Trebinje, end of May 2002

Trebinje has fascinated me again by its beauty and authenticity. I have been in Trebinje for the first time on occasion of one day excursion from Herceg Novi 5 years ago and even then the city with the river and bridges has fascinated me. This time I had a chance to feel fresh flavour nights of this city which was, and still is the inspiration for many artists. I have to admit that my photographic eye could not resist the charm of old, half-sank houses in the river, aromatic parks with the towers and bells of the churches or half-ruined bell-towers about which Jovan Ducic has written with so much love and melancholy.

PSpecial Trebinje news represents the church recently built on the hill just above the city! I was surprised when I noticed small church alike Gracanica on the top of the nearby flat hill, which glitters by night bathed with golden yellow light... That hill was completely uncared, and only few goat-paths leaded to its top! But, a rich Serb from USA has decided finally to accomplish poet Jovan Ducic's last wish and to build a small church by Cucic's last will description. Jovan Ducic (1871-1943) has died in USA and pledged his last wish to be buried in Trebinje, on the top of the one of nearby hills wherefrom the whole city is seen, in the small church which had to be a small replica of Gracanica monastery! Donator and protector has accomplished totally Ducic's last wish. Today, the small church resembling Gracanica arise bravely on the top of the hill, built from old bricks, so that one could think that it is very old one. Interesting high bell-tower stands beside the small church, and little bit further monastery lodgement. Today no one could really think that the small church was built on the top of the hill several years ago... Ducic's posthumous remains were brought by big ceremonial (you remember direct TV program in the autumn 1999) from USA firstly to Belgrade, and afterwards through all Serbia to Trebinje, to be laid in the crypt inside the church, below marble plate with modest inscription, in the church dedicated to the Annunciation. Outside, and below southern entrance and wall is situated Saint Sava fresco, and on the northern is St. Vasilije the Ostroski fresco. Beautiful Annunciation fresco is situated below the main entrance. It is a pity that the inside of the church is not still painted, but there are plans to paint frescos. However, inside impression is gorgeous, because the ground is made of white and turquoise green plates, painted and put so to make dragon impressions with twisted tail! Beautiful! Only the top of the cupola inside is painted with the Christ Pantocrator face, wherefrom descends nice, gold-plated round light-portal. Central cupola is carried by four ground columns, on the same manner as in Gracanica, but the architect of this small replica wanted to give a little bit of "originality" to his Trebinje's "child" in order to be different from the "mother Gracanica", sto that he made a columns project to be square, and not round as in Gracanica. Only the left further column is made round, and its base is strengthened by original marble from Kosovo soil, from Gracanica. Inside walls are painted by intensive pink colour for the time being, but it does not harm the impression, because green dragon pictures captivate you from the floor. Trebinje citizens call the hill Crkvina, and some people say that it was its name from very old times... How could not be named so, when even the accidental travellers cannot believe that the small church was not standing there forever. Some old Trebinje guys say that once upon a time small church was built on the top of that hill, but it was destroyed and disappeared many years ago. So, with a help of donator from USA, Ducic's last wish to observe his birth place Trebinje, slow green Trebisnica river, city's bell-towers and parks and woodlands of Leotar from high above was accomplished. The landscape is dominated by oriental arch of old "Arslanagic bridge", which was changed to "Perovica bridge" since a small number of Muslim people have left the city and "Republic of Srpska" was proclaimed... Countrymen claim that the bridge has always been named "Arslanagic bridge", and that it was built under this name, so that the new name is "newly composed". Nowadays old Trebinje people still call the bridge in "Turkish" and not in "Serbian". However, the oldest countrymen say that family Arslanagic originates from old Serbian family Perovic, which was influenced by Turks imposing Islam and forced to change family name in Arslanagic... Whatever is the truth, time and history write novels, so that it is one of possible themes to great literature waiting to be written by someone of inspired Trebinje natives... Here is one more interesting story talking about this oriental bridge, of Turkish architecture and sound. The bridge was situated dozen of miles up to the river. But, when the agreement was accomplished the big water-hydropower complex and hydro power plant Grancarevo to be built, according to the accountings it was realized that the bridge will be overflowed. Population of Trebinje and its surroundings did not care a lot about the bridge's destiny, but UNESCO was luckily involved, so that the bridge was removed to the new location stone by stone, under the hill of Crkvina, on which flat top is situated so called "Hercegovina's Gracanica" nowadays. Some stories have been told that at the time some Canadians were interested to buy the stone "Arslanagica bridge", but that they went home with empty hands... It is possible that Trebinje natives realized that some foreigners want to buy the bridge, and than decided to remove it somewhere further, it could be useful for something, when the intelligent people from such a far distance is interested to transport it stone by stone by planes to some Ontario's river banks... However, my personal impression is that Trebinje has become real modern European city... The old part of the city is perfectly arranged, and only few old buildings stands cracked as a challenge to the photographers and antiquity lovers. All buildings are renovated and transformed in luxurious boutiques, and most often to cafes wherefrom are heard the most actual world's hits. Trebinje got its own pedestrian zone, "Knez Mihailova"'s, as we like to say, full of gardens and cafes, reaching its end by beautiful murmuring stone fountain which reminds to the old ancient times and pearls of Mediterranean stone architecture, with unpretending inscription of donator's name and year when it was built: year 2001... To our regret, one could not believe that 21st century man is able to build and leave behind trace of humanity and something beautiful, certainly lasting in the flood of glass monsters filled with iron and steel! Inside a huge city park arises high column dedicated in memory of the liberty fighters which has entered in Trebinje in 1916, since Trebinje is a Serbian city. An angel is standing on the top of the column... Wide city square, eternally in the shadow of hundred years trees, is now plated and full of tables and chairs where meet Trebinje young generation. It is real "sevdah" to sit in this domesticated shadow and drink something. It is truth that the loudspeakers ruin the atmosphere making noise from all sides of this "urban" garden, especially by loud world's hits, but it is possible to survive it. At the very corner is Njegos monument, extraordinary work of an old sculptor. Just across the road is an old catholic church, but completely renovated, so that no one could not give her hundred years. Crossing the street we reach the entrance to the city park, a real forest. We meet the big sculpture of Jovan Ducic made of bronze at the entrance, with the fountain and small pond in front, like he is welcoming you to his childhood land. Two lion stone figures are watching you seriously from stone grounds... An old fountain with statue of a boy murmurs in the park under high trees, bringing you in old, passed times. Park lane leads you to the Saborna church of Trebinje, fettered by trees crowns. Unusual bell-tower and applications on the walls could perplex a visitor and bring him confused questioning himself if it is an orthodox temple. But, there is no doubt about it, and rich effigy-portal and numerous icons inside the church inspire the religious people, but the sincere ones are afraid if it is not just temporary fashion...

