PRINCE PAVLE'S MONUMENTAL MEDIEVAL TOMBSTONE AND REMAINS OF TOWN KATERA

ISTOČNO SARAJEVO, SEPTEMBER 1 /SRNA/ - The tourist offer of Istočna Ilidža, in addition to natural beauties, is made up of cultural and historical monuments such as the monumental medieval tombstone of Prince Pavle on Pavlovac, weighing as much as 32 tons, and the Gradina on Ilinjača, which are the remains of the old town of Katera, most likely from late antiquity and the early Middle Ages, where the early Christian church of St. Elijah once stood.

"The remains of the city of Katerа /present day Kotorac/ that were found in Gradina during research in 1987 are in the National Museum in Sarajevo," Bojan Bojović, head of the Istočna Ilidža Tourist Information Center, told SRNA.

He pointed out that the location is now under protection as a cultural and historical monument of the Republika Srpska, but that, unfortunately, no new research has yet been conducted.

"New research and analysis are necessary so that we can make this locality a recognizable destination and further exploit its tourism potential," said Bojović.

He noted that this site needs to be protected, marked and preserved, which would allow it to be used in the best possible way as a tourist attraction for both Istočna Ilidža and the City of Istočno Sarajevo.

THINK ABOUT ESTABLISHING A MUSEUM

Bojović also pointed out that there are more than 80 monumental medieval tombstones in the area of the municipality of Istočna Ilidža, including the largest one in BiH, weighing 32 tons.

"We are talking about the tombstone of Prince Pavle, which is located in Pavlovac. Prince Pavle is а descendant of the noble Pavlović family, which ruled this part of Bosnia, and which disappeared with the arrival of the Ottoman Empire in these areas," he said.

According to him, there is an idea to create a park of tombstones around the Prince Pavle's tombstone, for which there is a conceptual solution, which would probably become an interesting destination for tourists.

"To tourists who ask for advice at the Info Center, whether it's summer or winter, we usually recommend Jahorina as the main destination, Ravna Planina, Trebević, as well as the Beli Vuk picnic area in Tvrdimići. The disadvantage is that we don't have a museum that tourists usually ask about," he pointed out.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATION WITH 500 BEDS AND A RICH GASTRONOMIC OFFER

Speaking about hotel accommodation in the Istočna Ilidža area, Bojović stated that this municipality has 500 beds in 204 accommodation units, emphasizing that hotels such as Terex, M3, and the Kula hostel are interesting to tourists due to their proximity to Sarajevo International Airport, but also the accessibility of both the city of Sarajevo and the surrounding mountains.

"It is also an integral part of the tourist offer of the city of Istočno Sarajevo," noted Bojović.

When it comes to the gastronomic offer in the Istočna Ilidža area, Bojović said that the most notable ones are the Kula restaurant, which has a tradition and ambiance, the Istočnik complex with accompanying facilities such as Vinoteka, Agape and Kana, then the AS restaurant in Vojkovići, which is recognizable among tourists, and the Barka and Kamin restaurants.

Bojović pointed out that the Istočna Ilidža Tourist Info Center was formed in March 2023 as a result of an agreement between the City Administration and the Municipality of Istočna Ilidža with the aim of improving the tourist offer and more efficient collection of the tourist tax.

"According to available data, last year we had the largest inflow to the Tourist Organization's account from the tourist tax of BAM 28,000. The funds from the tourist tax are used to finance events and improve the tourist offer in the local community," he said.

NUMEROUS EVENTS

When it comes to events, the Tourist Information Center of IstOčna Ilidža was involved in organizing the traditional swimming for the Holy Cross on Epiphany at the beginning of the year, as well as the events Easter Joy and St. George's Day Festivities, as part of the celebration of the municipality's patron saint - St. George's Day.

"As part of the St. George's Day Festivities, we are involved in organizing cross-country races and concerts and the Baby Conference. In late summer and early autumn, we are involved in organizing the Assembly of Serbian Original Creativity, and Pumpkin Days, which bring together a variety of exhibitors with healthy and domestic agricultural products from all over BiH and abroad," said Bojović. /to be continued/