The significance of the topographic element of hill in the modern urban context: Crkvina and Jablanica

Abstract

The position of the first settlements was determined by geography, which defined their form and set the basis for building the identity of modern urban environments. Although the correlation between the natural and man-made components of towns was changing under the influence of cultural circumstances and the manner of social production of space, primarily in the 20th century, the natural elements still appear as primary urban elements. The paper analyses the significance of Crkvina hill in the socio-spatial context of the town of Trebinje, as well as the significance of Jablanica hill in the socio-spatial context of the town of Novi Grad. It examines the influence of the topography and hill element on the genesis of urban structures, as well as the ways in which the hill is incorporated into the urban tissues and activities of these towns today. It also analyses the symbolic character of the hill, its role in transmitting socio-cultural processes and in creating collective identity. It further determines the potentials of the element of the hill, which can help increase the quality of urban space and highlight the identity of Trebinje and Novi Grad.