
Bileća ( sr-cyrl, Билећа) is a town and municipality located in
Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska ( sr-Cyrl, Република Српска, lit=Serb Republic, also known as Republic of Srpska, ) is one of the two Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Feder ...
, an entity of
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and ...
. As of 2013, the town has a population of 7,476 inhabitants, while the municipality has 10,807 inhabitants.
History
The first traces of civilization in Bileća date from the
Neolithic period
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several pa ...
, although archaeological sites are insufficiently explored.
During the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
, Bileća was located on the boundary of the
župa of Vrm and the nearby
Vlach necropolis
A necropolis (plural necropolises, necropoles, necropoleis, necropoli) is a large, designed cemetery with elaborate tomb monuments. The name stems from the Ancient Greek ''nekropolis'', literally meaning "city of the dead".
The term usually im ...
was often mentioned as an important crossroad location for caravans on the way from
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik (), historically known as Ragusa (; see notes on naming), is a city on the Adriatic Sea in the region of Dalmatia, in the southeastern semi-exclave of Croatia. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranea ...
to
Nikšić and
Ključ, near Gacko.
The town became part of the
Bosnian state for the first time in 1373, after the defeat of
Nikola Altomanović,
but the first mention of the town under its present name is from 25 January 1387, while it appears as ''Bilechia'' in 1438.
A document dated 8 September 1388 mentions that the army of the duke
Vlatko Vuković defeated the
Turkish army at the
Battle of Bileća. The period from the 13th to the 16th century was marked by the building of a large number of
stećci, monolith markers that weigh up to 5 tons.
Bileća was held by the Turks from 1466, although it was a rebellious area that was difficult to control. Nearby lies the town of Vučji Do, in which the
Battle of Vučji Do
The Battle of Vučji Do ( sr-cyr, Битка код Вучјег дола) was a major battle of the Montenegrin-Ottoman War of 1876-78 that took place on 18 July 1876 in Vučji Do, Montenegro, fought between the combined forces of Montene ...
took place in 1876. The
Congress of Berlin
The Congress of Berlin (13 June – 13 July 1878) was a diplomatic conference to reorganise the states in the Balkan Peninsula after the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78, which had been won by Russia against the Ottoman Empire. Represented at ...
included Bileća in the
Austro-Hungarian Empire
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with t ...
, which brought economic development to the region. The first primary school in Bileća was opened in 1880.
File:Bileća - panoramio (2).jpg, Necropolis of stećak tombstones in Bileća
File:Stara fortifikacijska utvrda Drakuljica kod Bilece - panoramio.jpg, Old fotification Drakuljica
File:Korička jama i spomenik korićkim žrtvama 11.jpg, A pit in which Ustaše
The Ustaše (), also known by anglicised versions Ustasha or Ustashe, was a Croatian fascist and ultranationalist organization active, as one organization, between 1929 and 1945, formally known as the Ustaša – Croatian Revolutionary Movem ...
threw killed Serb civilians from Bileća, a part of the wider Genocide of Serbs
File:Bilećki partizanski bataljon.jpg, Yugoslav Partisans
The Yugoslav Partisans,Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian language, Macedonian, Slovene language, Slovene: , or the National Liberation Army, sh-Latn-Cyrl, Narodnooslobodilačka vojska (NOV), Народноослободилачка војска (НО� ...
from Bileća
File:Парк Народних хероја са костурницом, Билећа.jpg, Park of People's Hero
Settlements
Aside from the town of Bileća, the municipality includes the following settlements:
*
Baljci
*
Bijela Rudina
*
Bijeljani
Bijeljani ( sr-cyrl, Бијељани) is a village in the municipality of Bileća
Bileća ( sr-cyrl, Билећа) is a town and municipality located in Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, the town has a popu ...
*
Bodenik
*
Bogdašići
*
Brestice
Brestice ( sr-cyrl, Брестице) is a village in the Municipalities of Republika Srpska, municipality of Bileća, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina.Official results from the book: Ethnic composition of Bosnia-Herzegovina population, by ...
*
Čepelica
Čepelica ( sr-cyrl, Чепелица) is a village and the small river in the municipality of Bileća, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herz ...
*
Deleuša
Deleuša ( sr-cyrl, Делеуша) is a village in the municipality of Bileća, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often know ...
*
Divin
*
Dlakoše
Dlakoše ( sr-cyrl, Длакоше) is a village in the municipality of Bileća, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often kno ...
*
Dola
*
Donja Meka Gruda
Donja Meka Gruda ( sr-cyrl, Доња Мека Груда) is a village in the municipality of Bileća
Bileća ( sr-cyrl, Билећа) is a town and municipality located in Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, ...
*
Donji Davidovići
*
Đeče
*
Fatnica
*
Golobrđe
*
Gornja Meka Gruda
*
Gornji Davidovići
*
Granica
*
Hodžići Hodžići may refer to:
*Hodžići, Bileća, a village in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
*Hodžići (Kakanj)
Hodžići (Cyrillic: Хоџићи) is a village in the municipality of Kakanj, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Demographics
According ...
*
Kačanj
Kačanj ( sr-cyrl, Качањ) is a village in the municipality of Bileća, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known inf ...
