Stari grad Bužim

tourist attraction in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Region: Northwest Bosnia — Una Valley

The Old Town of Bužim is one of the most beautiful and artistically valuable fortified towns in Bosnia and Herzegovina, located on a hill near present-day Bužim, in the far northwest of the country. Once a royal town and, after Bihać, the most significant fortress in Krajina, Bužim represents a unique blend of a medieval fortress and a feudal court. It is first mentioned in 1334 under the name Čava, and in the 15th century, under the administration of Juraj Mikuličić, it was completely reconstructed and acquired fortification characteristics modeled after the Italian Renaissance. The town is double-layered – it consists of an inner, older part with four round towers at the corners, and an outer part with bastions and walls. It came under Ottoman rule in 1576 and became part of the Krupa Captaincy. At the foot of the old town, there is also an old wooden mosque, built in the 18th century – the largest and most famous wooden mosque in the Balkans, now a national monument. The Old Town of Bužim itself has also been declared a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Although it now represents the ruins of a once powerful fortress, Bužim exudes a strong spirit and a rich history that takes your breath away.