Original scientific paper
A contribution to defining the urban topography of medieval Vukovar
Zlatko Karač
Abstract
The striking agglomeration ofmedieval Vukovo(ar) began to develop at the end ofthe eight century on the rich substratum of prehistoric and Roman settlements. The urban nucleus of the first early-medieval settlement (about 800-1220) was probably located near the old-Croatian necropolises (Lijeva and Kriva Bara, Novi Vukovar). The later medieval town (1220-1526) had three parts: the royal fortification (mentioned in 1231), the settlement of royal servants on the high plateau around today's grammar school, and the large suburb of merchants and craftsmen in the valley along the main road and harbour (a free royal city since 1231).
The settlement's rectified outline on the oldest maps of Vukovar (17th century) shows that this was probably one ofthe largest towns of medieval Slavonia, covering a total of 20-25 hectares ofurbanized area, with 350 houses. In those days there were about thirty smaller suburban settlements on the area of today's town (the most important were Varoš, Vodokalj and Herijevac),for which the author proposes possible location.
Although no architectural remains of medieval Vukovar have been preserved, the authoruses documents to indicate the basic characteristics ofthe Romanesque-Gothic fortification, the parish churches of St George and st Lambert and sacral buildings in the immediate surroundings ofthe town. Wooden houses are mentionedas well a mill on the Vuka river. The medieval urban life in the town stopped and there were very few changes. It was not until the great destruction of Vukovar in the days of Turkish defeat (1687) that all the elements of medieval architectural continuity were lostas the new baroque city developed.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
30789
URI
Publication date:
30.4.1993.
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