The monastery on the island Šćit

The restoration of the old Rama monastery on Šćit has started. The monastery has been built 150 years ago, and due to its age, it has caved in 15 years ago. The Franciscans have been mentioned for the first time in 1557, when the monastery has been burnt by the Turkish army together with the church.

 Later it has been burnt and restored for several times. In 1857. a new monastery bu­ilding has been built on the founda­tions of the old monastery, after the Franciscans came back to this area.

The building of the Šćit Monastery is probably one of the oldest mo­nastery buildings in BiH. There are other monasteries that are older as institutions, but this is the only bu­ilding that represents the example of the Bosnian architecture.

After its restoration, the monastery will have the same appearance as it did 150 years ago, but it will have a diffe­rent use. The outside of the building will be plastered, covered in wooden boards, with characteristic windows called demiri (the same ones that it used to have). The ground floor will be a museum of the items over 300 years old. We will also be able to find traditionally dressed dolls there. There will also be some space for the characteristic flora and fauna of this region.

The board for the protec­tion of the national monuments in Bosnia and Herzegovina has proc­laimed the old monastery building, the new building, and the church next to it, as a national monument. This shows the extreme value of this place. The house of peace next to the Franciscan monastery has a gallery of paintings, a library and an ethno­graphic collection.