There are only few objects in the area of Gorazde that were constructed during the Ottoman Empire, which preserved their authentic look. One of the few of them is the family house Herendi in Gunjaci, around 18 kilometers away from Gorazde. It is over 300 years old, according to some estimates.
Interestingly, this house survived wars, armies, storms, it raised generations, and even became a shelter for refugees.
“It was constructed in the Ottoman era. My father, Sahin-bey, told me that he lived here for 89 years and his father for 70 years, his grandfather for 90 years, but none of them remembered when it was built. It was a long time ago, because I am 80 years old. Thus, my dad and not even his dad remembered when it was constructed, and all of them grew up in that house. The house was built in the Ottoman style, it has two entrances, the terrace, and a large and small room in the lower floor. There are several rooms in the upper floor and there is also a cellar with a separate entrance and a place where they used to leave flour. It is a large house, eleven with eight meters. It is more than 300 years old,” said Ferid Herenda.
“I was born and I got married here and I actually lived in this house until recently. However, this house is valuable because it tells a story about an era. And whether it should be renewed, others should say. I had the opportunity to make another house on it, on its foundation, but I could not do it, because this house has its own history. I have a house in Gorazde, but I was born here. There is no house like this one,” remembered Ferid.
He said that there is no older building in South-eastern Bosnia and that there was another one in the village of Sasici but it collapsed.
“There are some stories that Herenda family came from Hungary, that there is a place called Herende. I was also told that Ferhat-bey Herenda had an army, and some people wanted to kill him when he went to hunt, after which he left to Turkey and thus appeared family Bajrami, because they had to change their surname,” said Ferid Herenda.
Gunjacici village are only 18 kilometers from Gorazde, near Posestra, where Memorial Forest 8372 was built. It is a place with its own history, because the commander Zaim Imamovic founded the First Drina Brigade not far from it. There is a monument to the 16thMuslim Brigade on the way to Gunjacici village as well.
Gunjacici, said Ferid, are beautiful, but deserted village now.
(Source: E. A./Klix.ba)
