prijava
SARAJEVO, June 26 (FENA) - Occasional travelers, domestic and foreign guests, historians can feel the breath of the past in Kreševo by walking through the old town where they can see old, authentic Bosnian houses, the Hadži Hasan mosque and the Franciscan monastery of St. Catherine of Alexandria with a museum that preserves cultural treasures that can rarely be seen anywhere.
The Franciscan monastery in Kreševo belongs to the Vrhbosna Archdiocese, with the Church of St. Catherine was founded in the late 14th century. It was demolished or set on fire several times, but it always rose from the ashes and rubble.
The monastery is surrounded by lush forest, with a small river that constantly murmurs and with its silence, attracts tired travelers. A bust of Fr. Grgo Martić, the work of Ivan Meštrović, was erected in the courtyard and was declared a National Monument of BiH.
The Museum is behind the Church and is recently opened to the public. The guests are greeted by the museum's curator Marko Čalaga. He explains that the Museum has three parts in which cultural and historical treasures are kept.
“Visitors can also see the Ethnographic Collection, which is exhibited in two halls. One presents the culture of living of the people of that area, and the other is the economy. Archaeological exhibits, a numismatic collection, an old smithy and a collection of Kreševo minerals are on display in the basement of the Museum,”explains Čalaga in an interview with FENA.
Books in the field of medicine have been preserved, because the friars, as he said, were the bearers of the entire cultural life, and they also practiced medicine. The first graduate doctor, Fr. Mato Nikolić, was born in Kreševo, and his acupuncture needles are on display. There are also doctor's books that are handwritten.
“The museum keeps numerous old books, and the oldest book kept in the archives is the Theological Collection from the 12th or 13th century. Written by hand, in Latin and is a world rarity. Among the old and rare books printed from the 15th to the 19th century, there are books of various contents that testify to the quality and breadth of education and interests of the Franciscans,” says Čalaga.
The attention of visitors is especially attracted by the Memorial Room of Fr. Grgo Martić, who, as Čalaga explains, spent most of his life in Kreševo. Many of his personal belongings have been preserved, such as his saber, a gift from Ban Josip Jelačić, decorations, furniture from Omer-pasha Latas and others.
In order to preserve all this cultural and historical treasure, his wish is for everything to be digitized and, eventually, for the books to be translated.
Čalaga says that the village of Vranci is close to Kreševo, known for its pristine nature and traditional houses. Traces of a medieval urban model, contrasting colors of white walls and black roofs, horizontal overhangs of the ground floor and steep gabled roofs have been preserved.
One of the places to visit in Kreševo is the Hadži Hasanova mosque which is located in the center of Kreševo. The door is always open for passers-by who want to rest in its shade, drink some water, and pray to God.
Although a small town, Kreševo has the most national monuments: eight: Stari grad-Bedem, Kreševo-historic town area, Franciscan monastery with movable property, Roman bridge in the village of Vranci, Seven houses in the village of Vranci, Necropolis with stećak tombstones at Brdo (Križ ) in Deževice, the necropolis with stećak tombstones at the Klupe site and the necropolis with stećak tombstones at the Crkvenjak site in the village of Komari as well as at the Kose site in Crnići.
Kreševo is also known for its minerals and rare crystals. Citrine is a mineral of quartz, known among collectors as the "crystal of good mood". It is rare in Europe. Every year in October, the Homeland Association "Kreševski citrin" organizes a fair of minerals, crystals, fossils and other ores that capture the attention of visitors.
The municipality of Kreševo is located in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and belongs to the Central Bosnia Canton. It borders the municipalities of Kiseljak, Fojnica, Konjic and Hadžići.
(FENA) A. B.
