Fojnica

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Fojnica
settlement_type =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = BIH
timezone=CET
utc_offset=+1
map_caption =Location of Fojnica within Bosnia and Herzegovina.
timezone_DST=CEST
utc_offset_DST=+2
latNS=N
longEW=E
leader_title=Municipality president
native_name = Fojnica


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leader_name = Salkan Merdžanić (SDA)|area_total_km2 =306
population_total = 16296|population_footnotes=
population_as_of=1991 census
population_density_km2 =
latd =
latm=
longd=
longm=
area_code = +387 30
parts =
website = http://www.fojnica.ba

Fojnica is a town and municipality in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, located west of Kiseljak and of the capital Sarajevo. It lies in the valley of the Fojnička River, tributary of the river Bosna. Administratively, Fojnica is part of the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Holy Spirit Franciscan Monastery

Fojnica, a small, picturesque town in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, is famous for its 'Holy Spirit Franciscan Monastery', which houses an important part of the nation's cultural heritage. The monastery's founding date is unclear, but historians are fairly certain that it dates from the first half of the 14th century. "Fojnica had both a church and monastery as early as the time of the Bosnian kings," Ottoman documents say.

The monastery's museum collections hold the Ahd-Namah (the Order) of Sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror guaranteeing security and freedom to the Franciscans. This document allowed the Franciscans of the day to preach freely among the Catholics in BiH, which in turn enabled the preservation of Bosnian Catholicism through the centuries.

The museum also houses the Book of Coats of Arms, dating from 1304 -- probably one of the oldest books in the region -- with historical coats of arms of some Balkan countries and of then-prominent Bosnian families. A rare numismatic collection is also on exhibit.

The monastery is currently under renovation. Monastery curator Mirko Majdancic says that a tavern is planned for the courtyard. The tavern will have a corner for musicians and serve only eco-friendly foods, such as sour cream, jams, juices, various homemade pies, and the delectable Fojnica potato. A nearby agricultural co-operative grows about 20 tonnes of the potatoes annually.

Besides the tavern and the museum, the monastery boasts a library containing about 50,000 titles. Most of the works are philosophical and theological, printed from the 16th to the 19th centuries. The library's archive preserves more than 3,000 documents from the Ottoman Empire, with 13 of them dating back to 1481.

Today the monastery both adorns and symbolizes Fojnica. It is considered a guardian of Fojnica's history and a safeguard of its future.

Bosnian Franciscans are highly regarded for their patriotism by the Bosnian Muslim community, which believes them to be an inseparable part of the Bosnian medieval and modern statehood. The Franciscans like to say they are devoted to God and to Bosnia.

Demographics

Municipality of Fojnica

Census 1991.

total: 16,296

* Muslims by nationality - 8,024 (49.23%)
* Croats - 6,623 (40.64%)
* Serbs - 157 (0.96%)
* "Yugoslavs" - 407 (2.49%)
* others and unknown - 1,085 (6.68%)

Census 1981.

total: 15,045

* Muslims by nationality - 7,637 (50.76%)
* Croats - 6,432 (42.75%)
* Serbs - 422 (2.80%)
* "Yugoslavs" - 392 (2.60%)
* others and unknown - 162 (1.09%)

Census 1971.

total: 12,829

* Muslims by nationality - 6,473 (50.45%)
* Croats - 5,948 (46.36%)
* Serbs - 223 (1.73%)
* "Yugoslavs" - 85 (0.66%)
* others and unknown - 100 (0.80%)

Town of Fojnica (itself)

Census 1991.

total: 4,225

* Muslims by nationality - 2,095 (49.58%)
* Croats - 1,563 (36.99%)
* Serbs - 130 (3.07%)
* "Yugoslavs" - 297 (7.02%)
* others and unknown - 140 (3.31%)

References

* Official results from the book: Ethnic composition of Bosnia-Herzegovina population, by municipalities and settlements, 1991. census, Zavod za statistiku Bosne i Hercegovine - Bilten no.234, Sarajevo 1991.

Tourism

Fojnica has the most prominent spa in the region of Eastern Europe. Visiting Fojnica for this reason would be an excellent choice. The other most popular spa in Bosnia is in Olovo.

Trivia

There is also a village named Fojnica in Bosnia and Herzegovina, located on left side of the Bosna River, between the towns of Maglaj and Zavidovići.

External links

* [http://www.fojnica.ba/english/ Municipal website]
* [http://www.citizenspact.org.yu/fojnica.htm Information about the town]
* [http://www.samostan.ba/ Franciscan cloister of city Fojnica]