Vizier Mehmed’s bridges

Vizier Mehmed’s bridges
Only the name has remained

There is no strong evidence that the Vizier's bridge in Podgorica was related to Sokollu Mehmed Pasha since it was built by Skadar vizier Mehmed Pasha Bushati, but some believe that, a while ago, there used to be a bridge at this spot


Recently some historians, primarily supporters of Muslim national romanticism, resurrection and glorification of this part of Balkans History, tend to claim that the Vizier's bridge in Podgorica was built by the famous Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, and if not directly affiliated to him, then at least it was constructed with his knowledge and blessing.

Old writer’s records, primarily those of well known Turk Evliya Çelebi, show no trace of the Vizier's bridge which is first mentioned in the nineteenth century by eminent French consul in Shkodra, H. Ekar, who, in his book ''The history and description of North Albania'', among other things, writes about Podgorica, the Vizier 's bridge and Morača:
''At the borders of Podgorica territory, on Morača river, there is a beautiful, one vault bridge which height, measured from the water surface, is 153 feet. It is called the Vizier's Bridge, famous for numeros clashes with Montenegrins that took place close to it. It was built on the orders of the same Mehmed Pasha who built a bridge over the river Cyrus. Local chronicles say that the bridge was built with the salvage taken by Pasha's army in one of the wars with the Montenegrins, which, with no doubt, were much richer than nowadays ...''
The bridge was built in a gorge just outside of Podgorica, towards Bjelopavlici valley, at the foot of Gorica hill, on the old and, in that time, the only road to Spuz, Danilovgrad and farther to Niksic, Klobuk, Trebinje and Dubrovnik. There are some indications that, in the past, there used to be a bridge at this spot, but it is not known whether this might be the structure which construction was initiated by the powerful Vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, and this would further indicate that only the name remained from it and was later consigned to the new bridge started in 1774th by mighty Skadar Vizier Mehmed Pasha Bushati.
This happened after one of his sanguinary invasions of the tribe Kuči, in history known as the “First Kuči forage.'' After suffering a heavy defeat one year earlier at Orljevo, below the fortress Medun, at the gate of Kuči territory, where eight hundred Turkish soldiers perished in Kučka Krajina rockeries, Mehmed Pasha decided to revenge severely. With an armada of approximately 15,000 soldiers, as Marko Miljanov wrote in his testimony, Skadar tyrant first threatened other highlander tribes Piperi, Bratonozići, Vasojevići, Moračani and Rovčani not to interfere or in any manner assist rebellious Kuči, and then began the systematic destruction of their population, primarily male, as well as the pillage of their entire property.
Puny resistance of Kuči was absurd since to one of their rifles there were hundreds of Turkish, but it was still present. After the number of defenders decimated and only after half of them perished on the ramparts and gates of Kuči the surviving took their families, the elderly, women and children and retreated to pathless and wild Little River Canyon and found refuge in a hardly accessible cave. Turks did not leave them in peace even there, and in a desperate struggle at the cave entrance defenders, as Marko Miljanov wrote, were helped by women who used cradles to attack intruders.
In the evening, when everything seemed lost, at the cave entrance appeared several members of Rovčani tribe. They took captured Kuči, among whom there were twelve seriously wounded, and led them over pathless and severe Lutovo area, down the cliffs of Platije canyon and conveyed them over Morača to Rovca. Everything had to be done in strict secrecy, away from attention of Turkish guards. Particular problems were caused by children who could disclose the path crying. Therefore, their mothers were given the task to, if needed, choke them with their breast so that no sound is heard. In his record of this event, Marko Miljanov says that seven mothers brought dead children to Rovca the following day…

Vezirov most, before renovation

After he realized that Kuči still got away, Mehmed Pasha ordered to despoil all their property and seize all the live stock. Part from this mighty treasure was given to build a bridge over Morača river and one alike in Albania (some say that the bridge was built somewhere on the river Drim, between Djakovica and Prizren).

The legend says that for construction of the bridge on Morača an old and famous master from the coast was hired. Upon his arrival stones from local quarries were prepared, quicklime was quenched with milk and eggs at his orders and then the master disappeared for full six to seven years. Once he finally appeared, he was seized by Pasha’s servants and brought to the Vizier who had already condemned him to death sentence. Still, he asked the builder to explain why he left the site and where he was for seven years. As his last wish builder asked for two bricks and a bit of the lime he made. Once he was brought the material, he smeared lime to the bricks, put them together, waited a minute and then cast them at the feet of the vizier saying:
- Grand Pasha, that is why I was absent all of these years. If I quenched the lime with water and began building immediately, that bridge would not have lived as much as You would, but with the lime which took so long to mature it will last as long as your name does ...

(Read the complete text of the printed issue of Renome number 6.)

Architectural Heritage
Written by: Budo Simonović

 

 

 
 
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