top of page

Search Results

48 items found for ""

  • Medieval Pathway of Prcanj | Bay Of Kotor - Cultural Heritage Project | Prčanj

    2007-2017 Medieval pathway of Prcanj cover photo: Steps of medieval pathway above Prcanj Landscape sound of summer morning in Forest Lekovina, Prcanj, Montenegro - recorded by Bogdan Kusevic. August 2009. 00:00 / 00:00 The area of the medieval path represents one of the few coastal areas in the interior of the Bay of Kotor, where the cultural landscape has not been attacked yet by commercial construction and where there is continuity from the sea Glavati to the top of the mountain (Spille River Canyon). The pathway is a proof of Prcanj’s historical development, of the time when the settlement was located on the upper levels of the Vrmac hill, resting on agriculture. A special way of treating the soil, preserving fertile humus layers, was achieved by the dry-stone wall techniques on terraced levels along Vrmac slopes. Moving from the sea to the hill, ancient varieties of Mediterranean fruit, such as citrus, grapes, olives, figs, are still present. These authentic sloped terraces of autochthonous agricultural varieties are still preserved below the area of the upper medieval path connecting the Church of St. Anna with the church of St. Peter on the way to the Old Parish church toward Spilla river. There are also centuries old oaks and pine forests in the zones between the agricultural estates, which are also planted as old villagers can tell. ​ READ MORE on heritage article ''Medieval pathway of Prcanj" ​ Next

  • Lukovic Street | Bay Of Kotor - Cultural Heritage Project | Prčanj

    2007-2017 Lukovic Street - Prcanj,Montenegro cover photo: Lukovic Street, Prcanj Lukovic Street was the core of the public life of the 16th and 17th century. It is named after the Lukovic family houses, which have exceptionally elegantly decorated stone balustrades; the palaces follows the sea line, merging into the street front, and making a unique and indivisible ambient unit in a functional and aesthetic domain. Opposed to the houses towards the sea, so-called ‘ponta’ were made over the time, for accessing sailboats with a plateau on which cargoes from ships were landed, as well as small ports for binding family boats. The coastal belt was an indivisible private space and made up a whole with the palaces. In the later period, around 1805, when this region was already under the Austro-Hungarian empire, the emperor had the first coastal road built along the sea for military needs, thus completely interrupting the continuity of family gardens from the sea to the houses. This act changed forever the character of space, dividing it into two parts, one made up of family ports for boats with berths along the sea, and another made up of a paved street of the Lukovic family. The seafront, including ponta and boat bindings, were private properties in the 19th century, characterized by traditional stone bindings, stone paving and stone sea-shores, with small gardens rich in Mediterranean vegetation. ​ READ MORE on heritage article ''Street of Lukovic family" Next

  • History In Stone. Prcanj | Bay Of Kotor - Cultural Heritage Project | Prčanj

    2007-2017 History in stone cover photo: Unique example of descriptive geometry in real size scale on facade of Our Lady's Temple in Prcanj,Montenegro Stone plastics, family heraldry, doors and balustrades, these are all photographed in the town of Prcanj, Montenegro during the period 2008-2018. Next

  • Prcanj | Bay of Kotor | Cultural heritage project | Bogdan Kusevic

    2007-2017 Prcanj (ita. Perzagno) cover photo: view towards Street of Lukovic Family in Prcanj Waves hitting on the stone piers- Prcanj, Montenegro - recorded by Bogdan Kusevic. april 2013 00:00 / 00:00 The town of Prcanj in Kotor municipality in Montenegro is a coastal town which traditionally relied on the maritime trade and such tradition has remained to the present day. Historically, the first mentions of it were in 1222 in the correspondence regarding the construction of St Johan Church. During the medieval age, the town was being developed in the upper level in the hill and it relied primarily on the local agriculture. Later, at the beginning of the 15th century, the town rapidly started to develop in the coastal region. Today Prcanj is well-known as a health resort, which was recognized at the congress of Yugoslavian pulmonologists in 1920s., and it attracts many visitors seeking for health improvement, sports training and family holiday in the peaceful scenery along the coast. It has a population of around 1,100. ​ READ MORE on heritage article ''Prcanj, Montenegro" Next

