Bielo Pole
Bijelo Polje
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Bielo Pole (translated as "White Field") is a city with a population of 16,000 inhabitants, located in the north-eastern part of Montenegro, in a picturesque valley on the banks of the Lim and Lesnica mountain rivers, near the Bihor mountain at an altitude of 550 m above sea level. In the spring, a large chamomile field blossoms out in the district of the city and because of this the city looks like a huge white field, thanks to this amazing phenomenon the city acquired such a beautiful and unusual name.
Settlement on this territory was founded in the Neolithic era, which is confirmed by many archaeological finds. Here lived the Illyrians, and later the Romans. One of the proofs of this are Roman tombstones (2-3 centuries BC) near the city in a cemetery near the Church of the Blessed Virgin. Bijelo Polje (Akova) in the medieval period was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, as well as many cities in Montenegro. After the final expulsion of Turks in 1912, Bijelo Polje became a Montenegrin city. In the Middle Ages on this land the Turks dominated and the settlement was called Akov. But in 1912 they were expelled, the city received a new name and became part of modern Montenegro. By the standards of the country, Bijelo Polje is a fairly large settlement, almost 20 thousand people live in it.
The area, in which the city was built, itself is already a natural landmark. Here are stunning views and landscapes. Tourists come here not only from abroad, Montenegrins themselves are eager to see the local beauties. Among the architectural sights the Gushmir Mosque, erected by the Turks during the Ottoman rule is worth mentioning. The mosque is located in the center of Bijelo-Polje near the park named after Risto Ratkovic. The city (or Yusuf) mosque was built in 1741, during the Turkish occupation of this area.
It received its name in honor of Imam Hafiz Mustafa Gushmirovich, whose tomb is today in the courtyard of the mosque. And though after the liberation of Montenegro at the end of the XIX century the Turkish troops left this land, the locals kept their Muslim temple until the present time. Although during the long history mosque in Bijelo Polje underwent several renovations and restorations which to some degree have changed its original appearance, it is a valuable cultural monument, placed under the protection of the Institute for Protection of Cultural Heritage of Montenegro.
An important Montenegrin-Serbian spiritual center, which for many years played an important unifying role in the north of Montenegro, is undoubtedly the Church of the Holy Apostles of Peter and Paul. The church is located in the center of the city on the street of Prince Miroslav. In this temple, one of the oldest written monuments of Serbian Orthodox culture, the Miroslav Gospel, was created.
At one time the center of the Diocese of Hum and Lim was located in the church, until the region fell under the onslaught of the Ottoman Empire. The church was built in the typical style of Serbian architecture of that time, the style of Raska - a combination of Romanesque and Byzantine heritage: the cruciform in its basement has one nave with a dome and a rectangular apse, the walls were erected from a brown carved stone, and the arched entrance from the west is already made in Romanesque style. For a long history the temple was repeatedly reconstructed and expanded. During the reign of King Uros I on the western side of the church, two tall 28-meter high bell towers and a vaulted porch between them were built - a typical Raska element of the temple construction. The porches from the north and south sides are the changes of the times of King Milutin (1317-1321). With the Turks at the end of the 17th century, the Fethija Mosque was built on the basis of the church, and one of the bell towers was destroyed, but after the expulsion of the Ottoman Empire in 1912, the Orthodox church was rebuilt here again, it happened in 1922.
The Nikolaevkaya church, built on the site of the modern Bijelo Polje in the era of Nemanici, gave its name not only to the monastery, but also to some other objects - the neighboring bazaar was nicknamed the Nikolsky market, and the residential district in the city to this day bears the name remaining from Villages of Nicolac. The monastery is in Bijelo Polje in the district of Nicolac.
The monastery also became famous as a center for copying hand-written church books, a local school of copyists brought up many monks who later dispersed in other monasteries. And in the era of the desolation of many Orthodox monasteries in the north of Montenegro in the 17th and 18th centuries, which was caused by Turkish dominance in this territory, the Nikolsky Monastery became a place of preserving valuable books, manuscripts and liturgical objects from the closing monasteries throughout the nearest district. At the moment the monastery library has 84 manuscripts and 97 printed books, among which there is a particularly valuable Gospel of the end of the XVIII century, written on parchment. In the XX century the monastery gradually turned into an ordinary parish church, but today it is completely renewed and is an active male monastic abode of the Budimlian-Nikshich Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Bijelo polje is a popular place among speleologists. Great impression on the visitors make Novakovic caves, cave Dzhalovicha (say it can compete in beauty with the famous Slovenian Postojna pit), and the cave Osoya. All of them are well researched and examined.
