Architectural ensemble of the Partisans’ Memorial Cemetery in Mostar (BH_31)
Country or territory: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Name of organisation compiling the information: Commission to Preserve National Monuments
Contact name: Mirela Mulaluć Handan
Email address: mirela.m.handan@kons.gov.ba
Name and address of building(s) or site: Architectural ensemble of the Partisans’ Memorial Cemetery in Mostar, FBiH
Inventory reference number(s): 07/1-2-924/03-4
Building type(s): Architectural ensemble
Main date(s): Post World War II; ceremonial opening 1965
Current use(s): Memorial cemetery, in use
Significance
After World War II, a great many memorials to the War of National Liberation were erected, and in early 1959, at the initiative of Džemal Bijedić, the design of a memorial cemetery in Mostar was entrusted to architect Bogdan Bogdanović(6).
The memorial was formally opened on 25 September 1965 by Josip Broz Tito on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the liberation of Mostar from fascism and on the date of formation of the Mostar Battalion.
In the spring of 1992, the Partisans' Memorial Cemetery was badly damaged by war action and dynamiting. After the war, the destruction and devastation of the memorial continued as a result of neglect and lack of maintenance. The deterioration of the memorial cemetery was brought about by both natural and human factors. Despite the devastation, the memorial has not lost its physical completeness.
In 2005, works were carried out on the memorial to clear, make good and reconstruct various component parts of the complex and greenery, and on 9 May 2005 the part-restored memorial was formally opened
The Partisans' Memorial Cemetery at Bijeli Brijeg contains all the features of a complex architectural, aesthetic and landscape design. It is a unique monument to the urban scale of Mostar, and is of particular ambiental value. Its particular quality consists in the unity of nature (water and greenery) with the architectural expression of the designer.
As the architect says, “using the universal symbolism of the elements of the sun, planets and moon, the monument has meaning for everyone, and succeeds in imposing itself as an authentic element of space.” Although this is a memorial complex, visitors are able to enjoy the unique blend of light, architectural forms and greenery, and enjoy the views of the city and the river as they stroll. The interplay of architectural forms borrowed from the quintessence of the ambiental architecture of the region (Herzegovina’s necropolises, the roof cladding of Mostar’s houses, the use of river pebbles to cobble the paths, the intermingling of greenery with architectural and urban elements, the interplay of light and shadow) create an almost imaginary vision of the necropolis as a place for the living. Bogdanović says of his design that it is “a city of stone birds” in which the “stone birds” convey a message of peace in the symbolic, metaphorical language of forms.
The entire memorial cemetery may be seen as a “fortress” into which one climbs through separate ramps, and which in fact represents an acro-necropolis(7), an open-air crypt “relating a myth of peace and freedom.”
Referring to Bogdanović’s monument, Lukretić notes that he does not make use of the usual iconography of death or of the social realism typical of the time when the work came into being, so that one can find in this necropolis no crosses, no hammers and sickles, no representations of human figures, no coarse naturalism of representation and shaping of elements. Bogdanović uses in his works the semi-logical [sic: no doubt meaning “semiological” – Trans.] meaning of the symbol as a monument. The entire monument is constructed from five basic architectural forms: megaliths (points of reference), ramparts (boundaries), gateways (pathways), mausolea (focal points) and memorial complexes (quarters).
The memorial complex at Bijeli Brijeg in Mostar consists of an entrance section, a central area of amorphous shape with running water and paths, a section with a circular fountain with still water, and a central, raised area with terraces and access ramp. The entire area of the memorial complex is permeated with amorphous, organic forms of walled structures interwoven with greenery and water as the primary element of expression. Gently curving forms lead the visitor to the central area with its burial places, this too gently shaped into a series of terraces echoing the natural lie of the land. The central element on the seventh, topmost terrace is a fountain from which there is a view of the entire complex and the surrounding city.
The mortal remains of the combatants were laid in concrete chambers measuring 60 x 40 x 50 cm beneath the grave markers, while the bones from mass graves were laid in a mausoleum in a semicircular niche where wreaths are laid. Six hundred and thirty tombstones were erected in the memorial cemetery, which were replaced in 2004, with the agreement of the designer, by new ones made of tenelija (an oolitic limestone), of the same shape and with the same epitaphs.
