Medieval fort Vranduk near Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina

For more than 600 years, magical and mystical medieval fort Vranduk has been the dominant landmark in this area of the Bosnia River Valley. According to the popular tradition, Vranduk is named after the giant Vran and the fearless young man Duk, who beat the Vran on the battlefield. Repaired and restored, it is often the center of meetings and events in the field of culture, art, and education. It is available to visitors who, along with the friendly inhabitants, can visit the fort and settlement, refresh themselves with local drinks and meals, and relax on the fort terrace with a beautiful view of Old and New Vranduk agglomerations and the meander of the Bosna River.?

The Vranduk historical settlement, with the fort of the same name, has been formed on the left valley side of the Bosna River, on a meander in a form of pseudo - Peninsula. During the time of the medieval Bosnian state, this very narrow and hard-to-pass valley determined the development of settlement out of strictly geostrategic interest – to control the transportation links between the Posavina area and the Adriatic Sea.

The settlement developed on Glavica hill, around the fort and along the ridge on which it is located,?forming two residential quarters – Donja mahala and Prigrad with Zavtez. The visual expression of the settlement complex, which forms a harmonious ensemble, pulsates with picturesqueness: a medieval fort with a massive square tower dominates a settlement whose residential architecture is defined by objects of solid cubic forms and their multi-pitched roofs. The open spaces between the buildings are dotted with sparse greenery, stairs, and paths, without the presence of the mass of the courtyard wall.

According to the written historical sources, which mentioned Vranduk for the first time in 1410, it represented a significant and well-known fort already at the beginning of the 15th century. Vranduk was the royal town and seat of ?King Toma? in 1446. and in 1449, when he concluded a trade agreement with Prince Nikola of Trogir. Probably during King Toma?'s reign, the ramparts of the fort were reinforced and the guardhouse was built. Vranduk also had suburbia – "sotto Vranduch" where King Toma? built a church.

It belongs to the group of forts constructed on elevated ground. The structure is compact, made of local limestone, showing the exceptional skill of builders and stonemasons to adapt its plan to fit the small flattened plateau on which it was built. The fort is composed of double rampart walls (outer with gun loops, and the inner, lower ones), a long oval bailey with well, the main tower constructed on the predominant position protecting the fortress from the north side (with a keep next to its south wall), and - outside the bailey - a small tower/guardhouse built to keep the entrance safe.

In cooperation with the Zenica City Museum and the Tourist Board of Zenica-Doboj Canton, the Institute for the Protection of Monuments of the FBiH developed the Main Design for the revitalization of the Vranduk Fort in 2003. The implementation of this project was preceded by the structural repair of damages on the rampart walls, interventions on the Main and small tower (reconstruction of the intermediate timber floor structure, structural repair of shingle tent roofs, roof cladding, etc.), new joinery, and the restoration of the existing well which role is to accept atmospheric water from the bailey of the fort (1999-2002). The basic idea was to convert the main and small towers into multi-functional facilities to be used for museological, cultural, educational, and catering purposes. This was the first step towards the revitalization of the Vranduk fort and the settlement, with the active participation of the local population in the tourist and hospitality activities and offers.

Zenica City Museum has been operating the Vranduk fort for more than twenty years. In addition to caring for the technical maintenance of the monument (control of the state of preservation, reparation of damages, regular maintenance), the Museum participates in various projects aimed at protecting, presenting, and promoting both the fort and heritage and history of Bosnia and Herzegovina.?

Following needs and contemporary trends in heritage presentation, the Museum joined the IPA REG project "Fortress Reinvented", in order to improve the tourist offer at the medieval fort Vranduk. Through the project, the permanent exhibition settings in the main tower (authentic archaeological findings, weapons, tools, replicas of royal clothes and dining room, scriptoriums, forge,…) is upgraded with virtual support for a better presentation of content to visitors who are now allowed to get much more information about the history of Vranduk and medieval Bosnia by using tablets, computers, and TVs.

In addition, to present both culinary and nutrition as an element of intangible heritage, the Museum organized a kind of gastronomic walking line within the fort so that visitors could experience a way of life in the Middle Ages – from buying groceries in the market, through the preparation of food in the kitchen organized in a small tower to the consumption of meals in the dining room on the first floor of the Main tower. In doing so, the Museum allowed cultural tourism consumers to feel the image and atmosphere of the place itself by getting to know the gastronomic offer, hospitality, and culture of this destination.

The Vranduk fort is traditionally a space where the plethora of events happens: International Cultural Event "Illyri - Common Heritage", "Night of Sevdah", "Night of rock'n'roll", “Vrandu?ka a?lama”, medieval festival “Bosnia Kingdom Trails”, creative workshops, art colonies, exhibitions, ...

The heritage surrounding us has always been an inspiration to numerous writers, painters, sculptors, architects, musicians, screenwriters, directors, and video animators who – each in their time and in their own way – have left behind creative testimony of their own experiences and perceptions of the world around us. Thus Vranduk, as an interesting motif, found its place in the works of renowned painters – ?oko Mazali?, Tomislav Krizman, Carl Ebert, Béla Spányi,...?

If you come to Vranduk you can visit an archeological and historical exhibition organized in the main tower, taste good traditional meals prepared by local inhabitants or spend your time hiking on the nearby hills that offer you a view of the landscape and to rest and relieve your soul and senses on the nearby stream and watermills.

Company&project: Institute for the Protection of Monuments of the FBiH, Sarajevo in cooperation with the Zenica City Museum (2003, 1999); Authors: Azra Had?i?, Mirzah Fo?o; Contractors: “Invest-izgradnja”, Zenica, GD “Gradnja” Zenica; Investors: Government of Zenica-Doboj Canton, Tourist Board of Zenica-Doboj Canton; Management and maintenance of the monument& exhibitions: Zenica City Museum; Status: National monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2005; Photo: Institute for the Protection of Monuments of the FBiH, Zenica City Museum, National Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Edber Sinanovi?, www.dinarskogorje.com; Video: Amrudin Amro Ibrakovi?