25 kilometers from Bijelo Polje there is the cave of Djalovicha, which is considered to be one of the most beautiful and large in Europe. Dinar highlands is referred to the youngest mountain species - to the Alpine folding; Its geological age is no more than 65 million years. It is known that the process of mountain building in the regions of Montenegro has not been completed so far. In the rocky depths of nature created and continues to create unique beauty and scale of the cave with the giant halls, rivers and lakes. For example, some of the arches of the cave of Djalovich reach a height of 30 meters.
Lifehack: tours to the cave are included in the category of adventure tourism, and therefore, the descent allowed only for experienced speliologists, well prepared physically and psychologically. You can see about 2.5 kilometers of the cave today. The excursion is long in duration, the inspection of only the cave after the descent takes about 4 hours, the climb up can take 2 hours.
In the vicinity of the city there are several thermal springs, and for the healing water of the source Kiseljak people from other cities of the country come here specially.
Fans of mountain skiing are also frequent guests in Bijelo Polje. The 300-meter-long track was opened not so long ago at an altitude of 930 m above sea level on the slope Zavratica-Majstorovina. In the plans - the opening of tracks for snowboarding.
Every year in August, you can get to the International Festival of tamburinovy orchestras, which brings groups from all over Europe, and they tirelessly playing their music in the streets and squares. Although the festival lasts only one day, it does not end with the onset of darkness: after the official program of orchestras gather public into various cafes and restaurants, and set the night on fire!
Visiting the neighborhood of the city, you will be able to continue acquaintance with the history and architecture of the region. Here you will find: an ancient stone bridge on the river Bistrica in village Lozno Luka, Monastery Voljavats with Stretensky Church of the XIII century (monastery is located in the municipality of Bijelo Polje near the village Voljavats, where the river Bistrica flows into the Lim one), Majstorovina monastery with an old church of the Holy Trinity.
Today's city is a large and modern settlement, the main economic sphere of which is tourism. Several roads run to Bijelo Polje, there is also a railway station along the Bar-Belgrade line, so it's no problem to get there. You can also take a bus. Staying in Bijelo Polje for a while will not be difficult - you can easily rent a flat, an apartment or a room.
The town and its suburbs have numerous historical and cultural monuments:
Bijelo Polje is a promising, dynamically developing tourist center of Montenegro. There is everything that attracts guests: amazing nature, clean mountain air, healing water, interesting sights and fascinating cultural events.
History of the city
Settlement on this territory was founded in the Neolithic era, which is confirmed by many archaeological finds. Here lived the Illyrians, and later the Romans. One of the proofs of this are Roman tombstones (2-3 centuries BC) near the city in a cemetery near the Church of the Blessed Virgin. Bijelo Polje (Akova) in the medieval period was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, as well as many cities in Montenegro. After the final expulsion of Turks in 1912, Bijelo Polje became a Montenegrin city. In the Middle Ages on this land the Turks dominated and the settlement was called Akov. But in 1912 they were expelled, the city received a new name and became part of modern Montenegro. By the standards of the country, Bijelo Polje is a fairly large settlement, almost 20 thousand people live in it.
City Sights
The area, in which the city was built, itself is already a natural landmark. Here are stunning views and landscapes. Tourists come here not only from abroad, Montenegrins themselves are eager to see the local beauties. Among the architectural sights the Gushmir Mosque, erected by the Turks during the Ottoman rule is worth mentioning. The mosque is located in the center of Bijelo-Polje near the park named after Risto Ratkovic. The city (or Yusuf) mosque was built in 1741, during the Turkish occupation of this area.
It received its name in honor of Imam Hafiz Mustafa Gushmirovich, whose tomb is today in the courtyard of the mosque. And though after the liberation of Montenegro at the end of the XIX century the Turkish troops left this land, the locals kept their Muslim temple until the present time. Although during the long history mosque in Bijelo Polje underwent several renovations and restorations which to some degree have changed its original appearance, it is a valuable cultural monument, placed under the protection of the Institute for Protection of Cultural Heritage of Montenegro.
An important Montenegrin-Serbian spiritual center, which for many years played an important unifying role in the north of Montenegro, is undoubtedly the Church of the Holy Apostles of Peter and Paul. The church is located in the center of the city on the street of Prince Miroslav. In this temple, one of the oldest written monuments of Serbian Orthodox culture, the Miroslav Gospel, was created.
At one time the center of the Diocese of Hum and Lim was located in the church, until the region fell under the onslaught of the Ottoman Empire. The church was built in the typical style of Serbian architecture of that time, the style of Raska - a combination of Romanesque and Byzantine heritage: the cruciform in its basement has one nave with a dome and a rectangular apse, the walls were erected from a brown carved stone, and the arched entrance from the west is already made in Romanesque style. For a long history the temple was repeatedly reconstructed and expanded. During the reign of King Uros I on the western side of the church, two tall 28-meter high bell towers and a vaulted porch between them were built - a typical Raska element of the temple construction. The porches from the north and south sides are the changes of the times of King Milutin (1317-1321). With the Turks at the end of the 17th century, the Fethija Mosque was built on the basis of the church, and one of the bell towers was destroyed, but after the expulsion of the Ottoman Empire in 1912, the Orthodox church was rebuilt here again, it happened in 1922.
