'Trebinje' (
Cyrillic: Требиње) is the
southern-most
municipality and
town in
Republika Srpska,
Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in southeastern
Herzegovina at , some 10km from the
Adriatic Sea.
History
The toponym Trebinje comes from a medieval term
Travunia. Trebinje was built by the Slavs, probably on the site of a
Roman town laid waste by the
Saracens in
840. In the mid-
10th century Constantine Porphyrogenitus mentioned it under the name of ''Terbunia''. It commanded the road from
Ragusa to
Constantinople, traversed, in
1096, by
Raymond of Toulouse and his
crusaders. Under the name of ''Tribunia'' or ''Travunja'' (the Trebigne of the Ragusans), it belonged to the
Serbian Empire until
1355. Trebinje became a part of the expanded
Medieval Bosnian state under
Tvrtko I in 1373. There is a medieval tower in Gornje Police (Gornye Politse) whose construction is often attributed to
Vuk Branković. The old
Tvrdoš Monastery dates back to the 15th century.
In
1482, together with the rest of
Herzegovina (see: Herzog
Stjepan Vukčić Kosača), it was conquered by the
Ottoman Empire. The Old Town-Kastel was built by Turks on location of the medieval fortress of Ban Vir, on the western bank of the
Trebišnjica River. The city walls, the Old Town square, and two mosques, were built in beginning of the 18th century by Resulbegovic family. The Arslanagić bridge was originally built (16th century) at the village of Arslanagic, 5km north of the town, by
Mehmed-paša Sokolović, and it was managed by Arslanagic family. It was moved closer to Trebinje (1km) in the late 1960's. The Arslanagic bridge is one of the most attractive Turkish bridges in
Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has two large and two small semicircular arches.
During the period of
Austro-Hungarian administration (
1878-
1918) the several fortifications were built on the surrounding hills, and there was a garrison based in the town. They also modernized the town expanding it westwards, building the present main street, as well as, several squares, park, new schools, tobacco plantations, etc.
Trebinje strongly grew in the era of Tito's
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia between 1945 and 1990. It especially developed its hydroelectric potential (
Hydroelectricity) with its, dams, artificial lakes, tunnels, and several hydroelectric plants. This industrial development brought large increase in urban population of Trebinje.
Geography

View of Trebinje
The town lies on the
Trebišnjica River in Southeastern Herzegovina, some 24km by road from the city of
Dubrovnik (
Croatia) on the
Adriatic Sea. There are several
mills along the river, as well as several bridges, including 2 in Trebinje itself, and a historic
Ottoman Arslanagic bridge nearby. The river is heavily exploited for hydro-energy. After it passees through the
Popovo polje area (South-West of the town), which always floods in winter, it naturally runs underground to the Adriatic Sea, near
Dubrovnik in
Croatia.
There is an
Orthodox church in Trebinje, Saborna Crkva, as well as a new monastery, Trebinje Gracanica, located above the town, on the historic hill known as Crkvina, while nearby is also (what is now an
Episcopal church)
Tvrdoš Monastery, dating back to the 15th century. Trebinje is also home to the
Catholic Cathedral of the Birth of
Mary. The town largely escaped damage during the war, but
Ottoman architecture was destroyed (Resulbegovic Historic House, Sultan's Mosque). The Osman-Pasha (Resulbegovic) Mosque of Trebinje was rebuilt by the returned Bosnian Muslim
(
Bosniak) community and inaugurated in July 2005.
Trebinje is the seat of the
Catholic Bishopric of Trebinje-Mrkan.
The local
football club is
FK Leotar Trebinje.
Demographics
According to the 1910 census, the absolute majority in the Trebinje municipality were
Eastern Orthodox Christians (71.38%).
Municipality
{| class=wikitable
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
! Census year !! Total !!
Serbs{See: Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina} !!
Muslims by nationality !!
Croats{See: Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina} !!
Yugoslavs !! Others
|-
| align="center" |
1991 || 30,996 || 21,349 (68.87%) || 5,571 (17.97%) || 1,246 (4.01%) || 1,642 (5.29%) || 1,188 (3.83%)
|-
| align="center" |
1981 || 30,372 || 18,123 (59.67%) || 4,405 (14.50%) || 2,309 (7.60%) || 4,154 (13.67%) || 1,381 (4.54%)
|-
| align="center" |
1971 || 29,024 || 19,362 (66.71%) || 4,846 (16.69%) || 3,350 (11.54%) || 424 (1.46%) || 1,042 (3.60%)
|}
Town
{| class=wikitable
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
! Census year !! Total !!
