#tekija

The ceiling edged with extending moldings holds a composition of curved moldings that frame painted panels and a centerpiece made of carved wood elements and leaf-like pieces that create a dramatic center to the ceiling. The ceiling of the guest room is an exceptional example of the fine woodworking traditions that occur in a number of countries in the Balkans. (photo 1988)

The guest room windows offer a view of the Buna River as it emerges from below the cliff. A divan (built-in seating) bounds the exterior walls of the room, and is covered with patterned textiles. Their dominant deep red combines with white walls and brown woodwork to create an inviting ambiance. (photo 1997)

(photo 1988)

The village of Blagaj na Buni is located southeast of Mostar in the Neretva Canton of Herzegovina. The Buna River emerges from under the massive karst stone formation after traveling over 19 kilometers underground. Archaeological finds indicate that the area has been inhabited for over 5,000 years. The present tekija (dervish monastic complex) dates back over 300 years. The karst formation extends high above the tekija to sites where ruins of fortresses occupied by Illyrians, Romans, and medieval rulers are located. (photo 1988)

Sagrdžije Ulica has a number of significant structures facing onto it. The building complex on the near right is the Hadži Sinanova Tekija that was constructed in 1708. The tekija has an important place in the history of Sarajevo and has gone through a number of restorations and conservation initiatives. Below the tekija, on the right, is the Alija Djerzeleza kuća. (photo 2000)

The plan, section, and elevation views of this monastic building show an extraordinary fit between building and site. Finely crafted interior spaces provide ritual, guest and bathing accommodations, and include a mausoleum for a legendary shiekh. Courtyard spaces complete the setting. (drawings by authors 1993, data from the multiple sources at Bosnian Preservation Institute, Sarajevo and Mostar)

Jajce is a town in central Bosnia where the Pliva River joins the Vrbas River. The region was inhabited by Romans in the 4th century and by the 14th century the town formed and served as the capital of the Bosnian king Stjepan Tomašević in the 15th century. The Mulalić residence was constructed in the early 19th century by Hadži Jusuf Mulalić as a tekija and musafirhana (housing for dervish travelers); in the 20th century the structure was converted into a traditional dwelling. (photo 1988)

The restored tekija was built in 1851, and is the last of many Moslem and earlier religious structures at this site, dating back to medieval times. The residential scale and expression of the building belie its religious uses. Masonry and wood combine to achieve rich textures and complex forms, such as the projecting second-storey bay with flared eaves. Entrance is by way of a stone-paved courtyard that also provides outdoor gathering space at the Buna River's edge. (photo 1988)