Archaeological Park “Kod Kula”

Stećci, medieval stone tombstones, also known as bilizi, kami (stones), marbles, were erected from the 12th to the 16th century.

Just before the construction of the A1 motorway, on the last section Vrgorac – Ploče, protective archaeological research was also carried out in Istočna Plina during 2007/08. In those two years, about forty stećci were removed from six original sites through which the motorway passes today. All the removed stećci groups were located in Istočna Plina at “in-situ” locations (from south to north): Mišja Draga, Dračevac, Granica, Garište, around Eraka and Krč Eraci.

All stećci groups (except Krč Eraci) were located on prehistoric stone mounds (tumuli) and are connected to them on the attached map with a dotted line. After the groups of stećak tombstones were removed from the piles, they found their temporary and unsuitable location on the difficult-to-access terrain behind the parish church of Plina – the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Obličevac, where they remained until 2024.

After two years of persistent and dedicated work, on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, the Parish of Plina and the non-governmental organization Obličevac finally placed the found 33 stećak tombstones on a much more suitable and accessible location in front of the old Parish House of Plina and the Chapel of Saint Pascal “Kod Kula”. The archaeological park “Kod Kula” was chosen as the place of final placement of the stećak tombstones for several reasons. In addition to being easily accessible by vehicles and extremely accessible to pedestrians, the site “Kod Kula” has been the social, cultural, religious and educational center of Plina since time immemorial. There is also the old Parish House, and next to it the Chapel of St. Paschal, built in 1759 by the parish priest, Fr. Ante Rozić. Exactly halfway between the two Plinian churches (the other is the Church of St. John the Baptist in Zapadna Plinia) is the parish house. There used to be a tower there, the vaults of which can still be seen today. That is why it is still called “Kod Kule”, which means “by the Parish House”. Tradition says that it was once a Turkish tower.