Paoča is a

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...

in the

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

of Čitluk,

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...

History

The name Paoča is of Slavic origin. This is shown by one

stećak Stećak (, ) or Stećci in plural form (, ) is the name for monumental medieval tombstones, that lie scattered across Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the border parts of Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. An estimated 60,000 are found within the border ...

from the cemetery, which was probably placed at the end of the Middle Ages. In addition, on November 18, 1432, the people of

Dubrovnik Dubrovnik (), historically known as Ragusa (; see notes on naming), is a city on the Adriatic Sea in the region of Dalmatia, in the southeastern semi-exclave of Croatia. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterran ...

recorded that the men of Prince Marko Grgurević (Milatović) and the men of Duke Vukašin Milatović attacked the Dubrovnik caravan near Paoča (a Chotaoza). Friar Petar Bakula in his book Schematismus from 1867 states: ''Paoča is named after the famous spring Paočak or Palačak. It is characterized by a large noble cemetery and the production of excellent wine''.

Demographics

According to the 2013 census, its population was 427, all

Croats The Croats (; hr, Hrvati ) are a South Slavic ethnic group who share a common Croatian ancestry, culture, history and language. They are also a recognized minority in a number of neighboring countries, namely Austria, the Czech Republic, G ...

Sights

In Paoča there is a small chapel dedicated to the

Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Immaculate Conception is the belief that the Virgin Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception. It is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church, meaning that it is held to be a divinely revealed truth wh ...

. It was finally completed in 1984 with the constant work and effort of the locals. Every year on the Immaculate Conception, December 8, the people of Paoča gather around the chapel where holy mass is celebrated. Next to the chapel there is also a monument to the fallen veterans from Paoča, built in 1996. The people of Paoča are proud of their fellow resident Fr. Didak Buntić, to whom they built a monument in 1995, the work of Acad. sculptor Bernardo Pešorda. The monument was unveiled by the then Minister of Defense of the

Republic of Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

Gojko Šušak Gojko Šušak (; 16 March 1945 – 3 May 1998) was a Croatian politician who held the post of Minister of Defence from 1991 to 1998 under President Franjo Tuđman. From 1990 to 1991 he was the Minister of Emigration and in 1991 the Deputy Ministe ...

. In the village there is also an old noble cemetery, Krešića greblje. It is a medieval necropolis in which there are about fifteen

s. They are in the form of plates and boxes, and are divided into two groups. They are oriented west–east. They are decorated with rosettes. These tombs originate from the late

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

References

Populated places in Čitluk, Bosnia and Herzegovina {{HerzegovinaNeretvaCanton-geo-stub