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Mosque Kuršumlija Džamija
Kuršumlija Džamija is the name of a mosque from the 16th century situated in the medieval town of Maglaj in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The building is one of two properties that Cultural Heritage without Bordersselected 1996 to become one of the initial projects of emergency aid for those cultural properties in the country damaged in the war and one for which the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) set aside grants. The mosque was shelled heavily during the war from 1992 to 1995 resulting in serious damage to its domes and minaret.
The mosque is a grade 1-listed building according to the former Yugoslavian conservation programme. The national Civil Service Office in Sarajevo, BiH's Institute for Protection of Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage compiled a list of cultural properties in BiH that had been either partly or wholly destroyed. According to this there had been 22 mosques before the war with a grade-1 listing, of which only ten were in such a condition after the war that their restoration was feasible. The two famous 16th century mosques in Banja Luka had been completely destroyed. Kursumlija Dzamija was thus considered to be one of the country's most treasured historical monument.
The mosque was fully restored in October 1999 with the river Bosnia in the foreground. Photo CHwB.
tCo-operation with the Bosnian Institute
During the autumn of 1996 an agreement was signed between Cultural heritage without Borders, the Institute in Sarajevo, Maglaj's town council and the Islamic community in Maglaj which set the initial requirements needed for the restoration work. Firstly, the Institute undertook responsibility for the planning of the restoration together with Cultural heritage without Borders own project manager. And secondly, Cultural Heritage without Borders would be responsible for the costs involved.
An initial concrete precaution had to be taken early in 1997 to put up a roof-covering over the mosque, as protection against rain but also for the actual restoration work. A contract for the roof-covering was signed with a local building contractor, Gradina, whilst another company Gradnja from Zenica was duly awarded the contract for the restoration work, after a formal process of procurement from local companies.
Results of the restoration assignmen
The assignment was successfully brought to a conclusion during the autumn of 1999 and in October a small ceremony was held to mark the end of several years' work. A new corner column was erected in the loggia, a new lead roofing was put into place on the large dome and on the three smaller domes and the shot-down minaret was completely rebuilt. That the completion of the restoration was delayed was partly due to the problems finding the right stone material for the column and minaret. Useful lessons were learnt particularly as regards the work on the new lead roofing on the domes.
These contributions have ensured the survival of the building and can provide the town council with the conditions to continue working with the damaged interior.
Working with the roof. Photo CHwB 1999.
Name Kuršumlija Džamija
Building Mosque
Built 16th century
Geographical area Maglaj, Federation, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Joint partners Institute for Protection of Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo, building contractor Gradina from Maglaj, restoration work contractor Gradnja from Zenica
Local architect in charge Azra Hadžic, Institute for Protection of Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo
Project managers Tuula Rauma and Pål Anders Stensson, Cultural Heritage without Borders
Financer Sida (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency)