  • Pjesacka staza | Muo - Prcanj - Gornji Stoliv | Cultural heritage project

    Pješačka staza Muo - Prčanj - Gornji Stoliv Staza do crkve Sv. Kuzme i Damjana iznad naselja Muo Staza do crkve Sv. Kuzme i Damjana iznad naselja Muo Ruševine starih kuća duž staze prema crkvi Sv. Kuzme i Damjana Crkva Sv. Kuzme i Damjana Pogled sa dijela staze Muo- crkva Sv. Kuzme i Damjana Ruševine starih kuća duž staze iznad naselja Muo Ruševine starih kuća duž staze iznad naselja Muo Staza iznad bivšeg vojnog kompleksa na Prčanju Staza iznad naselja Muo Pristupna staza, Velja Rijeka - Glavati -Prčanj Staza duž crkve Sv. Ane - Glavati Ruševine palate Sbutega - uvala Glavati kod crkve Sv. Ane Pogled sa dijela staze uvala Sv. Ane Staza duž crkve Sv. Petra iznad Prčanja Staza do ruševina stare župne crkve iznad Prčanja Staza pored ruševina stare župne crkve iznad Prčanja Ruševine stare župne crkve iznad Prčanja Stara župna crkva Prčanja Staza do ruševina stare župne crkve iznad Prčanja Staza ka lokalitetu Grasovo - Prčanj Pogled sa dijela staze Grasovo - Markov Rt Staza do Gornjeg Stoliva Staza do Gornjeg Stoliva Crkva Sv. Ilije u Gornjem Stolivu Pogled sa dijela staze Gornji Stoliv - Markov Rt ​ Stara pješačka staza Muo – Prčanj – Gornji Stoliv za koju se smatra da je bila aktivna i tokom srednjeg vijeka, povezivala je stara naselja u brdu sa naseljima duž obale mora kada priobalni put još nije postojao. Njene mnogobrojne pristupne staze koje se stepenicama i kosim kaldrmisanim rampama uspinju od mora, vode najčešće do župnih crkava u brdu. Najznačajniji ogranci ovih staza su: staza od naselja Muo do Crkve Sv. Kuzme i Damjana, staza od naselja Prčanj na lokalitetu Grasovo do ruševina Stare župne crkve u brdu i staza od Donjeg Stoliva do Crkve Sv. Ilije u Gornjem Stolivu. Ovi ogranci pješačkih staza imali su svoju važnu religijsku ulogu u životu naroda ovog podneblja, a možemo govoriti i o njihovom hodočasničkom karakteru. Tipičan primjer takve staze je staza do Stare župne crkve u brdu iznad Prčanja u kojoj se do izgradnje Bogorodičinog hrama pri moru, nalazila čudotvorna ikona Majke Božije koju je u dane svetkovine posjećivalo i do 6000 vjernika. ​ Pješačka staza u brdu Muo – Prčanj – Gornji Stoliv započinje u priobalnom dijelu naselja Muo, a nedaleko od Crkve Sv. Kuzme i Damjana u brdu, njen ogranak skreće ka Prčanju, iako je u većem dijelu neprohodan i produžava iznad bivšeg vojnog kompleksa. Staza nastavlja iznad naselja Glavati gdje prolazi pored starih kuća, a iznad Velje Rijeke spušta se u uvalu Sv. Ane. Staza potom prolazi pored starih naseljenih kuća u brdu i nastavlja pored ruševina Stare prčanjske župne crkve i nastavlja sve do Gornjeg Stoliva. Nažalost, dio staze od naselja Muo do naselja Glavati je sasvim neprohodan i nije markiran, a godinama nije održavan. Ovaj segment staze bi zasigurno trebalo uvrstiti u plan pješačkih tura Boke Kotorske. Zbog nabujale vegetacije, Maja 2021. nije pristupačan ni dio pješačke staze na Prčanju, na lokalitetu Velja Rijeka – Sv. Ana – Mondov Potok, kao i dio staze na lokalitetu Grasovo – Markov Rt – Gornji Stoliv. ​ Staza Muo – Prčanj – Gornji Stoliv je višestruko značajna za izučavanje istorije ovih naselja i jedna je od najinteresantnijih jer pruža kontinuirane panoramske vizure na zaliv Boke Kotorske u dužini i do nekoliko kilometara. Prolazi dalje pored najstarijih ostataka i ruševina kuća u brdu čiji su kameni zidovi debljine izmedu jednog i dva metra što je najupečatljivije u gornjem dijelu naselja Muo od strane Prčanja. Ruševina starih srednjovjekovnih kuća duž staze ima i u uvali Sv. Ane, potom duž staze poslije Crkve Sv. Petra na Prčanju, kao i duž staze Muo – Crkva Sv. Kuzme i Damjana. Takođe na trasi staze Muo – Prčanj – Gornji Stoliv nalaze se brojne porodične kapele i crkve od kojih su mnoge u ruševinama. ​ Pejzažna vrijednost staze ogleda se u autentičnim tehnikama gradnje u kombinaciji stepenika isklesanih u stijeni i kamenih stepenica, kao i kamenim kaldrmisanim rampama, visokim podzidama od suvomeđa koje prate i denivelišu stazu od terasastih poljoprivrednih imanja. Takve sisteme podzida najupečatljivije su na dijelu staze Muo – Crkva Sv. Kuzme i Damjana, Grasovo – Stara prčanjska crkva u brdu, kao i lokalitet Mondov Potok – Prčanj. Karakter i ljepotu pješačke staze Muo – Prčanj – Gornji Stoliv čine mali visinski usponi, prolazak kroz raznovrsne tipove pejzaža, od kamenjara i sipara, maslinjaka, borovih, hrastovih i kestenovih šuma pa sve do pašnjaka sa autentičnim poljoprivrednim sortama i starim kamenim kućama u brdu. Bogatstvo i vrijednost pješačke staze, ogleda se i u brojnim ruševinama kako stambene tako i sakralne arhitekture koje su istinsko bogatstvo za buduću valorizaciju, prilika za oživljavanje "low – carbon" turizma i prezentaciju autentičnog načina života ljudi ovog podneblja od najstarijih vremena do danas. ​ ​ ​ KAKO DA CITIRATE OVAJ CLANAK Kusevic, B. (2021). Pješačka staza Muo - Prčanj - Gornji Stoliv. ‘‘The Archive of Landscapes” [datum]. ​ POZADINSKA KARTA David Rumsey Historical Map Collection | The Collection; (1693) Disegno Topografico del Canale di Cattaro, Montenegro; Coronelli, Vincenzo (1650-1718). ​ FOTOGRAFIJA: Bogdan Kusevic. 2018-2021 ​

