Pirot

The position of this region is conditioned both by a variety of tourist attractions their different territorial arrangement. Apart from this, it also depends on the tourist route of movement. This region is related to the East-Mediterranean direction, which is the route that connects Western and Central Europe with the Middle Eastern Mediterranean. The region of Pirot municipality itself is surrounded by the Balkan Mountains from the north and north-eastern side with the highest peak Midzor (2,169 meters). The southern and southwestern edge of the basin is the spurs of Vlach Mountain (1,442 meters) and Suva Mountain(1,809 meters) while the northwest of the Pirot basin is surrounded by the spurs of Svrljig Mountain (1,334 meters).

An ancient road, known as Via Militaris(military road) or caričin drum later, passed through this area. This city, going through different time periods, was named differently. During the Roman Empire in the III and IV centuries, it was named TURRES(tower); among other names are: Pyrgos, Thurib, Momcilov grad, and Kale. The name of the fortress in Pirot today is Kale.

The results of the archeological excavations of the middle part of the tower of Pirot indicate the excavations of a settlement 5000 years ago. Further reserch in the area of the old town were discovered other evidence from the Copper Age and iron Age, and then from the period of Antiquity, early Byzantium and the middle ages.

The city of Pirot with tourist destinations Stara planina mountain and special reserve of nature Jerma belongs to the category of tourist place III, with an area of ​​over 1000 km2.
The tourist offer of Pirot and its surroundings include natural wealth in the form of Stara Planina Nature Park and Jerma Special Reserve of Nature, waterfalls, rivers, lakes, canyons, gorges and caves, cultural wealth in the form of tradition, culture, and customs of this part of Serbia, Pirot local speech/dialect, Pirot kilim weaving and elements from the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Serbia, Serbian medieval fortress Momcilov grad, Museum Ponisavlja, stone village Gostusa and many others, with amazing tastes and specialties of Stara Planina table and local gastronomy, an exceptional European destination for local gastronomy with many famous brands around the world. in the form of Pirot cheese, đubek, Pirot flatened sausage, Stara Planina mountain lamb, Stara Planina honey, white cheese, homemade wines and brandies.

Visit Pirot and enjoy the most beautiful views of the Stara planina mountain and the tastes of the Pirot food table …

In the course of the centuries the most significant branch of manufactoring industry was kilim production as an economic activity. It was the original carpet- weaving production linked to the urban locality which was done by the women. The population’s orientation towards cattle-raising as its main occupation, then large quantities of excellent wool and Pirot as the trade hearth of the region predetermined the growth of carpet-weaving and weaving production in general. That is how all the conditions for the production of the Pirot kilim were met: the sheep from Stara planina ranges yiealded large quantities of excellent wool which was processed and dyed here, the weaving- technique was well-advanced, and the trading activity was highly developed.

The Pirot kilim-weaving went through several phases in its development: given the fact that the Pirot production of kilims was fully formed in the 16th century, we take that period as the first phase in its development when the woven products were made exclusively for household use. The products included simple rugs, “crga” and “sarenica”, which were not dyed. In the second phase, during the 17th and the 18th centuries Pirot carpet-production became significantly advanced. A vertical loom, known as “the Pirot loom” was used in one piece. In the third phase, during the 19th century, this kind of carpet-weaving was highly developed and may be said to have reached a high level of technical and artistic possibility and value reflected in a wealth of ornamentation and the number of patterns. Carpet-weaving entered the 20th century and its fourth phase coupled with the fully mastered technique, the quality of the kilims which was excellent, the numerous patterns and combination of colours and motifs which were perfect and there were four clearly differentiated parts: the external border, the panel, internal border and the field. The whole kilim is named after the patterns it has in the field. By the very end of the 19th century kilims were dyed with natural dyes followed by the application of aniline dyes which led to the use of many colours and a large number of nuances.
The colour red prevails in the kilim in a number of nuances ranging from a pale red to the dark-sour-cherry red. It was made from insect dyes and was used to weave the field. There is a good deal of blue made from natural indigo with a little yellow added.The colour green in the kilims is of an elusive nuance and matches successfully the red and the blue tones. From the mid-nineteenth century white began to be used while until then a tan, onion-like colour was used. Colours in the Pirot kilims have a primarily territorial-ethnic feature. The colours are quiet, warm, sometimes a muted dark or sometimes boldly contrasting, yet always in a harmonious composition.

The ornaments in the Pirot kilim are always geometrical whether they depict a bird, a flower, a dove or an object in the direct environment of the weaver. Women-weavers created all the patterns (apart from the influence of other areas and cultures) out of their own inspiration using objects in their homes and around them as their models.

Contact

Mayor: Vladan Vasić
email
address
Srpskih Vladara 82, 18300 Pirot, Republika Srbija
phone
+381 10 305 532