THE OLD MOSQUE IN ŠPIONICA NEAR SREBRENIK

NATIONAL MONUMENT OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Author: Ekrem Tucaković, PhD, Riyasat of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Photo: Mirza Hasanefendić

Pursuant to the decision of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2011, the “Architectural ensemble of the mosque in Ćojluk, Municipality of Srebrenik” was designated as a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The architectural ensemble consists of the mosque and the burial ground by the mosque.

The village of Ćojluk is situated under the medieval town and Ottoman fort of Srebrenik, about 2 km to the west of Srebrenik. The old mosque belongs to the type of single-space mosques of rectangular plan with a hipped roof and a wooden minaret. The mosque measures 6.20 x 8.40 meters outside. The mosque was built of oak wood, and walls of adobe brick.

There is not the original tarih (chronogram) on the mosque; however, on the southeast wall there is a plaque with carved years: 1666 as the year when the mosque was built, and 1971 as the year when it was repaired. A folk legend claims that the mosque at Ćojluk was built in 1567, i.e. 50 or 60 years after Ottomans had conquered the town of Srebrenik.

The mosque is nestled between slopes of the hill, and its beautiful natural surrounding gives it a particular beauty. It served as a place of prayer for inhabitants of both Ćojluk and other surrounding villages.

There are 20 nišans (Islamic tombstones) in the cemetery. Ten of them can be classified as older, due to their appearance; some of them are male headstones, made with pleated turbans, without an inscription. On some male nišans without the inscriptions decorative motifs of saber are carved. Only one of the nišans is dated, as of 1209 Hijri year (1794/95 A.D.). The Carica spring is west of the cemetery wall.

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