  • Medieval pathway of Prcanj | Article | Bogdan Kusevic | Bay of Kotor. Montenegro

    Medieval pathway of Prcanj, Montenegro The upper medieval path of Prcanj, from Glavati to Spille, with old churches on the hill and ruins of medieval houses, authentic farm estates and terraced gardens planted with olives as well as wooded areas between them, should be proclaimed, according to the wish of the residents, as protected landscape of special importance for the municipality of Kotor, as well as a valuable hiking tour. The area of the medieval path represents one of the few coastal areas in the interior of the Bay of Kotor, where the cultural landscape has not been attacked yet by commercial construction and where there is continuity from the sea Glavati) to the top of the mountain (Spille River Canyon). The pathway is a proof of Prcanj’s historical development, of the time when the settlement was located on the upper levels of the Vrmac hill, resting on agriculture. A special way of treating the soil, preserving fertile humus layers, was achieved by the dry-stone wall techniques on terraced levels along Vrmac slopes. Moving from the sea to the hill, ancient varieties of Mediterranean fruit, such as citrus, grapes, olives, figs, are still present. These authentic sloped terraces of autochthonous agricultural varieties are still preserved below the area of the upper medieval path connecting the Church of St. Anna with the church of St. Peter on the way to the Old Parish church toward Spilla river. There are also centuries old oaks and pine forests in the zones between the agricultural estates, which are also planted as old villagers can tell. On the top, this zone of settlement also shows several foundations of ancient family homes that date back to the Middle Ages, and in addition to the medieval paths, numerous ruins of churches and dry stonewalls are the material evidence of the medieval village of Prcanj which was located on the hill. The landscape of the upper medieval path of the Prcanj is of a great importance for settlement and it is necessary to point out its future conscientious management in order to maintain its outstanding universal value as an integral part of the UNESCO Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor. ​ ​ ​​​​ HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Kusevic, B. (2017). Medieval pathway of Prcanj , Montenegro ‘‘The Archive of Landscapes”. [date]. ​ BIBLIOGRAPHY . ​ BACKGROUND PHOTO. David Rumsey Historical Map Collection | The Collection; (1693) Disegno Topografico del Canale di Cattaro, Montenegro; Coronelli, Vincenzo (1650-1718).

