Gradski bedemi ‐ ostaci Onogošta

To potvrđuje konstrukcijom zidova i opštim planom grada koji je u obliku četvorougaonika sa kulama na uglovima i sredini zidova, a što je tipičan izgled rimskog utvrđenja. Istoričari među kojima se ističu Konstantin Jiriček i Milan Šuflaj pak stoje na stanovištu da je riječ Onogošt (Anagastum) gotskog porijekla i da je grad dobio ime po gotskom vojskovođi Anagastu, koji se pominje u istorijskim izvorima 469. godine.

S obzirom na to da su ove krajeve Goti imali u svojoj vlasti od 480. do 536. godine, oni smatraju da je Anagastum podignut krajem V ili početkom VI vijeka. Sondažna istraživanja koja su izvršena devedesetih godina XX vijeka nijesu dala značajnije rezultate da bi potkrijepila neku od ovih tvrdnji.

Onogošt se prvi put spominje u Ljetopisu popa Dukljanina, dok najstariji dokument o Onogoštu potiče iz 1280. godine i nalazi se u Dubrovačkom arhivu.

Grad je egzistirao i pod Slovenima, kasnije i pod Turcima. Onogošt je do pada pod Turke promijenio veliki broj gospodara. Razvoj turskog Onogošta počinje u vrijeme kada Turci u Morejskom ratu, a definitivno Karlovačkim mirom gube gradove na primorju, pa i sam Onogošt naseljavaju prvenstveno Rišnjani.

Zidanje turskog grada od kojeg danas imamo zidine, koje su, nažalost, nestručnoim sanacijom devastirane, počelo je prema Ivoviću 1701. godine, a završeno 1713. godine. Njegovu gradnju započeo je Redžep‐paša. Sastojao se od tvrđave (Gornji grad) sa 6 kula i Donjeg grada koji je imao 5 kula. Sve do njegovog oslobođenja 1877. godine turski Onogošt je predstavljao jako uporište i oslonac Turske vlasti na ovom prostoru.

Oslobađanjem od Turaka gradski bedem gubi svoju funkciju, a samim tim gubi i na značaju i vremenom počinje njegovo propadanje. Sanacija je rađena od 1999. do 2002. godine, ali nestručnim sprovođenjem iste vrijednost kulturnog dobra je devalvirana.

Dio istične kule je konzerviran. Zapadni dio tvrđave je 2001. godine nestručno konzerviran i adaptiran prema projektu „Bedem –Ljetnja pozornica„ u scenski prostor . U postojeću strukturu unešeni su određeni novi arhitektonski elementi, kao na primjer most od drveta kao veza ulaza sa scenskim prostorom.

Opis fortifikacije može se pratiti kroz djelo Petra Šobajića, koji je, u svom radu „Nikšić“, izdatom 1938.godine, dao detaljan opis starog Nikšića:

„Gornji grad je bila tvrđava koja i danas leži na grebenu stjenovite glavice i pruža se po njoj oko 250 metarau dužini. Zidovi grada su debeli 1 metar,negdje i 2metra, a visoki 4 metra i više. Svuda po zidovima su puškarnice. Na jugu je bila trougaona i trospratna kula Nebojša,koja je branila pristup gradu sa južne strane. U sjevernom dijelu je osmougaona kula i iza nje široka platforma, sa koje je nekoliko topova moglo dejstvovati na sve strane. U sredini Gornjeg grada su dvije topčane, kvadratnog oblika, 5 metara duge i široke. U tvrđavi su dva objekta, sada zidine, a služile su za stan dizdara grada i gradsku stražu.

Town’s Rampart ‐ Remains of the Town of Onogost

When it comes to the origin of Onogost, there are different views. Arthur Evans, who visited liberated Niksic in 1877, and had the privilege to explore a complete fortress, claimed that the first town had been built during the Roman period in the III or the IV century.

He confirms this claim with the construction of the walls and the general plan of the city which is in the form of a rectangle with towers on the corners and in the middle of the walls, which bears the typical appearance of a Roman fort. On the other hand, historians, among whom Konstantin Jirsicek and Milan Suflaj, hold the view that Onogost (Anagastum) is of Gothic origin and that the town was named after the Gothic soldier Anagast, who is mentioned in historical sources in the year 469.

Given the fact that these regions were in Goth’s power since 480 to 536, they believe that Anagastum was built in the late V or early VI century. Probes research conducted in 1990s did not provide any significant results to substantiate any of these claims.

Onogost was first mentioned in the Annals of the priest Dukljanin, while the oldest document on Onogost originates from 1280 and is located in the Dubrovnik archives.

The city existed under the Slavs, and later under the Turks. Until its fall under the Turks, Onogost had changed a great number of rulers. The development of the Turkish Onogost begins at the time when Turks in Morej war and definitely with Karlovac peace treaty lost coastal towns. Even the very Onogost was primarily inhabited with people from Risan.

The building of the Turkish town, of which today we only have walls devastated by unskillful repairs, began, according to Ivovic, in 1701 and was completed in 1713. Its construction was initiated by Redzep Pasha. It consisted of a fortress (Upper Town) with 6 towers and Lower Town, which had 5 towers. Until its liberation in 1877, Turkish Onogost was a stronghold and support for the Turkish rule in this area.

With the liberation from the Turks the town’s rampart loses its function, and thereby loses its significance and eventually its decline begins. The reparation was carried out from 1999 to 2002. However, because of its improper implementation the value of this cultural property is devalued.

The Eastern tower is partially preserved. The western part of the rampart is unskillfully conserved and adapted in 2001 into a stage, in accordance with the project "The Rampart – Summer Stage". Certain new architectural elements were introduced into the existing structure, for example, a wooden bridge as a connection between the entrance and the stage area.

Description of the fortifications can be traced through the works of Petar Sobajic, who, in his work "Niksic", issued in 1938, gave a detailed description of the old Niksic:

"Upper Town was a fortress, which still lies on the rocky ridge of the hill and extends along it about 250 meters in length. The walls of the town are 1 meter thick, even two meters at certain places with the hight of 4 meters and above. All over the walls are loopholes. To the south there was a triangular and a three-storied tower Nebojsa, which prevented access to the city from that direction. In the northern part there was an octagonal tower and behind it a broad platform from which a few cannons could have acted in all directions. In the middle of the Upper Town are two square shaped, 5 meters long and 5 meters wide gun turrets. In the fortress there are two structures, now just bare walls, which were used as living quarters for dizdar (commander of the fortress) and the town’s guards.