The Old Town of Visoki was a famous medieval city and fortress that emerged during the 14th century on the Visočica hill. At its foothills, and also at the foothills of Visočica, lies the city of Visoko today. On September 1, 1355, in a charter of the young Ban Tvrtko I Kotromanić titled "in castro nostro Visoka vocatum," the Old Town of Visoki was mentioned for the first time. It also served as the seat of a high feudal lord with the title of the Grand Duke of Bosnia. The Old Town of Visoki is situated on top of the 213-meter-high Visočica hill at an elevation of 766.5 meters, and about 300 meters above the valley where the city of Visoko itself developed. It is located at a prominent place with an excellent view of the entire surrounding area. The approach is on the southwest side, from a plain that is 60 meters lower, and the suburb of the fortress and the city was called Podvisoki. Although historically important, the Old Town of Visoki was not of large dimensions, being about 60 meters in length and about 25 meters in width, it had two towers that protected it along its entire length. Inside the city itself, there are several traces of buildings. The wall thickness is about 2 meters, and it is mostly built of slab limestone of local origin which is roughly hewn, while the cave sand for the mixture is of uneven strength and quite coarse. The primary function of the Old Town of Visoki was defensive, but it was also the place from where Bosnian rulers wrote many charters and documents, the last of which was written in 1436 when Prince Tvrtko Borovinić issued documents in Visoko. Today, the Old Town of Visoki is a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Old Town of Visoki

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Šerefudin's White Mosque has great architectural importance for the city and its surroundings. The architect of the mosque is Zlatko Ugljen. It was first built in 1477, and its current appearance is the result of a complete reconstruction carried out in 1980. The most important award came in 1983, when Zlatko Ugljen's work received the prestigious Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Experts awarded the Šerefuddin mosque for its striking appearance, creativity, and brilliance, as well as its originality and new approaches to construction. In 2007, it received another important recognition from the Hungarian Society of Architects, who evaluated the White Mosque in Visoko as one of the three best-designed sacred spaces in Europe.

Šerefudin’s White Mosque

The Ravne 2 archaeological and tourist park is a new spiritual center in Bosnia and Herzegovina where visitors can participate in sports-and-entertainment such as meditation and yoga. The park, which covers an area of 40,000 square meters, is located near the entrance to the recently discovered "Ravne 2" tunnel system, which is part of the larger "Ravne Tunnel Labyrinth" beneath the Bosnian Pyramid Complex. The park is designed to accommodate a variety of events, including educational and sporting events. Since its discovery, the tunnel has become a popular destination for visitors from around the world.

Park Ravne 2

The Old Mosque in Goduša is an impressive architectural masterpiece that holds great significance for Bosnia and Herzegovina's history and culture. The mosque was commissioned by Mahmut-beg, a prominent Bosniak nobleman and governor of Bosnia during the mid-16th century. It is believed that the mosque was built in 1565/66 on an elevated site above the old town of Goduša, and was made from stone with a simple, austere design that reflects the religious values of the time. The mosque has undergone several renovations and restorations over the years, with the most recent restoration taking place in 2002. Throughout these restorations, great care has been taken to preserve the mosque's original features and materials, maintaining its architectural and historical significance.
The Old Mosque in Goduša is also an important cultural and religious site for the local community. It serves as a symbol of the region's rich cultural heritage and is still used for daily prayers and special religious events. Additionally, the mosque's surrounding harem contains small tombstones that are still active and a sand clock that accurately indicated the time.

During the Ottoman period, the area around the mosque was used as part of the "Sarajevo Road," a trade route for transporting goods. In the immediate vicinity, there was also a Turkish inn, which suggests that the mosque served as a place of prayer for both travelers and local residents during this time.

Despite being located on the front line during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Old Mosque in Goduša sustained only minor damage. This enduring testament to the mosque's strength and resilience serves as a reminder of the important role it has played in the history and culture of the region.

