THE RISE OF TOPLI DO AND STARA PLANINA AND THE LIBERATION FROM TURKS IN 1878 ACCORDING TO THE DIARY OF PRIEST DJORDJE IGNJATOVIC

Abstract

The work deals with the rise of Toplo Do as the central place of Stara Planina, its efforts and sacrifices during the liberation from Turks as well as its development path until the annexation of Pirot region to Serbia in the period before Second World War. In this short but exciting history of this place, a prominent role was played by several important figures for the history of Stara Planina. One is priest Djordje Ignjatović, teacher and hajduk scribe under hajduk Stojan Oreovački, leader of the rebellion against Turks in 1876. Kosta Mladenović Gaga, a grandson of a hajduk from Stara planina, successfully made his mark in trade and started the development of the entire region with his money and talent. In addition to trade, he was involved in politics as one of the first MPs for Pirot region after joining the Kingdom of Serbia. However, his main merit was that he was able to recognize the new era and that he directed his brightest grandson Dimitrije Mladenović Gaga towards entrepreneurship and sent him to study in Thessaloniki and Switzerland. Afterwards Dimitrije built the first hydroelectric plants and large cheese workshops in the vicinity of Pirot to finally seal the development of this area with the establishment of Tigar factory during the 30s of the 20th century. With that, he closed the development story that started with the pastures of Stara Planina and ended with the project that keeps Pirot alive and one of relatively more developed towns in this part of Serbia.