cannons to transmit the signal from tower to tower, all the way to the main garrison in the Old City of Bihor. In this way, the entire Lima Valley could be alerted in just a few minutes. Today's condition and historical significance Today, the impressive remains of the fortification wealth of Bijelo Polje are mainly preserved - the outlines of the mighty ramparts of the Old Town of Bihor, the capi-tower, the remains of the walls on Samograd and the foundations of the old bey towers. Although in ruins, these stone monuments represent an invaluable "historical archive under the open sky". For explorers, historians and tourists with an adventurous spirit, Bjelopolje fortresses and ramparts offer a fascinating insight into military architecture, survival strategy and the turbulent past of this part of Montenegro. They are living proof that throughout the ages the Lima Valley was an area of ​​enormous geopolitical importance, where survival was measured by the height and strength of the stone walls.