Old mosque with harem in Goduša

A complex network of passages, intersections, chambers, and underground water accumulations was built beneath the Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun. The discovery of this labyrinth was announced by the discoverer of the Bosnian pyramids, Dr. Semir Osmanagic, in his book in 2005, basing his hypothesis on similar examples of underground tunnels in Egypt, China, and Mexico. Until then, it was believed that the low entrance and fifty-meter tunnel passage in Visoko was a "natural cave". There are no negative radiations in the labyrinth: cosmic (Hartmann, Curry, and Schneider grids), natural radioactivity, or negative energy from underground water flows. Therefore, this location is one of the safest on the planet and allows for the protection of health and body revitalization. The Foundation's activity involves cleaning the existing prehistoric tunnels from the brought-in gravelly material and securing them with wooden underlay of tunnel passages that lead towards the Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun (southeast direction). The air circulation is excellent and achieved through the different height of the ceilings, causing different pressure and natural ventilation. The slope of the tunnel is 1.5 degrees, which enables fine water drainage. The concentration of negative ions, which cleanse the atmosphere from bacteria and viruses, is several tens higher than the average, which explains the beneficial effect of the tunnel on the human body.

Ravne Tunnels

The Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun is the largest pyramid in the world, with a height of over 220 meters. It has a regular pyramid geometry with three well-preserved sides: north, east, and west. The pyramid is covered with concrete blocks that, according to analyses by Bosnian and Italian material institutes, have high compressive strength and low water absorption, making them superior to modern concretes. German geophysicists' ground-penetrating radar scans in 2007 confirmed the existence of internal passageways in the pyramid. Croatian physicists (in 2010) detected the existence of an energy beam with a radius of 4.5 meters passing through the top of the pyramid, while Italian and Finnish experts (in 2011) recorded the phenomenon of ultrasound at the top of the pyramid. During the summer months, the shadow of the Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun covers the Bosnian Pyramid of the Moon just before sunset, showing a clear astronomical relationship between these two pyramids. The pyramid is covered with layers of soil and vegetation similar to hundreds of pyramids in China, Mexico, or Guatemala. The Federal Institute of Pedology estimated the age of the earth's cover to be 12,000 years, making the Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun the oldest pyramid on the planet.

Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun

Tumulus Vratnica is a large prehistoric tumulus located in the Visoko municipality of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated on a hill overlooking the town of Vratnica and is considered one of the largest and most impressive tumuli in the region. It is 32 meters high. It was built with a combination of megalithic double-layered blocks, clay, and concrete. The materials are concentrically stacked on top of each other. The mass of megalithic blocks reaches ten tons or more. According to georadar surveys by German geophysicists in 2007, the existence of underground passages was confirmed. Analysis of concrete material samples in France in 2009 showed the presence of geopolymeric cement as a binding material. In 2010, a team of Croatian physicists detected the presence of an electromagnetic phenomenon - an energy beam at the top of the tumulus with a frequency of 28 kHz. The existence of energetic phenomena at this prehistoric construction object has become a tourist attraction.

Tumulus "Vratnica"

The Native Museum in Visoko, Bosnia and Herzegovina, is a unique and fascinating destination for those interested in the history and culture of the region. The museum, which is housed in an old stone building, offers visitors a glimpse into the lives of the people who have lived in Visoko for centuries. The museum's collection includes a wide variety of artifacts, including traditional clothing, tools, and household items. Visitors can also see exhibits on traditional crafts, such as pottery and weaving, as well as learn about the history of the area through photographs and maps. One of the highlights of the Native Museum is its display of traditional musical instruments, including the sargija, a type of stringed instrument that is an important part of Bosnian and Herzegovinian culture. The museum also hosts regular cultural events, such as traditional music and dance performances, as well as workshops and lectures on topics related to the history and culture of the region.

Native Museum

The Tabhanska Mosque, which is located in the heart of Visoko, was designated a national monument in 2003. It is believed that tanners constructed it sometime in the 17th century. Throughout history, the original mosque suffered numerous damages, notably from fires and floods. The Project of Reconstruction, Restoration and Conservation of the Mosque, 2005-2008, was put into effect when it was designated a national monument. In addition to the mosque, a tiny harem that houses the burials of agas, ulemmas, and dervishes was designated as a national monument.

