Before you visit the city of Bijeljina in Bosnia and Herzegovina , it will be useful for tourists to find out which sights of this village should be inspected. They are not so many here, but in general the small city will be pleased with its color and attractive architecture of the cult structure.
We add that Bijelina is a small city. It is located in the north of the country. Next to it, the calm and beautiful rivers Drina and Sava laid themselves a "road", which had a positive effect on the beauty of the nature of these places. The city itself is the center of the region of the same name, and also the main settlement of the geographical part of the region - Semberia.
What is noteworthy, in the city of Bijelina main attractions, one way or another, are associated with a bloody war that swept the country in the mid-90s of the last century.
Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
So the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos is not just a cult building, but a kind of monument to the victims of military operations.
It is interesting that it was Bijelina who became one of the first cities where the war came. The city was captured by the supporters of Islam. Later, when the world was rebuilt, many immigrants from other regions arrived in Bijelin, most of them were Orthodox, and therefore they needed their own temple. The Council began building the cathedral in 2000, and since it has truly gigantic dimensions, finished only in 2009.
The temple attracts not only its size (the area of the building exceeds 450 square meters), but also architecture, incredible beauty: magnificent domes, a high bell tower with a gallery.
The Monastery of St. Basil of Ostrog
The monastery of St. Basil Ostrog was also erected recently, its construction began in 1995, after the end of the Balkan war.
Vasily Ostrozhsky is one of the most revered saints in the Balkan countries. On the territory of the former Yugoslavia, the monastery of his name was already there, but he remained on in modern Montenegro, and therefore in Bosnia and Herzegovina decided to build his own. The monastery was opened in 2001.
As part of the religious complex there are:
- the monastery;
- icon-painting school;
- museum;
- a library with a unique collection of books;
- and the temple itself.
The height of the bell tower exceeds thirty meters. Today, the residence of the bishop of the Zvornytsko-Tuzlanskaya diocese is arranged here.
Monastery of Tavna
This is a convent, not located in Bijelin itself, but in the nearby village of Banica.
Its attractiveness lies in the fact that the building is recognized as one of the most important cultural monuments in the country. It attracts pilgrims and tourists not only this, but also a special source, the water in which is recognized as curative.
The history of Tavna is old. According to some reports, it was built in the late thirteenth century. There are many legends connected with it. In addition, the monastery has a difficult fate - it was repeatedly attacked by various troops, including Turkish, and therefore not once burned, robbed. Despite this, it retained many of the most interesting ancient frescoes.
Today, the Monastery of Tavna will delight with its beautiful architecture, the beautiful nature surrounding it, and simply inexpressible words in the atmosphere. In addition, the nuns who live here are friendly and hospitable, always happy to meet tourists, treat their coffee, tell interesting legends about the monastery.
Other places of interest
Mention should be made of the ethno-village of Stanisici, in which the life and atmosphere of the Bosnians were as accurately as possible. Here you can stay at the hotel, enjoy delicious national food. In fact, this is a restaurant hotel on the water, in which you can perfectly spend the weekend.
Tourists are attracted to Bijeljina for the festival "Rhythm of Europe" - this is a folkloric event, in which bands from many European countries take part, among them Slovenia, Ukraine, Italy, Greece and others.
In the city there is a monument to the first King of Serbia, Peter I Karadjordjevic. It is located next to the building of the city community. There are other attractions that deserve attention:
- the Church of St. George;
- a monument to Philip Vishnich;
- the monastery of St. Petka.
How to get there?
If you are interested in the attractions of Bijeljina, it is easiest to get here by ground transport from the cities with which air communication is established. For example, from the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the city of Sarajevo . It is also possible to get to Bijeljina and from Belgrade (Serbia) - there are buses between cities and the road will take about two and a half hours.