At the end, I have to mention one restaurant, outside a city, MOSKO, one could say very insignificant house by the road, but it is easy noticed by few spits wheeling the lambs! I would not tell further, because it makes me hungry... Lamb-meat under the "sace".. Nowhere young lamb meat in the spring time is not so delicious as from Trebinje hills. I remember also the Jazina restaurant and wonderful water-mill wheel and shades where spits were wheeled... But, no more talks on the food.

We have visited Hydro Power Plant Trebisnica again this time, the huge concrete construction on the river, which hides in its intestines three turbines 45 MW each. This dam was built in 1964 creating the greatest accumulation in the region, so called "Bileca accumulation". It was the revolutionary project at the time, preventing the flood over Popovo field and destruction of the crops. Tito has supported the building of the whole water-power complex in which "black devil" of the time and destroyer of men's hands work, had to be transformed into heaven's gift by men's hand and imagination. HP Dubrovnik was built afterwards down by the river, digging two long tunnels through the mountain to Plat, near Dubrovnik, containing two generators, 105 MW each, at the same time directing water to the other side, over the dam Trebinje II, to the pump storage hydro power plant Capljina, with the task to pump river water overcoming by artificial channel by its powerful units during the heavy seasonal rains in order to keep the precious megawatts for "black days"! But, then war came, and only a third of inventory imaginative water-power complex was finished. War has divided the territories, and technical "miracles" has stayed there where nature and men ordered. New frontiers has been imposed and the whole human's achievement became just a letter on a paper. However, after ten years of complex's living from day to another day, maybe the cooperation days have come, so that the whole water-power complex will be activated again, and start to "collaborate"... Thank God that these frontiers will be overpassed, and that men can show what he can create in cooperation with nature.