Tabhanska Mosque

Neolithic site Okolište, a national monument in Visoko, Bosnia and Herzegovina, is the largest site of the Neolithic Butmir culture. Located northwest of Visoko, it covers about 7 hectares in the Visoko basin, a key area for Neolithic settlements in Central Bosnia dating back to around 5200 BC. Research, including geomagnetic surveys and excavations, revealed a well-structured settlement with around 54 houses, indicating sophisticated multi-room designs and dual furnaces per house. Excavations uncovered 7 houses, numerous workshops, stone tool manufacturing sites, and ceramic artifacts from the Butmir II and III cultures (4800-4700 BCE). The estimated population was about 1000, indicating a densely populated area. The economy was based on agriculture, focusing on grains like emmer, einkorn, barley, and millet, supplemented by animal husbandry and limited hunting, with cattle being particularly important. Nearby Donje Moštre offers additional insights with its Neolithic and Chalcolithic artifacts. This place has garnered international attention, particularly from German researchers. Their meticulous excavations and studies have unearthed a trove of historical treasures, shedding light on the complex lives of our Neolithic ancestors. These invaluable findings are now carefully preserved in the Native Museum of Visoko, a testament to the region's rich heritage. Yet, this remarkable site still holds many secrets, with vast areas remaining unexplored. As research continues, each discovery at Okolište promises to further unravel the intricate tapestry of our shared human past.

Neolithic site Okolište 

Discover the unique Tabačka Stupa in Visoko, the only preserved tanner's column in the Balkans, a symbol of the town's deep-rooted history in leather craftsmanship. This remarkable structure, dating back to the 14th century, marks Visoko's centuries-old connection with leather processing. Owned by the Zavičajni Muzej Visoko, it proudly stands in the city center as a fascinating exhibit. The Tabačka Stupa, essential in the traditional leather tanning process, operated on water power along the Fojnica River, utilizing natural tanning materials like sumac leaves, bark, and oak galls. This process was crucial in creating soft sheep and goat leathers as well as tougher cow hides. Historically, Visoko's leather tanning tradition possibly originated from North Africa or was brought by the Budimlije from Hungary. The Ottoman Empire further developed it into a strategic industry. Visoko, renowned for its related crafts like shoemaking and leather goods, transitioned from traditional to industrial leather processing post-World War II. Today, Tabačka Stupa stands as a testament to these enduring crafts and traditions, a must-visit for those intrigued by the rich cultural and industrial heritage of Visoko and Bosnia and Herzegovina

Tanner's Mortar

In the oldest part of Visoko is the Hadži-Ibrahimova or Pertačka mosque, which, together with the Šerefuddin-Bijela mosque, is among the first built mosques under Ottoman rule in the area of Visoko. It is assumed that the Pertačka mosque was built in the 15th century, most likely in 1477. It was built in the immediate vicinity of the marketplace, namely the Sebilj market. Over the centuries, the mosque was damaged, which was the reason for the detailed reconstruction in 2001. The original structure of the Pertačka mosque, before the last reconstruction, was simple, with thick stone walls and a stone minaret leaning on the right side. The minaret is particularly interesting, as it was built of travertine, a stone that was most likely extracted from the nearby river Fojnica, which is a unique example in Visoko.

Pertačka Mosque

Pertačka Mosque in Visoko is a remarkable historical site, beautifully blending Ottoman architecture with modern restoration. Dating back to 1477, its unique stone minaret and thick walls narrate centuries of history. Located near the Sebilj marketplace, it offers a serene atmosphere, making it a must-visit for those keen to explore the rich cultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The mosque stands as a testament to Visoko's enduring legacy and is a jewel in the town's historical tapestry.

A Timeless Jewel of Visoko: Pertačka Mosque

The wellness & spa center at Hotel Vema in Visoko, Bosnia and Herzegovina, is an oasis of relaxation and rejuvenation. Featuring a modern design and luxurious ambiance, the center provides a serene and inviting atmosphere for guests. An expert team of therapists offers personalized treatments aimed at enhancing both physical and mental well-being. These treatments include massages, facials, hydrotherapy, and other options designed to revitalize guests. After indulging in these treatments, guests can enjoy additional facilities like pools, saunas, and a relaxation area, further enhancing the experience of complete harmony. The spa center operates every day from 09:00 to 21:00, allowing ample time for guests to immerse themselves in this tranquil retreat.

