55 national monuments are registered in the area of Tuzla Canton (TC). Some of them have been restored, but there are quite a few left to the ravages of time. Positive and negative examples were recorded in Gracanica.
A 200-year-old Bosnian house – cardaklija, Mara Popovic’s house in the city, which was given to the “Gracanicko Keranje” Association for use, was renovated. The Sahat-kula (Clock Tower) was also restored, as well as the Old Mosque in the medieval town of Sokol, which was handed over to the “Gradina” Women’s Association. Numerous activities were also started on the restoration of the old ‘Gradina’ (Castle), which was first mentioned on June 2nd, 1429.
In contrast to these bright examples, the ”Donja Mosque” in Lukavica near Gracanica, built in 1910 and declared a national monument in 2005, is in a dilapidated state. The local imam, Amel ef. Hodzic, says that since then no one has ever come to see the state of this mosque.
”We appealed to the Majlis of the Islamic Community of Gracanica to do something, to protect the mosque before it collapsed. We were willing to do something ourselves, but we were told not to do anything in order not to damage the national monument. We have protected the “Gornja Mosque” in Lukavica which is located about two hundred meters from the “Donja Mosque” in Lukavica, installed a thermal facade, and now it is time to cover the wooden mosque with sheet metal because we do not want it to suffer the fate of the ”Donja Mosque” Lukavica,” ef. Hodzic said.
Owners of buildings
Owners of buildings Chief imam (religious leader) of the Majlis of the Islamic Community Gracanica Smajo ef. Mustafic says that there is a pronounced problem with the maintenance of national monuments in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), especially those that urgently need to be saved from collapse, such as the mosque in Street Lipa. 30.000 BAM is needed only for the conceptual solution for the protection of this property, and the main project will cost 60.000 BAM.
”We are the owners of these buildings and are responsible for their eventual collapse, and we are not able to do anything because all approvals are authorized by the Federal Ministry of Spatial Planning and Environment,” ef. Mustafic stated, Avaz writes.
E.Dz.
