Tešanj Castle

{{Short description|Medieval fortress in Bosnia and Herzegovina}}

{{Infobox military installation

|name =Tešanj Castle

|partof =

|location = Tešanj, Bosnia and Herzegovina
{{flag|Bosnia and Herzegovina}}

|map_type = Bosnia and Herzegovina

|map_alt =

|coordinates ={{coord|44.61345980441922|17.98939625450022|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

|image = Gradina 1.jpg

|image_size=250px

|caption =Tešanj Fortress

| image_map = {{Infobox mapframe

|zoom=16

|marker=castle

|marker-color=#919090

|stroke-color=#525252

|stroke-width=3

|shape-fill=#dbdbdb}}

| pushpin_map=Bosnia and Herzegovina

|map_relief =1

|type = castle

|built = -th century{{Cite web|url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/bosnia-hercegovina/travnik/attractions/old-town-fortress/a/poi-sig/1252634/358726|title = Old Town Fortress | Travnik, Bosnia & Hercegovina Attractions}}

|builder = -

|materials = hewn stone (ashlar)

|height =

|used = until 20th c.{{cite web | url=https://ww1sites.eu/index.php?id=35&tx_wwicaheritage_caheritage%5BcaHeritage%5D=40&tx_wwicaheritage_caheritage%5Baction%5D=show&tx_wwicaheritage_caheritage%5Bcontroller%5D=CaHeritage&cHash=653a068d9153629a9b9cd8c0ee6db83e | title=Detail }}

|demolished =

|condition = preserved

|ownership = The Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina

|controlledby = Regional Museum of Travnik

|garrison =

|commanders =

|occupants =

|battles =

|events =

| designations = {{designation list | embed=yes

| designation1 = KONS

| designation1_offname = Old Tešanj castle, the architectural ensemble

| designation1_date = 25 January 2005 (?th session)

| designation1_type = Category 0 cultural and historical property

| designation1_criteria = A, B, C i.iii.iv., D ii.iv., E v., F ii.iii., G v.vii, I iii.iv.

| designation1_number = {{KONS|num=-|short=y}}

| designation1_free1name = Decision no.

| designation1_free1value =-

| designation1_free2name = State

| designation1_free2value = National Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina}}

|footnotes=

}}

Tešanj Fortress (Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian: Tešanjska tvrđava / Тешањска тврђава), also known locally as Gradina is a fortress located in Tešanj, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It remains one of the biggest historical defensive fortifications in the country with an area of {{convert|6296|m2|ft2}}.

Location

The fortress is located on a steep cliff around which Tešanj city centre eventually was formed. It is accessible only from one side which had provided it with a good defensive advantage against any incoming forces.{{Cite web|title=Tešanjska Gradina|url=https://stari-grad.ba/gradina/|access-date=2022-09-17|website=stari-grad.ba}}

History

File:Tešanj - Tour de l'horloge 1.JPG

No current historical sources identify the exact year of its construction or who its constructor was. The early foundation of this fortification had started some time during the Bronze Age and it was later gradually expanded by the Romans, Slavs and Ottomans. It has been primarily a defensive fortification and during the Ottoman period, the fortress had a permanent Ottoman Army garrison. In 1697, during Prince Eugene of Savoy's raid, it had been besieged for 3 days but remained unconquered.

See also

References

{{Reflist}}