I wanted to go to the seaside city of bar but then I read some reviews of apartments for rent on a booking site and one comment was that the village on the hill, Stari Bar, was much more interesting so I decided to go there. What I found was an ancient city built on a more ancient series of structures.
Historical Information
Archaeological findings confirm that there was life around the Old Town of Bar during prehistoric times such as the Illyrian era, as evidenced by the large amount of prehistoric pottery from the 8th-5th century BCE. We see strong evidence of Hellenic and Roman culture in the wider area of the city of Bar, evidenced by the remains of Greek painted vases (4th-3rd century BCE), the Italo-Greek amphorae and various other vessels and pieces of pottery. Further material testimonies from the era of the Roman Empire were discovered in large quantities from the 1st century BCE to the 4th CE with the most significant traces of Roman civilization represented through discovered pieces of a Roman sarcophagus from the 3rd century CE, on the relief of which is a depiction of Greek mythology. In Latin the transcription of the city refers to Bar under various names through the course of history, such as Antibarum, Antibaris or Antivari, which remains its medieval name on charters and other important doc-uments. There is an assumption that the city was first mentioned by the Byzantine chronicler Procopius of Caesarea in the 6th century CE. In fact, in historical sources, it is first mentioned during the time of the Byzantine Emperor, Leo the Isaurian, in the 8th century CE as Antibareos. While this may have been the first, the most significant piece of historical documentation of Bar originates from Porphyrogenitus “Writ-ings on nations”, in the 10th century CE, which highlights its vital/critical importance within the Byzantine theme (region) of Durres, and as a piece of the Roman Empire in general. It is also of significant importance for the early history and development of the Kingdom of Dukija. The oldest architectural edifices of Bar are of remains related to the church of St. Theodore from the 6th century CE, leading us to conclude that the beginning of urbanization begins from this period onwards. In the following 7th century, Bar was inhabited by Romani refugees who fled the destroyed Kingdom of Duklja, before it too tell into the hands of Zetan rulers, heralding the Slavicization of the populace. Byzantium would regain control of Bar during the reign of Basil Il in 1018, but it soon returned to the Principality of Zeta when Basi’s son-in-law. Prince Stefan Vojislav, defeated the Byzantine army in 1042 at the famous Battle of Bar. In 1077 Mihailo would be coronated the first king of Zeta in Bar, the territory of which would also be elevated to the rank of archbishopric in 1089. Consequently, as a church seat, Bar would hold jurisdiction over several episcopal cities and territories such as Ulcinj, Svad, Drivast, Skadar, Kotor, Serbia, Bosnia and Travunia. In the 12th century CE, we have the oldest historical writing of the South Slavs, “The Chronicle of Pope Dukljanin” or “The Kingdom of the Slavs (Regnum Sclavorum)”, while tragically the text was not preserved in its original Slovenian version, fortunately the Latin version has stood the test of time. The most significant part of the chronicle refers to the life of King, Martyr, and Saint, John Vladimir, King of Duklja at the height of its power. The first Slavic mention of the city name we know today, “Bar”, and attributing the adjective “famous” was of the work of Stefan Nemanja the First in 1216 during his father’s lifetime. The city was under the rule of the Nemanjic family from 1183 to 1360 when the Principality of Zeta began to succumb to the feudal rule of the Balsic family. This period would mark the economic empowerment of the settlement as we as cultural and spiritual renewal thanks to the involvement of Queen Helen of Anjoy, wife of the King of Serbia, Uros 1 (1243-1276). Her influence would usher in the Franciscan monks to Bar, with the Benedictine monastery of Ratac becoming one of the most important monasteries along the eastern Adriatic coast. Following the collapse of the Serbian Kingdom during the 1360’s, Bar would fall completely into the hands of the BalSic family who would rule Bar unchallenged until 1405, and again following an interregnum until 1412 to. The first half of the 15th century would prove to be a tumultuous period, marked by frequent changes in government. In 1405 the Venetians held control over Bar, which then reverted to the Balsic family when Balsa Ill held his court in 1412. Following his death in 1421, the city would then be ruled by the despot Stefan Lazarevic and then from 1427 under despot Durad Brankovic. It was in 1443 when the Venetians finally assumed full control of Bar having taken it from Stefan Vukcic Kosaca, who had ruled from 1442-1443. Venetian rule of Bar would last from 1443 to 1571, characterized by numerous improvements to the arrangement of city administration. Examples of which are an increase in the number of noble families (from 1512 in Bar the patriciate numbered as many as 74 families), accepting the archbishops inheritance, developing a domestic currency, an independent judiciary, as well as an obligation for Venice to come to the defense of the city. However, from the beginning of the 16th century divisions and disputes would begin to form between the nobles and commoners all the while the greatest threat of the era to the Venetians, the Ottoman empire, would repeatedly besiege the city until 1571 when it finally fell into Ottoman control. The renowned Ottoman traveler and writer, Evlija Celebija, made a valuable note about the cultural physiognomy of the city during Ottoman reign:”… there is a mosque of Sultan Ahmet, a mekteb (high school), a ma-crasa (over school), masjid (a mosque without minarets), granary, ammunition storage, cisten, imposing cannons, a gate, music and a moat”. After 307 years of Ottoman rule, 1877-78 would mark the struggle for Montenegrin liberation. Under the leadership of Prince Nikola, the Montenegrin army would liberate Bar and force the Ottoman commander to surrender on the 10th of January 1878. In Bar now stands one of Montenegro’s most unique monuments forever immortalizing this historical event. Shortly following an ammunition detonation which destroyed the church of St. George in 1881, the “Liberator’s” monument would be created utilizing the fragments of various pieces of mosaics, stone plastic, and inscriptions which were discovered after the explo sion. The unique mosaic presents the development of Bar and the region throughout the ages for all to see. Possessing a heritage of numerous prehistoric cultures and caught in the flashpoint between Eastern and Western civilization. Old Town Bar’s turbulent past remains a legacy of inestimable value to historical, spir-tual and archeological endeavors and remains an exemplary symbol of multiculturalism and mutual permeation of numerous cultures throughout the centuries.