Despić’s house, one of the annexes of the Museum of Sarajevo, has been preserving memories woven into the walls of old Sarajevo for decades. Declared a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2005, and open to visitors since 2008, this house is not only a historical space, but a living testimony of time, family and city that grew together.
In the past two years, Despić’s house underwent a careful and thorough restoration. The works included the complete replacement of the carpentry in accordance with the authentic appearance of the building, the painting of the entire house and the restoration and varnishing of the floors. In parallel, activities were carried out to protect the permanent installation, restore furniture, prepare textiles and restore furniture, as well as cleaning the warehouse, basement rooms and gutters, along with replacing the video surveillance system.
The Minister of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton, Kenan Magoda, emphasized that with this renovation, dignity has been restored to what was unfairly neglected for years. He pointed out that Despić’s house is not just a building, but an important part of Sarajevo’s identity and a testimony of its rich history and culture that reminds of the city’s roots and heritage. Unfortunately, as he stated, like many valuable monuments of cultural heritage, it was left to the ravages of time and the negligence of the system for years.
“We are changing that today, because cultural heritage is not a burden but an obligation. We will not allow it to be forgotten, decay or disappear. It is our duty to preserve it, restore it and leave it for generations to come in a better condition than we found it,” said Magoda.
The internal ongoing maintenance work and restoration procedures in the interior were led and supervised by the Federal Institute for the Protection of Monuments and the Cantonal Institute for the Protection of Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage. Special value was given to this process by the restoration of painter’s ornamentation and self-painting works led by restorer Esad Vesković and his team, returning the rooms of the Despić house to their original splendor.
Despić’s house opened its doors again on January 7, 2025, bringing new energy through the small chamber scene “Theatre at Maksa”. Today, that space breathes art again – it gathers actors, poets, children and culture lovers, continuing the tradition that began more than a century ago. In the past year, the audience enjoyed the Karađoz Theater for children and adults, poetry evenings as part of the event “Sidranovi dani”, the recital “Miki in Despića kuća”, as well as numerous workshops that bring the world of art closer to the youngest.
Quietly and dignified, Despić’s house connects the past and the present – remaining a home of meetings, art and memories.