  • Heritage | Bogdan Kusevic | Cultural heritage in danger article

    The cultural landscape in danger of UNESCO Natural and Culturo-historical region of Kotor Over the last decade, the region of the Bay of Kotor, which has been the UNESCO heritage site since 1979, is the area where severe destruction of the cultural landscape has occurred due to the excessive building industry, triggered by huge investments. Such appalling development of the entire Bay is threatening to devastate the fragile cultural landscape of the Bay of Kotor. Because of excessive destruction of the outstanding universal value of the cultural landscape, traditional urban settlements are endangered by the over-scaled architecture for commercial purposes. As a result of this, the UNESCO Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor will probably soon be erased from the World Heritage list. It should also be pointed out that Boka Kotorska is a place where cultures overlap due to Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and Austro-Hungarian rule. Thus, the complexity of the landscape and its connection to the past eras is a strong argument for its valorisation by integrative approach which would first consider the social value of the cultural landscape. Such an approach to the overall socio-historical development of the region also has to contain the environmental component in many areas of management of landscape and urban planning. ​ Nowadays native people have lost connection with the local environment in Bay of Kotor; this has happened by changing the way people use landscape and by vanishing the active cultivation of the same. Moreover, the way the landscape is used has drastically changed after the last earthquake in 1979; furthermore, over the last decade it has been highly influenced by the heavy foreign investment in real estate industry.For all these reasons, the cultural landscape of the Bay of Kotor region, and Prcanj in particular, is under the big threat of losing all its inherited features represented by the materiality and the structure of the landscape itself, as well as vanishing the collective memory of its traditional character and specificity. Today, many areas have been devastated by building residential buildings without any legal certificate, thus imposing high seismic hazard; also, by interrupting the organical linkage with surrounding landscape; even, by making life more complicated and dangerous (neglecting the necessity of adequate access for personal cars, or not providing a livable neighbourhood). All these problems make a real urban chaos in some upper areas of Prcanj like Tre Sorelle and Sarena Gomila. After the 1979 earthquake, an intensive urbanisation started without any implemented strategical urban planning. Today, some areas in Prcanj which are important for their cultural landscape, like St. Anna Valley, are threatened by uncontrolled urbanisation, like the building of a big real estate settlement, and by imposing the complete destruction of the authentic cultural landscape. Now the urge for urban legislation of the entire UNESCO area of Kotor, as well as in Prcanj, is the top priority for Montenegro, and among the aims of this report is to point to urgent actions in urban legislation and integrated approach toward cultural landscape protection, as well as to raise public awareness about its tangible and intangible features. Due to excessive construction, the authenticity of the Region of Kotor is fading away and is rudely devastated in the name of sustainable development. However, in this case the concept of sustainability has been compromised from the very start. Such a problematic approach of urban planning is evident on the entire coast of Montenegro but it is most obvious in the region of Kotor, which is under the protection of the UNESCO. I would like to point out that the town of Kotor with its surroundings is in a chaotic situation now. Abandoned spots in the town of huge potentials such as the old abandoned site of the factory, ruins of Fjord Hotel, the modernist building of Jugooceanija, a former shipping company, and a lot of other areas of the huge potentials such as Skurda peninsula, and sports hall in Skaljari, and the building of former Autoremont are wrecked. At present, the town attempts to improve its economy by hosting big cruise ships. In that respect it has been very successful insomuch that Kotor has been proclaimed as the one of the top 5 cruising ship destination in the Mediterranean. Far more interesting topic is opening for mass tourism. Namely, every day thousands of tourist come to the Kotor, which has only 2,000 inhabitants. Does the town need so many tourists come for one day sightseeing tour, or better to say half day sightseeing tour? Does it mean that the citizens would not be able to come to the town centre during working hours or to reach the health institutions in proper time because of crowded streets? ​ Kotor is the town that has only one road which runs along the waterfront. Due to numerous vehicles which travel