LIVNO Tourism

HISTORY OF LIVNO

The earliest traces of human life in the area of Livno date back to prehistoric times, around 2000 BC. Within the city area, there are three historical fortifications that successfully withstood Roman attacks for over two and a half centuries.

The Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus mentions Livno in 949 in his work “De Administrando Imperio. The oldest written document that mentions Livno is the Charter of Prince Mutimir from September 28, 892, which grants the church of St. George to the Archbishop of Split, Petar II, where among the signatories in the list of witnesses, the county leader of Livno, Želimir, is mentioned in second place. Livno is referred to as a parish in the 10th century.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, Livno went through several significant phases in its status. At one point, the city represented a parish of the Croatian state under the rule of the Šubić family. After that, Livno found itself once again in the composition of the Bosnian state.

The Ottoman Turks entered Livno in 1463, but the same year they were forced to retreat due to a counteroffensive by the united coalition of Vukčić-Kosača and King Matthias Corvinus. Nevertheless, despite organized defenses, Ottoman authority solidified in Livno and the Balkans several years later.

When the Ottomans lost territories outside the core Bosnian area at the end of the 17th century, it was included in the Bosnian Krajina. The Livno Captaincy was formed, which often became a battleground with the Uskok troops from Venetian Dalmatia. Due to their significant losses in the area of Livno, the local folk song refers to Livno (the official name of the city was Hlivno) as cursed Lijevno. Ottoman rule would last in Livno until the arrival of Austria-Hungary in 1878.

During the Austro-Hungarian rule, the occupiers introduced their administrative methods, primarily concerning the organization of the judiciary and city administration, as well as education, healthcare, and other public needs.

After the collapse of the Dual Monarchy, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was established (from 1929, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia).

Yugoslavia was divided into nine banovinas, and Livno fell under the Coastal Banovina with its seat in Split. The Cvetković-Maček Agreement led to the establishment of the Banovina of Croatia in 1939, which included Livno. The arrival of World War II found Livno within the structure of the Independent State of Croatia.

After the war, Livno quickly urbanized, and in 1974, it gained the status of a municipality.

Following the Dayton Peace Agreement, Livno became the center of the Livno Canton, which is part of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Mosque of Hadži Ahmet Dukatar

Dukatar’s mosque, or the Glavica mosque, is one of the most recognizable symbols of the city of Livno and one of its most significant mosques. It is located in the old part of the city of Livno and was built between 1562 and 1574. To the right of the mosque is a clock tower, which still tells the time today. With its archaic appearance, high dome, and low minaret, Dukatar’s mosque resembles the first Ottoman domed mosques in Nicaea from the 14th century.