The Partisans' Memorial Cemetery is also an urban landscape. The natural surroundings of the complex consist of thickets of indigenous trees and shrubs supplemented by cypress and mountain pine, creating a Mediterranean-style landscape and generating the impression of unity between the memorial complex and nature. Low-growing evergreen Mediterranean plants are dotted irregularly about the complex. There is a variety of flowers, for spring and winter bedding. The wider area around the complex was planted in the 1960s, and the trees have now reached full physiological maturity. The steep slopes of the memorial complex were informally planted with evergreen Mediterranean shrubs – rosemary, lavender, green and silver santolina, and sage.
The urban park and forest of Biskupova glavica, Bijeli brijeg, within which the memorial cemetery is located, is very close to residential areas, and is used for brief or half-day outings by the local population. The area of the complex within its contours is 5,276 m2, and that of the feature together with the fountain is 15,150 m2, while the forested area covers a further 20,000 m2. Within the memorial complex itself, 5,345 m2 is under grass. Including six terraces of 1,326 m2. The area planted with flowers is 2,950 m2, and shrubs cover 1,865 m2.
Categories of Significance
- Of outstanding national importance
Categories of ownership or interest
- Public ownership
Documentation and bibliographic references
1998. Trumić, Aleksander. Nacrtane riječi i napisani crteži, spisateljski i graditeljski opit Protomajstora Bogdana (Words in drawings and drawings in words, the writings and architectural works of Maitre Bogdan), doctoral dissertation, Faculty of Architecture of the University of Sarajevo, March 1998.
2005. SUBNOAR BiH documentation
2005. Department of Town Planning and Building, City of Mostar, Designation of the Partisans' Memorial Cemetery as a National Monument, documentation, Mostar, 2005.
2006. Photodocumentation of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments
http://www.meandar.hr/autor.asp?id=122
Katarina Luketić, http://www.zarez.hr/76/z_esej.htm
http://www.bljesak.info/slike/partizansko-groblje (photographs of the complex)
Condition
2. Poor - structural failure and/or loss of roof covering; appearance of rust; general interior damage; partial damage by fire or other disasters
War or associated damage
4. More than 30% of the roof damaged; significant damage to walls. Repairs possible.
Risk priority
B. Immediate risk of further deterioration or loss of fabric; solution exists but nothing is being done.
Risk
1. Natural Threats
- Erosion
- Pests, bird nesting, animal activity
- Climatic factors (wind, rain)
- Thermal Fluctuations (expansion/contraction, wetting/drying cycles, migration and crystallization of salts)
- Pollution
- Decay of materials
3. Tourism
- Lack of signage, clear paths, guarding, maintenance (’everything is allowed’ attitude)
- Encroachment of sites with visitor facilities (and hotels)
- Vandalism (e.g. graffiti)
4. Lack of planning measures
- Isolated ‘digs’
5. The Impact of Social Unrest
- Vandalism for political or social reasons
- Destruction of symbols
- Conflict of values
6. Looting
- Failure to protect sites
7. Archaeological excavation as a damaging factor
- Digs and trenches left open (no back-fill)
- Consolidation, conservation and protection (and site presentation) not taken into consideration
- Lack of coordination between scientific mission and local authority
8. Inappropriate Interventions as a damaging factor
- Untrained personnel
- Outdated methodology
- Incompatible materials
- Undocumented reconstruction disguised as restoration
- Irreversible and ethically incorrect reconstructions
9. Lack of maintenance
- Vegetation growth
- Accumulated dirt
- Stagnating water
10. Lack of administration and legislation
- Inadequate institutional support
- Unclear definition of the status of archaeological remains on private property
- Vague criteria for designating protection zones
- Poor integration of heritage into development plans
- Inadequate training
- Consciousness raising
- Emergency plans
11. Structural destabilization
- Structural failure – deformations, collapse
- Loss of material, detachment, cracking
- Additive effects –surface deposits, additions, replacements
12. Ownership and occupation
- Absentee owner
- Multi-occupation
- No responsibility for maintenance
13. Function
- Inappropriate function
- Conflicting uses
14. Resources
- Lack of finance for maintenance and repair
- Lack of skills for project management
- Lack of technical restoration skills
Condition risk
D. Immediate risk of further rapid deterioration or loss of fabric; no solution agreed
The property is not kept routinely maintained. The effects of the elements and human factors have left the Memorial Cemetery in poor condition. No repair, conservation and restoration project has been drawn up.