along this road, traffic congestions frequently occur, especially in summer. Furthermore, the local seashore roads are without the proper signalization, with holes, pits and bumps, which makes the transportation, from Tivat to Kotor in particular, very annoying and frustrating but also very dangerous. All these issues and historical permanence in a collision with the current mass cruise tourism cause many problems. An average tourist who would like to spend a couple of days in Kotor cannot properly enjoy his or her vacation. It means that smart mobility needs to be introduced in the immediate vicinity to provide a liveable environment for the younger generation to come but also for its well-recognized tourist activity in the town of Kotor. Furthermore, cruise ships cause problems which must be solved urgently because of their adverse effect on the environment. They produce air pollution and damage the marine ecosystem in many ways which have a negative impact on the fishing industry, and thus cause the socio-economic turbulence that leads to complete relocation of domicile population. In addition to this, there are many problems arising from the improper regional planning, whereby high buildings have been constructed in the pristine cultural landscape proclaimed as the World Cultural Heritage. ​ The following key points highlight the issues arising from the ongoing building activities that have negative impact on the protected area of the Bay of Kotor and pose a threat to its Outstanding Universal Value. ​ Emerging of poorly planned settlements in UNESCO Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor, which poses a threat to the outstanding universal value of property Building of improperly planned settlements without any urban strategy or management plan, which makes an unprecedented negative visual impact on the seashore line and vistas on the historical monuments and urban ensembles of outstanding universal value; Settlements planned and made in locations not suitable for their character because of the unique and practically harsh natural environment in the region of seashore forests and cliffs, which ruins the integrity of the landscape itself; Settlements built without any prior strategy, thus living in them may be dangerous and complicated because of pollution of water, environmental degradation, ecosystem collapse, a danger of forest fires, high seismic risk etc.; Accepting the urban plan that proposes big and radical intervention in the landscape, that might probably invade the integrity of the cultural landscape and destroy its outstanding universal value by building a traffic motorway, a bridge or other large infrastructural elements for which consulting with UNESCO experts and making Heritage Assessment plan is necessary. ​Building contemporary structures in a landscape that is not suitable for them because of its characteristics, design or terrain feature, which has a negative and unprecedented impact on the entire cultural landscape and natural scenery; The non-professional or cheap commercial buildings made without any legal certificate that threatens to destroy the unique traditional way of life of local people; Concreting the seashore at the places of former family piers or building new ones without using the traditional monolith stone techniques, destroying the fertile sea ecosystem and artistic traditional appearance of the sea line; Destruction of traditional olive and oak forests, traditional steep agricultural terraces and traditional historical-artistic gardens of outstanding value behind the palaces and family homes; Non-professional restoration of protected historical family buildings without any regard for their integrity, which threatens to degrade the universal value of the buildings (opening the roof terraces, division of historical balustrades, altering the height of historical buildings, houses or palaces, making the roof covering with non-traditional techniques, changing the traditional bearing construction (especially the concrete ones), changing the original look of the facades, replacing the traditional wooden openings for doors and windows) with the ones made of PVC, AL,...etc.; Degradation of the value of historical palaces and their ancient artistic furniture, interior decorations, aristocratic family libraries and artistic paintings, because of: leaving the property without owners, multiple selling of the property to foreign investors that neglect its historical value and the lack of the regulations and statistics data of movable cultural treasures and regulations for itself. ​ ​ HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Kusevic, B. (2017).The cultural landscape in danger of Bay of Kotor ‘‘The Archive of Landscapes” . [date] ​​ BACKGROUND PHOTO. Dobrota, Montenegro. Photo by Bogdan Kusevic Degradation of integrity of the cultural landscape in the town of Prcanj, Dobrota, Kostanjica Photographs by Bogdan Kusevic Degradation of monuments of UNESCO Natural and Culturo-Historical region of Kotor Photographs by Bogdan Kusevic

