Description of the attraction
The Kraljeva Suteska Monastery is the main attraction of this peaceful and cozy village amidst beech forests an hour's drive from Sarajevo. Many tourists have a feeling of standing still: in Kraljeva Suteska not only authentic Bosnian houses have been preserved, but also clothes of the past. A place with a very rich and strong history. Nearby is the city of Bosnian kings - the Bobovac fortress.
The dominant feature of the area is the Franciscan monastery located at the foot of a picturesque hill. This magnificent structure also gives the impression of a challenge to time and space. The monastery was built in the first half of the 14th century. The Franciscan Order represented the Catholic Church in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The priests of the order worked here successfully, opening monasteries. Even during the Turkish rule, Sultan Mehmed II gave the Franciscans permission to practice Catholic rites. All monasteries of this order continued to function in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Ottoman period.
During its long history, the monastery was destroyed several times, mainly due to fires. The last restoration dates back to 1890. In this form, it still exists today.
Part of the priceless archives and the monastery library perished in the fires. Everything that was saved is kept in the rich cultural and historical museum of the monastery. The earliest register of the monastery parish dates back to 1641. The library contains about 11 thousand rare and valuable books, including more than 30 incunabula - books published before the beginning of the 16th century. There are editions in Bosnian Cyrillic and many Ottoman documents. Among the relics of the museum there are even things dating back to the XII century.