Technical assessment and costings
In 2006, following the designation of the property as a national monument by the Commission to Preserve National Monuments, protection measures were taken consisting of identifying its condition, when the monument was found to be in poor condition as a result of exposure to the elements and lack of maintenance.
The decision designating the property as a national monument prescribes the following protection measures:
- the complex to be made good and missing parts are to be reconstructed, and provision to be made for the maintenance and presentation of the complex;
- changes to the fundamental purpose of the site as a memorial complex are prohibited;
- the interpolation of new buildings to be permitted subject to their being of such form, dimensions and exterior treatment as are not detrimental to the structure of the protected area, and to their promoting the essential function of the complex (entrance area, souvenir sales point, toilets, small-scale parking area solely for the use of the memorial complex);
- no building, building-cum-artisanal or artisanal works to be carried out without the approval of the Federation ministry responsible for regional planning and under the expert supervision of the heritage protection authority of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
- the dumping of waste is prohibited;
- a protective strip with a width of 50 m from the boundaries of the site where the National Monument is located is stipulated. In this protective strip the construction of industrial or agricultural facilities that could endanger the architectural ensemble and the siting of environmental polluters are prohibited. Residential buildings shall not exceed a height of 6.50 m to the base of the roof frame, i.e. ground floor and one upper floor, and maximum dimensions of 12 x 10 m. Infrastructural works shall be permitted only with the approval of the relevant ministry and subject to the conditions prescribed by the heritage protection authority.
Ownership
- Public ownership
Occupation
- The Partisan’s Memorial Cemetery in Mostar is in use.
Management
Pursuant to the powers allotted to it by Annex 8 of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in BiH, in 2006 the Commission to Preserve National Monuments adopted a Decision designating the architectural ensemble of the Partisans’ Memorial Cemetery in Mostar, Federation of BiH, as a national monument.
The Commission monitors and assesses the condition of national monuments and activities associated with them. It has drawn up a List of Endangered Monuments requiring urgent protection measures to prevent them from being wholly destroyed, with a view to drawing the attention of all relevant authorities at the entity and national (state) level, as well as of potential donors and investors, to national monuments at risk of disappearing for ever if steps are not taken immediately to rescue them.
Responsibility for implementing the Commission’s decisions lies with the government of the entity in whose territory a given national monument is located. The entity governments, regional planning ministries, heritage protection authorities and municipal authorities responsible for town planning and cadastral affairs are notified of decisions by the Commission to enable them to carry out the measures prescribed by law, and the relevant municipal court is also notified so that the designation may be entered in the Land Register.
Pursuant to the Law on the Implementation of Decisions of the Commission and the provisions of the Decision designating the architectural ensemble of the Partisans’ Memorial Cemetery in Mostar as a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is responsible for providing the legal, scientific, technical, administrative and financial measures necessary for the protection, conservation, presentation and rehabilitation of the national monument (the implementation of the Decision). The provisions relating to protection and rehabilitation measures set forth by the Law on the Implementation of the Decisions of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments, established pursuant to Annex 8 of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Official Gazette of the Federation of BiH nos. 2/02, 6/05, 27/02 and 51/07) apply to the National Monument.
In the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), the Federal Ministry of Regional Planning issues permits for protective, investigative, conservation, restoration and rehabilitation works on national monuments, along with building permits relating to the protected site of a national monument, based on planning and technical documentation approved by the authorized professional body. Technical documentation must be in conformity with the protection measures set out in the decisions designating national monuments. In addition, the basic activity of the entity ministries responsible for regional planning is spatial planning and drawing up planning documents, and implementing them by means of land use.
The Institute for the Protection of Monuments operates under the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sport of FBiH. The Institute is responsible for the expert supervision of restoration works on national monuments and for carrying out restoration projects financed from the budget of the Government of FBiH.
