Travnik - spomenici

It was built in the time of Bosnian independency during the first half of XV century, and it is presumed that it was the time when Bosnian king Ostoje or king Tvrtko II ruled. The town is made of a few architectonic parts, very gracefully assembled into entire look of the fortress, and there was taken care of the terrain look and purpose of each of the rampart. Tenangle defense tower was placed on the highest, smaller plateau, and there was the dungeon inside of it, and the tank was built in its sole. From bulwark towards northwest goes down the great defending wall and aslope stairs which lead to lower part of the town. Towards the southeast, bulwark enters to lower part of the town, through the yard, surrounded by walls.

On this plateau, stands the sixteenangle tower on two floors with loop hole. Near by is one domed square building which might be the church, but there are no certain proofs about that.

The fortress on the bridge, today presents one of the most preserved examples of fortification architecture of the XV century in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Travnik is the only city in Bosnia and Herzegovina that has two clock towers. The older one is in the lower part of the city on Musala, natural ledge under the Old town. During Turkish period, prayers were done on the musala, under the open sky during bigger religious holidays. It is not known when this clock tower was built. Two boards with the inscriptions about its reconstruction are saved on it. In 1811. the tower was reconstructed by Bosnian vizier Hilmi Ibrahim-pasha(pasha – military governor), and in 1815. some Hazin Ibrahim-pasha made donation for its reconstruction.

On the old drawings and gravirs of this part of the Travnik, it can be seen that the clock tower was reconstructed again in 1878 and 1892. In the fire, in 1903, a wooden roof burned out, and after that, the final reconstruction gave todays look to the clock tower.
The second clock tower was built up in upper part of the city, beside Hadzi Ali-bey mosque. It is presumed that Mehmed-pasha Kukavica built it in XVIII century. In 1817. it was reconstructed by Sulejman-pasha Skopljak. On this occasion, by virtue of Austrian consul Von Simschen, the clock was ordered. It had four miens and the bell, and it stroke full hours and quarters. After the big fire that happened in 1856, Hadzi Ali – bey Hasanpasic rebuilt damaged clock tower from its basics.

In Turkish language, Jeni means “new”, which indicates that on this spot used to be old house of worship. Jeni mosque was built up by Hasan-aga in 1549, which could be relised from the inscription in Turkish language that is engraved in the stone board above the entrance to the mosque.

There is a graveyard beside the mosque where can be found gravestones from different periods, dating from XVI century until the eighties in XX century. There is turbe of Bosnian vizier Abdulah-pasha Defterdarija from 1785.

In the sole of the fortress, in todays Lower part of the town (Donja carsija), in XVI century, Gazi-aga’s mosque was built up. About its donor, there were no saved data. As it was in very bad condition, in 1757. on its place, vizier Camil Ahmed-aga built up new mosque, and citizens of the street named it Camilija. This object had besistan in the lower part and there were many shops around it where various oriental arts developed.

Camilija burned out in the fire in 1815, and Bosnian vizier Sulejman-pasha Skopljak built up a new mosque on its place. Sulejmanija represents the unique example in Osmanlian architecture where, the same building was used in sacral and public purpose.

The other interesting fact, important to this mosque, is why it is called Sarena (colorful) mosque, and it refers to the painted decoration that adorns its internal and external walls.
The tower (munar) is on the left side instead of the usual right side as it is the rule for Islamic houses of worship. It is presumed that the munar is older than the mosque and that belonged to Camilija.

Bosnian vizier Mehmed-pasha Kukavica in 1757. built up the mosque in upper part of te city (Gornja carsija).The mosque was caught up in the fire, so on that place Hadzi Ali-bey Hasanpasic built up the new house for prayer in 1856. Above the entrance, stands a stone board with the inscription on the Turkish language, in which is mentioned this benefactor. The mosque is a simple building with the square base, with the wooden porch over the entrance. In 1866. sun clock was built-in at west entrance, the one of a kind in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It shows time “a la turka”, which means that the hours are counting from the moment when sun goes down, not from the midnight, as in modern way. Beside Ali-beq mosque stands small barrow. There are buried some significant personalities of XVIII and XIX century, and beside them: the son of Mehmed – pasha Kukavica, Miri Miran Ibrahim-pasha and Hadzi Ali – bey Hasanpasic,
benefactor of todays mosque.

Konatur mosque preserved, but Konatur street(mahala) in Travnik, from which the mosque got name – no longer exists. Beside the name of that street, this mosque preserved recognizable look that the most of mosques in Travnik had before disastrous fire that happened in 1903.