*
Kalac
*
Korita
*
Krivača
Krivača ( sr-cyrl, Кривача) is a village in the municipality of Bileća, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often know ...
*
Krstače
*
Kukričje
Kukričje ( sr-cyrl, Кукричје) is a village in the municipality of Bileća
Bileća ( sr-cyrl, Билећа) is a town and municipality located in Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, the town has a popu ...
*
Kuti
Kuti or Küti may refer to:
People
* Sándor Kuti (1908-1945), Hungarian-Jewish composer
*Ransome-Kuti family, a prominent Nigerian family
*Fela Kuti, musician and prominent figure in Afrobeat music
Places
* Kuti, Bileća, a village in Bosnia and ...
*
Lađevići
*
Milavići
*
Mirilovići
*
Miruše
Miruše ( sr-cyrl, Мируше) is a village in the municipality of Bileća, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known i ...
*
Mrežica
*
Narat
*
Njeganovići
*
Oblo Brdo
Oblo Brdo ( sr-cyrl, Обло Брдо) is a village in the municipality of Bileća, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often ...
*
Orah
Orah (Serbo-Croatian for "walnut") may refer to:
Places
Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Orah, Bileća, a village in Bileća, Republika Srpska
* Orah, Rudo, a village in Rudo, Republika Srpska
* Orah, Ravno, a village in Ravno, Federation of Bosnia and ...
*
Orahovice
*
Pađeni
Pađeni ( sr-cyrl, Пађени) is a village in the municipality of Bileća, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known ...
*
Panik
*
Plana
*
Podgorje
*
Podosoje
*
Preraca
Preraca ( sr-cyrl, Прераца) is a village in the municipality of Bileća
Bileća ( sr-cyrl, Билећа) is a town and municipality located in Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, the town has a populati ...
*
Prijevor
*
Prisoje
*
Rioca
*
Selišta
*
Simijova
Simijova ( sr-cyrl, Симијова) is a village in the municipality of Bileća, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often kn ...
*
Skrobotno
*
Šobadine
*
Todorići
*
Torič
*
Trnovica
*
Vlahinja
Vlahinja ( sr-Cyrl, Влахиња; ro, Românești) is a village in Serbia situated in the municipality of Kuršumlija, district of Toplica. In 2002, it had 88 inhabitants, of which 87 were Serbs (98,86%).
In 1948, the village had 494 inha ...
*
Vranjska
*
Vrbica
*
Zasada
Zasada ( sr-cyrl, Засада) is a village in the municipality of Bileća
Bileća ( sr-cyrl, Билећа) is a town and municipality located in Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, the town has a populatio ...
*
Zaušje
Zaušje ( sr-cyrl, Заушје) is a village in the municipality of Bileća, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known i ...
*
Zvijerina
*
Žudojevići
Demographics
Population
Ethnic composition
According to the 1910 census, the absolute majority in the Bileća municipality were Orthodox Christians (82.27%). According to the
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Kraljevina Jugoslavija, Краљевина Југославија; sl, Kraljevina Jugoslavija) was a state in Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 ...
1931 population census, the majority was held by
Orthodox Christians ''81.27%''.
Economy
The following table gives a preview of total number of registered people employed in legal entities per their core activity (as of 2018):
Sports
Local football club
FK Hercegovac FK Hercegovac may refer to:
* FK Hercegovac Bileća, a football club based in Bileća, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
* , a football club based in Gajdobra
Gajdobra () is a village located in the Bačka Palanka municipality, in the Sou ...
has spent one season in the country's second tier-
First League of the Republika Srpska.
Features
* Th
Diocese of Zahumlje-Herzegovina and Littoral (official site in Serbian)Serbian Orthodox Church (official site in English) Hydroelectric power plants on the Trebisnjica River (near Bileća)* Lake Bileća (''Bilećko jezero'') is located south of the town.
Notable people

*
Safet Isović, singer
*
Beba Selimović, singer
*
Fadil Hadžić, movie director and writer
*
Dušan Vukotić, Oscar for best animated short in 1961 for
Surogat
*
Karlo Mijić
Karlo Mijić (1887–1964) was a Yugoslav painter noted for his paintings of the Bosnian landscape.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mijic, Karlo
1887 births
1964 deaths
Yugoslav painters ...
, painter
*
Jevto Dedijer, writer
*
Nenad Mišanović, basketball player
*
Prokopije Čokorilo
Prokopije Čokorilo (born ''Procopius Tchokorilo''; 1802–1866) was a Serbian Orthodox priest from Bosnia and Herzegovina who wrote several works in Serbian, Russian and Greek, his most well-known work being ''The Chronicles of Herzegovina''.
Ea ...
, priest
*
Ervin Eleskovic, Swedish tennis player
*
Tijana Bošković, Serbian volleyball player, World and European champion, silver medalist at the
2016 Summer Olympics
See also
*
Municipalities of Republika Srpska
Under the "Law on Territorial Organization and Local Self-Government" adopted in 1994, Republika Srpska was divided into 80 municipalities. After the conclusion of the Dayton Peace Agreement, the law was amended in 1996 to reflect the changes to ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bileca
Populated places in Bileća