Where is the fortress of Novo Brdo in Kosovo?
Novo Brdo Fortress ( Serbian: Тврђава Ново Брдо / Tvrđava Novo Brdo; Albanian: Kalaja e Novobërdës or Kalaja e Artanës) is a medieval Serbian fortress in Kosovo. Its ruins are located near the town of Novo Brdo, about 40 kilometres (25 mi) east of Pristina. The fortress was built in the late 13th century by king…
How big is the lower town of Novo Brdo?
Lower Town is a fortified settlement of Novo Brdo in the shape of an elongated rectangle (180 m x 95 m, of which 45 m belong to Upper Town) with flattened sides (at the east and west). Lower Town consists of only two complete vertices (each with a tower), while the remaining two vertices are actually arched ramparts (west) and Upper Town (East).
What was the Novo Brdo mine famous for?
The Novo Brdo miners were so famous in Europe for their advanced skills that in the 14th and 15th centuries they were invited to move to and work in Italy and Spain. Novo Brdo mines in the 15th century were especially known for the production of glam silver ( argentum de glama ), a type of silver containing up to 33% gold.
What does the citadel of Novo Brdo look like?
The Upper Town is the citadel of Novo Brdo and has a nearly regular hexagonal shape that is flattened on the east, so it almost takes on the look of a pentagon with the flat side facing outward toward the direction that is most approachable. In the middle of the flattened portion is the large rectangular four-sided donjon tower.
What was the original name of Novo Brdo?
Novo Brdo was mentioned with its present name in historical documents as early as 1326. Previously it was known as Novus Mons or Novamonte in Latin and as Nyeuberghe in Saxon texts. The famous Bulgarian scribe Vladislav the Grammarian was born here.
When did the mining start in Novo Brdo?
Significant mining activity in Novo Brdo began in the first half of the 13th century during the reign of Serbian King Stefan Vladislav (r. 1233–1243), who had brought Saxon miners (” Sasi “) to Serbia and developed mines.