Wellness & Spa Vema

Orthodox church of St. Procopius - The church of St. Procopius, a national landmark, is situated at the base of the hill Grad or Visoica. The actual date of the structure cannot be determined with certainty because all records regarding the church building, documents, and archives were destroyed in a fire in 1941. The information that is available indicates that there was a school close to the church that started operating around 1840 at the home of self-described Jove Aslivara instructor. Built in 1875, the school building remained in use until 1914. The church has had renovations throughout its history, with the most recent being in 1998. One of the most well-known and substantial collections of icons in Bosnia and Herzegovina is found in the Church of St. Prokopija in Visoko. The earliest icon dates back to the XV century and was created in a Byzantine iconographic text. The church's library and archives are housed in the space above the Diacanicon. The library has about 200 different editions, most of which are religious editions like clerks and others. There are also some history-related books and different publications. The earliest book dates back to 1880. Partially preserved in the church is disorganized ecclesiastical archival material. The Kakanj priest Miroslav Vuji took some of the content.

Orthodox church of St. Procopius

Deep in the heart of Bosnia, nestled along the Fojnica River, a story of enduring tradition and resilience unfolds. The river, once famed for its gold prospectors, now powers a lone watermill – the last sentinel of a bygone era. This is the tale of the Džafić watermill at Buci, where time seems to have paused, yet life flows as relentlessly as the river itself. The remnants of many mills, now in ruins, line the banks of Fojnica, but only the Džafić mill remains operational. Despite its age and the stillness of three of its five wheels, the mill tirelessly grinds on with its two remaining stones. This enduring spirit was particularly evident during the war years. Milica Džafić, the miller, recalls nights without sleep, grinding not just wheat and corn, but anything that could be turned into flour. Situated amidst the scenic route between Visoko and Kiseljak, the Džafić mill stands unaffected by floods, a testament to its ideal location. It is a jewel in the Bosnian landscape, rich in historical and environmental significance. The Džafić watermill's story is more than just the survival of a mill – it's a narrative of a community's resilience, a family's dedication, and a poignant reminder of the simpler, yet profoundly significant aspects of Bosnian heritage.

Mlinovi na Bucima

Franjevački samostan sv. Bonaventure, also known as the Franciscan Monastery of St. Bonaventure, is a historic religious site located in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The monastery was built in the late 13th century by the Franciscan order and served as an important center of spiritual and cultural life for the local community. The monastery is known for its beautiful Gothic architecture, including its impressive church, cloister, and bell tower. Inside the church, visitors can admire a number of beautiful frescoes and other works of art. The monastery also houses a small museum, which contains a collection of religious artifacts and manuscripts. Today the monastery is still active, it is used as a spiritual and cultural center, and it is open to visitors. It is considered as an important architectural and cultural heritage site in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Franciscan Monastery of St. Bonaventure

Mile are located in the immediate vicinity of Visoko, in today's settlement of Arnautovići on the right bank of the Bosna river and near the mouth of the Goruša river. Today, the Mile archaeological site is a protected national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mile was one of the royal seats. The first Bosnian king, Tvrtko I Kotromanić, was crowned in Mile in 1377. Under a large tombstone in the church, the remains of brocade fabric with motifs of a coat of arms with a shield, veil, crown, helmet, and plume were found, in the grave of King Tvrtko I. Mile were one of the places where assemblies were held. At the assemblies, issues related to the internal and foreign policy of Bosnia were resolved. Among these issues were the election and coronation of rulers, gifting and taking away estates, alienation of state territory, and determination of foreign policy. Mauro Orbini and many Franciscan chronicles state that Ban Stjepan II built the Church of St. Nicholas in Mile and that he was buried there according to his own wish. The tomb of King Tvrtko is located at the back of the church's choir. The above-ground part of the tomb was made up of reddish-brown stone slabs with profiling and figural decorations in shallow relief and one monolithic tombstone ridge with a base, now a tombstone, an amorphous, hacked boulder, lying against the north wall of the church.