In numerous publications and books that talk about cultural-historic heritage of Travnik, the exact date or year when this mosque was built cannot be found. According to some assumptions, based on knowing the tempo of city enlargement, it can be said that the mosque was built in the other half of the XVI century or the first half of the XVII century. Above the front doors, stands a stone board which says about the mosque’s reconstruction in 1863, which was made by citizens of the Konatur street. At the end of eighties in last century, the external part of the object was renovated, and that stopped degradation. In last few years, the whole interior of Konatur mosque was adapted, so this mosque got its primal role again – it became house for prayer again.

In 1706. in Osoje street, Bosnian vizier Elci Ibrahim-pasha built medresa, Islamic theological school. The first city library was in it, and for this library Ibrahim-pasha donated 103 hand-written books. Elci Ibrahim-pasha Medresa is the oldest educational institution in Middle Bosnia. During building of the railway, medresa was demolished, but near this place, new building was built up. The state government of Bosnia and Herzegovina prescribed resources, and the architect Cirilo Ivekovic, the author of the famous city hall in

Sarajevo, made project. New medresa was built in pseudo-arabesque style. Medresa building was furniture selling place called “Sipad” from 1985. to 1992. In 1994. Medresa building became boarding school again after more then 50 years. It is the gymnasium type of school but enlarged by religious subjects, teaching process lasts four years and it is equalitarian to other high schools because it is verified from Federal Ministry for education, science, culture and sport of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this Medresa, first generation of students finished their high school education in 1997/98 school year.

Last year, woman’s department started. Next year, Medresa will celebrate 300 years of existence.

TURBES

Travnik is the city with the biggest number of turbes (tombs) in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Two turbes are near the hotel “Lipa” and there are buried three Bosnian viziers(high executive high officers of country). Under the sixangle turbe, valija (governor)Perisan Mustafa-pasha is buried, which ruled Bosnia since 1796th till 1798th. Sarcophagus and gravestones are wealthy decorated by stylish herbal ornaments.

Square turbe with eight stone stanchions is made above graves of two viziers: Mushin Zade Abdulah-pasha and Hafiz Ali Dzelaludin-pasha. Abdulah – pasha was four times set as vizier. He died in 1748. The inscription on his gravestone (near his head) says in Turkish language that he was a grand vizier. Gravestones are beautiful works of masters from Carigrad.
The monument that stands above the grave of Dzelaludin – pasha is work that has its Carigrads origin, and it is very nice decorated. Elements of Turkish baroque appearsiIn ornaments. Dzelaludin – pasha was set as Bosnian vizier in 1819 and stayed on that position until he died in 1822. Dzelalija was very harsh vizier. When he came to Travnik, he gave the order to decapitate three hundreds of Bosnian beys and 7 captains.

On the wall of the house near the turbe, the arsin was set (Turkish measure) and each side of this iron bar had Dzelalija’s seal imprinted. A voice was carried about this arsin through Bosnia, and it meant warning that the same measure in doing justice applies to everyone. Anyone could measure material with that arsin in Travnik, if there was a doubt in merchant’s honesty, although that was rare in Dzelalija’s time.

Born in Sarajevo, Bosnian vizier Abdulah –pasha Deftedarija, was buried near Jeni mosque. He was vizier for four years. He died in 1785. It is believed that he was poisoned because he didn’t want to do what porta (the Ottoman government) ordered, in case of some conflict with Austria. In that occasion he said ”I will give head from my shoulders, but not a single stone”. The thing was about Bosnian territory on the border that should be sagged to Austria. Turbe was built-up above its grave and it has square base and eight stanchions. Gravestones are decorated with neo-baroque style ornaments.

Near Derventa graveyard stands turbe and there are buried mufti (imam and jurist who interprets Muslim law) Mehmed from Travnik, educated and respected man and his wife Ajisa. Gravestones are beautiful works of masters from Sarajevo.
On the small barrow behind the hotel stands covered turbe. The poet and šejh(spiritual leader) hadzi Abdulvehab Ilhamija from Zepce is buried there. He wrote poetry in Bosnian and Turkish language and through poetry criticized contemporary order.

That is why Dzelaludin-pasha asked him to come to Travnik, and executed him in 1821. At the east entrance to the City, in Dolac, there is covered turbe, built-up over the grave of Ibrahim-dedo (Ibrahim –old man) from Horsan. Ibrahim – dedo fought in the army of Mehmed II Fatih and got killed while conquering these territories. In one levha(panel of calligraphy) that is kept in his turbe writes that he had some unusual abilities and that he was psychic.

In 1882. Archdiocese of Vrhbosna (area around Sarajevo in 19th century) established Gymnasium in Travnik. The institution was built-up in 1888. on the right side of Lasva river, on the place where used to be Turkish barracks, mosque and tophana (workshop four pouring the guns).

Within this institution is also the Church consecrated to St. Alojzije. Church facade is in the front of the building, and there is a neo-baroque style belfry above it.