Blagaj

Blagaj settlements in the southern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 7 km south of Mostar. According to the last official census in 1991. year, settlement Blagaj had 1804 residents, the following ethnic composition:

Bosniaks - 1661 (92.07%)
Croats - 59 (3.27%)
Serbs - 34 (1.88%)
Yugoslavs - 32 (1.77%)
Other, undecided and unknown - 18 (1.01%)

According to estimates from 2002. year, Blagaj has about 3040 inhabitants.It should be noted that in the near Blagaj source of the Buna, the largest karst spring in Europe, among which is a famous Sufi Tekke. In the vicinity of Blagaj there is also a fish farm and restaurant, and the castle from the 15th century.


History

In ancient times the area of ​​Blagaj there was an Illyrian fortress and a Roman castrum. At the time of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian built several fortified cities in the poručju. Blagaj mentioned in Constantine Porphyrogenitus work administrando De imperio (The management of empire) as a "Bona", part Zahumlje. During Stefan Nemanja Zahumlje was under the domination of the state of Raska, and late 12th century prefect Jurko raised Cosmas and Damian. Zahumlje becomes part of the Bosnian state in the 14th century during the Bosnian Ban Stjepan II Kotromanića. During the 15th century Sandalj Hranić Kosača and his nephew Stephen Vukčić Kosača ruled territory of Hum and Blagaj until the arrival of the Ottomans 1466th Otherwise, Blagaj belonged Bišće area and the area is known as a residential place rulers and gender Hranic, st. In the historical sources Blagaj was first mentioned 1423rd During the Ottoman Empire was the seat of Blagaj Blagaj Vilayet, then kaza and is divided into several quarters, among which are the Imperial, Hasanagina, Bunska and Galičić. The city had seven mosques, two inns, four musafirhana, madrasah, two maktab, this building, four stone bridges on the river Buna, one on Bunica and two underground rivers trespass, kiraethana and seven mills with twenty-eight mills. By the 1835th The Bosniak Muslim-majority population, but during the Austro-Hungarian period Bosniaks Christians (Catholics and Orthodox) is twice as much. At that time, built a Catholic church 1908th vol. and the Orthodox Church 1893rd year. After the towers are upgraded 1933rd to Catholic and 1934th the Orthodox Church.