The Nikolaevkaya church, built on the site of the modern Bijelo Polje in the era of Nemanici, gave its name not only to the monastery, but also to some other objects - the neighboring bazaar was nicknamed the Nikolsky market, and the residential district in the city to this day bears the name remaining from Villages of Nicolac. The monastery is in Bijelo Polje in the district of Nicolac.
The monastery also became famous as a center for copying hand-written church books, a local school of copyists brought up many monks who later dispersed in other monasteries. And in the era of the desolation of many Orthodox monasteries in the north of Montenegro in the 17th and 18th centuries, which was caused by Turkish dominance in this territory, the Nikolsky Monastery became a place of preserving valuable books, manuscripts and liturgical objects from the closing monasteries throughout the nearest district. At the moment the monastery library has 84 manuscripts and 97 printed books, among which there is a particularly valuable Gospel of the end of the XVIII century, written on parchment. In the XX century the monastery gradually turned into an ordinary parish church, but today it is completely renewed and is an active male monastic abode of the Budimlian-Nikshich Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
What to see in the vicinity?
Bijelo polje is a popular place among speleologists. Great impression on the visitors make Novakovic caves, cave Dzhalovicha (say it can compete in beauty with the famous Slovenian Postojna pit), and the cave Osoya. All of them are well researched and examined.
25 kilometers from Bijelo Polje there is the cave of Djalovicha, which is considered to be one of the most beautiful and large in Europe. Dinar highlands is referred to the youngest mountain species - to the Alpine folding; Its geological age is no more than 65 million years. It is known that the process of mountain building in the regions of Montenegro has not been completed so far. In the rocky depths of nature created and continues to create unique beauty and scale of the cave with the giant halls, rivers and lakes. For example, some of the arches of the cave of Djalovich reach a height of 30 meters.
Lifehack: tours to the cave are included in the category of adventure tourism, and therefore, the descent allowed only for experienced speliologists, well prepared physically and psychologically. You can see about 2.5 kilometers of the cave today. The excursion is long in duration, the inspection of only the cave after the descent takes about 4 hours, the climb up can take 2 hours.
In the vicinity of the city there are several thermal springs, and for the healing water of the source Kiseljak people from other cities of the country come here specially.
Fans of mountain skiing are also frequent guests in Bijelo Polje. The 300-meter-long track was opened not so long ago at an altitude of 930 m above sea level on the slope Zavratica-Majstorovina. In the plans - the opening of tracks for snowboarding.
Every year in August, you can get to the International Festival of tamburinovy orchestras, which brings groups from all over Europe, and they tirelessly playing their music in the streets and squares. Although the festival lasts only one day, it does not end with the onset of darkness: after the official program of orchestras gather public into various cafes and restaurants, and set the night on fire!
Visiting the neighborhood of the city, you will be able to continue acquaintance with the history and architecture of the region. Here you will find: an ancient stone bridge on the river Bistrica in village Lozno Luka, Monastery Voljavats with Stretensky Church of the XIII century (monastery is located in the municipality of Bijelo Polje near the village Voljavats, where the river Bistrica flows into the Lim one), Majstorovina monastery with an old church of the Holy Trinity.
Today's city is a large and modern settlement, the main economic sphere of which is tourism. Several roads run to Bijelo Polje, there is also a railway station along the Bar-Belgrade line, so it's no problem to get there. You can also take a bus. Staying in Bijelo Polje for a while will not be difficult - you can easily rent a flat, an apartment or a room.
The town and its suburbs have numerous historical and cultural monuments:
- Gushmirskaya mosque in Bijelo Polje, erected by the Turks during the Ottoman rule.
- The oldest stone bridge on the Bistrica river in the village Lozna Luka.
- Mineral and thermal healing springs, from which the water "Bijela Rada" is produced.
- Blishkova monastery with a temple dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin.
- Volyavats Monastery with Candlemas Church of the XIII century.
- Maystorovina monastery with an old church of the Holy Trinity.
- Nikolyats monastery, which library holds many valuable books and manuscripts.
- Podvrh Monastery, located at the source of the River Bistrica.
- Monastery Samograd, that origin dates back to the early Christian era.
- Caves of Dzhalovich, Novakovic and Osoya attract speleo tourists from over the world.
- The Church of St. John in the Creek.
- The Church of St. Thomas in Brzave.
- The Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Bijelo Polje, place of creation "Miroslavsko gospel."
Bijelo Polje is a promising, dynamically developing tourist center of Montenegro. There is everything that attracts guests: amazing nature, clean mountain air, healing water, interesting sights and fascinating cultural events.
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