Whether coming from the north or the south, the silhouette of the town of Jajce is defined by two temples: a Romanesque church with a slender bell tower and an Ottoman-style mosque. It talks about the coexistence between religions that was traditional in Bosnia and Herzegovina until the end of the 20th century, when confessions and political and ethnic affinities became confused to the inconceivable.
Until entering the town center through the beautiful gate of the medieval wall, the traveler does not realize that Jajce is besieged by two water courses.
From the west comes the Pliva. In a dramatic and thunderous way, when it enters the heart of the town, it falls into a waterfall that first ends up in a large pond – where swimmers jump in the summer – and then gently overcomes another river, the Vrbas, which arrives from the east in a much calmer way.
Jajce is one of the favorite places for Bosnian urbanites to relax on weekends and holidays. Actually, because there is not much to do, apart from enjoying the harmony of a medieval old town, with cobbled streets that go up and down the hillside and end up in charming little squares full of restaurants where the most classic dishes are served. delicacies of Balkan cuisine.
Right in front of Stari Grad Square, the main square, is the mosque. It is impeccably restored – after the ravages of the Yugoslav wars of 1991-2001 –, marking the city skyline with its Turkish-style minaret. The prayer room, whose access is allowed to non-believers, is cozy and relaxing.
Going up the slope are the remains of the church of Saint Mary, where Bosnian kings had traditionally been crowned. Its bell tower with triple windows is sensational. Strangely, the destruction of the temple was due to a fire in the mid-19th century, and not to any war. Opposite, some catacombs created by Hrvoje Vuk?i? Hrvatini?, Grand Duke of Bosnia, in the 14th century.
If you have enough breath left to summit the mountain, you visit the remains of the fortress, in a place that would seem impregnable due to the location and the protection of the two water courses. However, over the centuries it changed hands several times. From the top of its walls you have a splendid perspective of that forested area of ??Central Bosnia.
Even with such a harmonious and beautiful old town, most travelers come to Jajce attracted by a spectacle that takes place five kilometers away up the Pliva River. It is a place where the river course spreads through a network of small waterfalls in which dozens of tiny wooden mills were installed in the 18th and 19th centuries, which took advantage of the current to make flour. They are minimal constructions that almost look like a Three Bears toy.
A system of wooden walkways joins them, crossing the multiple branches of the river. At the top of that Jezero spot there is a large wooded area where Bosnians persistently practice their great love of family picnics. There is a delicious path that leads back to Jajce, walking for just over an hour through a cool environment in summer and a cold and snow-ridden environment in winter.
Jajce is 70 kilometers from Banja Luka, which on the narrow and twisting Bosnian roads means just over an hour’s drive. Sarajevo is further away (160 km), and claims a trip of almost three hours.
