Popovo field

Popovo Polje
Dinaric Alps polje
Popovo Polje, Dinaric karst polje in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina
Name origin: "pop" in English is literally a "priest" - in a name of polje, "Popovo" is possessive form of "pop" - "popovo" = "priest's"
Country Bosnia and Herzegovina
Municipality Trebinje & Ravno
Part of Dinaric Alps
Borders on Bjelasnica, Kljućnica, Ilino Brdo
City Trebinje
Landmark Trebinjsko Lake, Arslanagića Ćuprija, Vjetrenica, Zavala Monastery, Lake Vrutak
River
1
Highest point
 - location Arslanagića Ćuprija, Trebinje
 - elevation 300 m (984 ft)
 - coordinates Coordinates: 42°42′24″N 18°23′26″E / 42.7067226°N 18.3905983°E / 42.7067226; 18.3905983
Lowest point
 - location Hutovo, Ravno
 - elevation 270 m (886 ft)
 - coordinates 42°57′59″N 17°47′44″E / 42.966284°N 17.7955127°E / 42.966284; 17.7955127
Length 65 km (40 mi), E-SE - W-NW
Width 0.8–7 km (0–4 mi), S-SW - N-NE
Height 300–270 m (984–886 ft)
Depth 200–700 m (656–2,297 ft)
Area 250.5 km2 (97 sq mi)
Population <300 (present day)
Geology Karst, polje
Easiest access Local road
Popovo Polje in Dinaric Alps of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Popovo field (Bosnian: Popovo polje / Попово поље, pronounced [pɔ̌pɔʋɔ pɔ̂ʎɛ], "Priest's Field") is a polje (karstic field) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in a southernmost region of the country, near the Adriatic coast. Its size is 5.9 square kilometres (2.3 sq mi).

Popovo polje is one of the largest polje (karstic plains) in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the world, famous for its karstic phenomenons and features, and particularly the Trebišnjica river, which flows through the polje as the largest sinking river (also losing stream, or influent stream) in the world, as well as the Vjetrenica cave system, located to the west/south-western parts of the valley.

History

The Nikolić noble family and Sanković noble family held Popovo polje in the late Middle Ages. The Vojnović noble family hailed from Popovo polje. The Zavala Monastery was first mentioned in the 16th century. At the end of Ottoman rule in Herzegovina, the Muslibegović family had properties in Popovo polje.[1][2] The Zavala Monastery is located here.

Monuments

Zavala and Vjetrenica

Located in Popovo Polje in Ravno municipality, village Zavala with its old architecture and stone masonry, together with Vjetrenica cave, constitute the natural and architectural ensemble which is in the process of being protected as National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it is already placed on UNESCO Tentative List.[1]

The cave has a rich variety of fauna, with a high rate of endemism.[3] The cave garnered worldwide fame in geological, biological and environmental communities for its imperiled and uncertain future, caused by unprofessional management lacking any expertise, and uncertain status at state and especially local level. Despite setbacks, the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina, although creepingly slowly, nominated Vjeternica (with village Zavala) to UNESCO Tentative List clearly expressing intention to protect the cave and its biodiversity and eventually inscribe it with UNESCO.[2][4][5]

Demographics

Some 300 people live in the villages located in the field.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Zavala graditeljska cjelina". Commission to preserve national monuments. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Pećina Vjetrenica u Zavali". Commission to preserve national monuments. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  3. ↑ "Vjetrenica (official page)". vjetrenica.com. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  4. ↑ "Vjetrenica Cave (Tentative List)". UNESCO. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  5. ↑ "Vjetrenica (official page)". vjetrenica.com/. Retrieved 4 March 2013.

Sources

  • Ivo Golub (1 August 1927). Боривоје Дробњаковић, ed. "Нешто o селима, прелима и народним играма у Попову Пољу – Херцеговина". Гласник Етнографског музеја у Београду, књ. 2: Bulletin du Musée Ethnographique de Belgrade, tome 2. Etnografski muzej u Beogradu: 35–. GGKEY:1WPXWSCBL7J.
  • Ljubo Mićević (1 August 1930). Боривоје Дробњаковић, ed. "Крсно име или крсна слава у Попову". Гласник Етнографског музеја у Београду, књ. 5: Bulletin du Musée Ethnographique de Belgrade, tome 5. Etnografski muzej u Beogradu: 98–. GGKEY:HQ6FZDEECJ4.

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