Serbs{See: Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina} !!
Muslims by nationality !!
Croats{See: Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina} !!
Yugoslavs !! Others
|-
| align="center" |
1991 || 21,870 || 14,915 (68.19%) || 4,228 (19.33%) || 347 (1.58%) || 1,470 (6.72%) || 910 (4.18%)
|}
Sports
The local
football club,
FK Leotar Trebinje, plays in the
Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
==Settlements of Trebinje municipality,
1991.==
total: 178
Aranđelovo, Arbanaška, Arslanagića Most, Baljivac, Baonine, Begović Kula, Belenići, Bihovo, Bijelač, Bijograd, Bioci, Bobovišta, Bodiroge, Bogojević Selo, Borilovići, Brani Do, Brova, Budoši, Bugovina, Cerovac, Cicina, Cicrina, Čavaš, Čopice, Čvaljina, Čvarići, Desin Selo, Diklići, Djedići, Do, Dobromani, Dodanovići, Dolovi, Domaševo, Donja Kočela, Donje Čičevo, Donje Grančarevo, Donje Vrbno, Donji Orahovac, Dračevo, Dražin Do, Drijenjani, Dubljani, Dubočani, Duži, Dvrsnica, Glavinići, Glavska, Gojšina, Gola Glavica, Golubinac, Gomiljani, Gornja Kočela, Gornje Čičevo, Gornje Grančarevo, Gornje Vrbno, Gornji Orahovac, Gorogaše, Grab, Grbeši, Grbići, Grebci, Grkavci, Grmljani, Hum, Ivanica, Janjač, Jasen, Jasenica Lug, Jazina, Jušići, Kalađurđevići, Kijev Do, Klikovići, Klobuk, Konjsko, Korlati, Kotezi, Kovačina, Kraj, Krajkovići, Kremeni Do, Krnjevići, Kučići, Kunja Glavica, Kutina, Lapja, Lastva, Lokvice, Lomači, Lug, Lušnica, Ljekova, Ljubovo, Marić Međine, Mesari, Mionići, Morče, Mosko, Mrkonjići, Mrnjići, Necvijeće, Nenovići, Nevada, Nikontovići, Ograde, Orah, Orahov Do, Orašje Popovo, Orašje Površ, Orašje Zupci, Parojska Njiva, Petrovići, Pijavice, Podosoje, Podstrašivica, Podštirovnik, Podvori, Poljice Čičevo, Poljice Popovo, Prhinje, Pridvorci, Prosjek, Rapti Bobani, Rapti Zupci, Rasovac, Ravno, Rupni Do, Sedlari, Skočigrm, Slavogostići, Slivnica Bobani, Slivnica Površ, Sparožići, Staro Slano, Strujići, Šarani, Šćenica Bobani, Šćenica Ljubomir, Taleža, Todorići, Trebijovi, Trebimlja, Trebinje, Trnčina, Tuli, Tulje, Turani, Turica, Turmenti, Tvrdoš, Ubla, Ugarci, Ukšići, Uskoplje, Uvjeća, Veličani, Velja Gora, Velja Međa, Vladušići, Vlaka, Vlasače, Vlaška, Volujac, Vrpolje Ljubomir, Vrpolje Zagora, Vučija, Vukovići, Začula, Zagora, Zagradinje, Zaplanik, Zavala, Zgonjevo, Žakovo, Ždrijelovići, Željevo and Župa.
In former Trebinje municipality from
1991. census, today there is two municipalities: Trebinje in Republic of Srpska and
Ravno in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Notable people
★
Jovan Dučić - Serbian poet and diplomat
★
Nikola Kovač - Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to France (1993-2000)
★
Izet Hajdarhodžić (1929-2006) - Actor
★
Asmir Begović
★
Srđan Aleksić
★
Vladimir Radmanović NBA player
★
Nataša Ninković Actress
References
★ ''Treasures of Yugoslavia'', published by Yugoslaviapublic Beograd,
Belgrade 1980
External links
★
Trebinje Municipality
★
Trebinje Internet portal
★
Trebinje today - Daily news
★
Glas Hercegovine
★
Glas Trebinja