  • Kotor | historical timeline | Bogdan Kusevic | Montenegro

    Town of Kotor - historical timeline CREDITS: ​ The background photo: Coats of arms of the Beskuca family. Prcanj, Montenegro. Photo by Bogdan Kusevic Credits of the Coats of Arms and flags: Internet open public domain (Wikipedia, etc.) Town of Kotor - historical timeline: (2018-2022) by Bogdan Kusevic.

  • Kotor | Montenegro | Photography | Bogdan Kusevic

    2007-2017 Kotor (ita. Cattaro) cover photo: Kotor town ramparts Street musician in square of St. Luke in kotor, Montenegro - recorded by Bogdan Kusevic. August 2012 00:00 / 00:00 Kotor is situated at the end of the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro, which is officially in the group of the most beautiful bays in the world. During the medieval times, Kotor became one of the most prominent cultural, economic, religious and trade centres of the southern Adriatic. The oldest archaeological remaining is the foundation of the early Cristian basilica from the 6th century below now existing Church of St. Mary of The River. The first fortification was also established in the 6th century under the rulership of the Byzantine Empire. From 1185 to 1371, Kotor was under the rule of the Kingdom of Serbia. During that period, the first statute of the town was released in the year of 1301. Between 1391 and 1420, Kotor was an independent town - state. Afterwards, due to the threat of the Ottoman Empire and regular attacks by pirates, Kotor asked the Republic of Venice for protection, which was granted. Thus, Kotor with its surrounding territory became the province of the Venetian Republic from 1420 to 1797. During the Venetian protectorate, the town became a significant maritime centre in this region. In that period, most of its palaces were constructed in Baroque style by using building techniques with a strong influence of Venetian tradition. ​ READ MORE on heritage article ''Bay of Kotor" Next

  • Our Lady's Temple. Prcanj | Bay Of Kotor - Cultural Heritage Project | Prčanj

    2007-2017 Our Lady's Temple cover photo: The dome of Our Lady's Temple in Prcanj Concert dedicated to Darinka Matić Marović in Our Lady's Temple in Prcanj . Academic Choir Collegium Musicum from Belgrade. August 16, 2022. - recorded by Bogdan Kusevic 00:00 / 00:00 Most notable peace of sacral architecture in Prcanj is Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was built in the Venetian late baroque style. The church is situated the the area of UNESCO Natural and culturo-historical region of Kotor. Our Lady Church in Prcanj was projected by the famous Venetian architect Bernardino Maccaruzzi in 1789. The construction of the church started the same year but finished in 1913. The construction of the church was founded by the donation of twelve influential families from Prcanj, as well as donations of Austro-Hungarian government. The church at the time of construction was the biggest one in the South Adriatic region.Thes dome of the church is slightly lower that the dome of Dubrovnik Cathedral. The monumental staircase rising 25m above the sea is the highest artistic staircase of the East Adriatic. The church hosts numerous peace of art: icons, painting, reliefs of Venetian and EX Yugoslavian articts such as Milunovic, Rosandic, Lubarda, Mestrovic etc. Next

bottom of page