The Federal Inspectorate Authority of FBiH, responsible for planning and building inspection, carries out the inspection and oversight of the protected areas on which national monuments are located, and is authorized to take the legally prescribed protection measures, including issuing decisions suspending all interventions not in compliance with the law and restoring the property in question to the condition in which it was prior to the illicit or inexpert works.
The City of Mostar, acting through its various departments, monitors and controls activities in the field. Municipal authorities are required to bring all their plans and documents relating to the protected area of a monument into compliance with the decisions of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments. The Municipality is also required to refrain from all activities that could be detrimental to the monument, and to cooperate with the Commission to Preserve National Monuments and the entity institutions in the process of implementation of the Commission’s decisions and the protection of monuments.
The Commission to Preserve National Monuments is also authorized, in its case by the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to conduct international activities in regard to the protection of the historical and cultural heritage. This includes raising donor funds for the protection of national monuments and the implementation of protection projects.
Summary
Significance
The Partisans' Memorial Cemetery at Bijeli Brijeg contains all the features of a complex architectural, aesthetic and landscape design. It is a unique monument to the urban scale of Mostar, and is of particular ambiental value. Its particular quality consists in the unity of nature (water and greenery) with the architectural expression of the designer. It is the work of a major architect. In addition, the cemetery has great symbolic value of universal importance for everyone in Bosnia and Herzegovina, regardless of their national affiliation or religion, and even beyond the country’s borders.
Condition
The property is not kept routinely maintained. The effects of the elements and human factors have left the Memorial Cemetery in poor condition. No repair, conservation and restoration project has been drawn up.
Risk
The Memorial Cemetery is in poor overall condition. It is at risk of falling into a state of dilapidation or, in the long term, of complete ruin.
Given the universal symbolic and historical importance of the Memorial Cemetery in Mostar, not only for Bosnia and Herzegovina but also beyond, its repair, conservation and restoration is a high priority.
Proposal submitted by the Institute for the Protection of Monuments of the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sport of FBIH
Signed and dated
Orjana Lenasi, architect
Sarajevo, 23 July 2010
(1) Elezović, Muhamed, Stolačke mlinice
(2) Čelić Džemal and Mujezinović Mehmed, Stari mostovi u Bosni i Hercegovini, Kulturno nasljeđe series, Sarajevo Publishing, 1998, 268.
(3) Decision of the Commission to preserve National Monuments designating the architectural ensemble of the Čaršija Mosque with the Čaršija in Stolac as a national monument of BiH, decision no. 08.1-6-915/03 of 6 May 2003.
(4) Elezović, Muhamed, Stolačke mlinice, 1
(5) Most of the properties need to have the joints in the stone walls cleaned and repointed, and the loose sections of the walls made good
(6) Bogdan Bogdanović, architect, artist and philosopher, was born in 1922 in Belgrade. He designed the "Kameni cvijet" (Stone Flower) memorial in Jasenovac and numerous other monuments in former Yugoslavia. From 1982-1986 he was Lord Mayor of Belgrade, but in 1987 he withdrew from politics as a dissident, opposed the siege of Sarajevo and Serbian nationalism, and was critical of the anti-urban tendencies of the destruction during the Serbian aggression against Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. He fiercely attacked the politics of Slobodan Milošević; in 1990 he was forced out of his studio and "Mali Popović" alternative school near Belgrade; this was followed by attempts to break into his flat and calls to lynch him, along with graffiti cursing him on the steps to the Bogdanović flat. Since 7 December 1993 he has been living in exile in Vienna with his wife Ksenija Bogdanović. In 2002 he received an award from the Austrian government for his life’s work for science and art. He is a major architect and author of numerous works of international importance on the architecture of the city, particularly as regards its mythical and symbolic aspects, and on "human interior architecture”. He is the author of 25 books, of which the latest are Sreća u gradovima and, for Zagreb, the cult Zaludna mistrija; he has also featured articles in publications such as El Pais, Svenska Dagbladet, Die Zeit etc. (http://www.meandar.hr/autor.asp?id=122)
(7) acro – (Greek akros) prefix meaning “terminal,” “topmost,” “peak”; necropolis – (Greek nekros, a dead body, + polis, a city) a city of the dead, a subterranean tomb, a burial ground – adapted by translator from Anić, Kalić, Domović, Rječnik stranih riječi
|
