Page 52 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 8(1) (2020)
P. 52
ure 1 Location of the Kastel fortress.52
in northern Bosnia. The pottery recovered from
the fortress was dated to the Neolithic, whilehereditati
from the Eneolithic (Copper Age) ceramics from ji Šeher (area of the present Kastel). Although
the Baden cultural group and a small number of the name Banja Luka was firstly mentioned in
Vučedol culture pottery fragments were discov- 1494, it is not known where the fortress of Ban-
ered. Within the ramparts, archaeological mate- ja Luka was located. In 1554, Banja Luka became
rial dating from the Late Bronze and Iron Age the base of the Bosnian sanjak-bey (–command-
was also found. Based on the discoveries, it was er of the sanjak (modern: sancak)- the admi-
interpreted that during antiquity (Roman peri- nistrative unit area). When the Bosnian Pasha-
od) there was an ancient settlement called Cas- luk (beylerbeylik, eyalet, ajalet) was established
tra, in which there was a travel station (mansio), in 1580, the Pashaluk headquarters was located
a military camp (castrum), a civilian settlement in Banja Luka. Prior to 1587, a tophana (arsenal)
adjacent to the camp (canabae) and a beneficiary was also built and which was later turned into a
station (statio). It belonged to the territory of the fortress, during the reign of Sultan Mehmed III
Upper Pannonia province, and the area was in- (1595–1603) and, unlike the Old Town in Gorn-
habited by the Oseriates tribe. The settlement of ji Šeher, it was called the New City. As usual, a
Castra was located on communication that de- mosque was built in the fort and was dedicated
parted from Salona (Solin), which in that peri- to the Sultan. During the reconstruction of Nu-
od used to represent the political centre of the man - pasha Ćuprilić (1712 - 1714), the fortress
Roman province of Dalmatia, to the Seritius reaches its final dimensions; it was repaired dur-
(Bosanska Gradiška), the port on the Sava in the ing the period 1737–1738. From an anonymous
Pannonia province. description written around 1785, there were 50
cannons in the fort. The last repair of the For-
In the mid-eighteenth century, according to tress was in 1868. During the Austrian occupa-
the travelogue of Evliya Çelebi as well as other tion, a battalion was stationed in the fort. After
travel writers, two cities were mentioned in Banja World War II, until 1959, Kastel fortress con-
Luka; one in Gornji Šeher and the other in Don- tinued to serve military purposes and from the
1960s onwards, it was used for various purposes.
in northern Bosnia. The pottery recovered from
the fortress was dated to the Neolithic, whilehereditati
from the Eneolithic (Copper Age) ceramics from ji Šeher (area of the present Kastel). Although
the Baden cultural group and a small number of the name Banja Luka was firstly mentioned in
Vučedol culture pottery fragments were discov- 1494, it is not known where the fortress of Ban-
ered. Within the ramparts, archaeological mate- ja Luka was located. In 1554, Banja Luka became
rial dating from the Late Bronze and Iron Age the base of the Bosnian sanjak-bey (–command-
was also found. Based on the discoveries, it was er of the sanjak (modern: sancak)- the admi-
interpreted that during antiquity (Roman peri- nistrative unit area). When the Bosnian Pasha-
od) there was an ancient settlement called Cas- luk (beylerbeylik, eyalet, ajalet) was established
tra, in which there was a travel station (mansio), in 1580, the Pashaluk headquarters was located
a military camp (castrum), a civilian settlement in Banja Luka. Prior to 1587, a tophana (arsenal)
adjacent to the camp (canabae) and a beneficiary was also built and which was later turned into a
station (statio). It belonged to the territory of the fortress, during the reign of Sultan Mehmed III
Upper Pannonia province, and the area was in- (1595–1603) and, unlike the Old Town in Gorn-
habited by the Oseriates tribe. The settlement of ji Šeher, it was called the New City. As usual, a
Castra was located on communication that de- mosque was built in the fort and was dedicated
parted from Salona (Solin), which in that peri- to the Sultan. During the reconstruction of Nu-
od used to represent the political centre of the man - pasha Ćuprilić (1712 - 1714), the fortress
Roman province of Dalmatia, to the Seritius reaches its final dimensions; it was repaired dur-
(Bosanska Gradiška), the port on the Sava in the ing the period 1737–1738. From an anonymous
Pannonia province. description written around 1785, there were 50
cannons in the fort. The last repair of the For-
In the mid-eighteenth century, according to tress was in 1868. During the Austrian occupa-
the travelogue of Evliya Çelebi as well as other tion, a battalion was stationed in the fort. After
travel writers, two cities were mentioned in Banja World War II, until 1959, Kastel fortress con-
Luka; one in Gornji Šeher and the other in Don- tinued to serve military purposes and from the
1960s onwards, it was used for various purposes.
