Perhaps the story of Bihovo begins not with grand battles, but with quiet settlements. Bihovo. A place nestled near Trebinje. It sits just five kilometers south on the road to Dubrovnik. This village carries echoes of ancient times.
Let’s journey back. The area around Trebinje has been inhabited since Illyrian times. Imagine over 1600 burial mounds dotting the landscape. These tumuli whisper stories of people long past.
The Romans also left their mark. In the 2nd to 4th centuries, villa rusticas, or rural villas, sprung up. At Mirine, near Bihovo, archaeologists found the remains of one such villa. They even discovered a torkular. This suggests the production of wine or olive oil. Picture Romans pressing grapes under the hot sun. Another villa’s traces were unearthed nearby at Lijeska. These villas suffered damage from fires.
During the Ottoman period, Bihovo and the surrounding Dživara area became home to several Muslim families. Names like Alijagići, Budalice, Busuladžići, Hadžovići and Spahovići echo through the centuries. The word “Dživar” itself hints at this heritage. It means neighborhood or immediate vicinity in Arabic.
At the entrance to Bihovo stands the Spahovića Kula complex. The kula or tower, dominates the scene. South of it lies an economic building. To the north stands the konak, a residential building. Ottoman landowners built these complexes to provide housing and defense.
These kulas dotted the Bosnian landscape. Over three hundred once stood. Since kulas had limited living space, odžaci or konaks were built nearby. The Spahovića complex is in poor condition today. Only walls of the tower, konak, and economic building remain. The walls of the mutvak, or kitchen, and courtyard are also still visible. Despite its state, the Kula is a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Today, Bihovo is a village with a diverse population. In 2013, 324 people called it home. Serbs made up the majority at almost 67 percent. Bosniaks accounted for nearly 31.5 percent. Croats and others comprised the remainder. These demographics reflect the complex history of this region. Bihovo stands as a testament to time. It is a blend of Illyrian roots, Roman influence, Ottoman legacy, and modern life. Its story is a quiet one. But it’s etched into the land. It is a part of the larger narrative of Bosnia and Herzegovina.