Maglaj, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Maglaj highlights

Known for fortress, viewpoint, islam mosque

Maglaj is a town in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina, originated in the 14th century, has an old town with mosques, traditional houses dating back from the Ottoman Empire, and a fortress that stands as a symbol of Maglaj.

You understand, it is impossible to see Bosnia and Herzegovina just in a couple of days. Come with us to explore Bosnia and Herzegovina in a 1-2 week road trip. We will pass Maglaj, along with other Bosnia and Herzegovina' attractions, to discover the soul of the country, its way of life, culture and traditions, food and drinks. Browse our tours passing Maglaj, or contact us directly for a custom tour in Bosnia and Herzegovina. By the way, we charge nothing for a custom itinerary. Contact us directly, let's plan all the details of your trip and get it done!

Other places in Bosnia and Herzegovina that we are familiar with

Banja Luka - Known for fortress, museum, river, orthodox cathedral, islam mosque

Bihać (Bihac) - Known for museum, park, river

Blagaj - Known for architecture, bridge, cave, fortress, landmark, museum, river, viewpoint, islam monastery; monastery is a UNESCO Tentative List Site

Bobovac - Known for fortress, medieval old town, viewpoint

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Gradačac (Gradacac) - Known for architecture, castle, museum

Jablanica - Known for lake, landmark, monument, river

Jajce - Known for fortress, historical center, nature, park, river, waterfall; historical center is a UNESCO Tentative List Site

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Konjic - Known for bridge, river

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Radimlja - Known for archaeological site; archaeological site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

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Tvrdoš (Tvrdos) - Known for winery, orthodox monastery

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Višegrad (Visegrad) - Known for bridge, river, tourist attraction; bridge is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Vjetrenica - Known for cave; cave is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Vranduk - Known for fortress, viewpoint

Zavala - Known for orthodox monastery

Last reviewed: 17 February 2024

Maglaj description

The town is situated in the northern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is situated in territory where Bosniaks presently form a large majority. The old Maglaj, like numerous other cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, has an old town with mosques, traditional houses dating back from the Ottoman Empire, and a fortress that stands as a symbol of Maglaj.

The Maglaj town is known from the 14th century. Within 1929 to 1941, Maglaj was part of the Vrbas Banovina of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

The Maglaj fortress is found to be among the larger and more fortified structures in the valley of the river Bosna. As a medieval fortress, Maglaj is first mentioned in the charter of Hungarian King Sigismund on the 18th of September 1408. Built though the XIV century to serve the defense of the Bosnian kingdom, the fortress got its final shape in the Ottoman period.

Under the Ottomans, Maglaj was first mentioned in 1485. The first official document that was signed in Maglaj was the document between Hungary and the Ottoman Empire in 1503. The Maglaj fortress is also called Gradina fortress.

Medieval fortress Maglaj is located 182 meters above sea level and consists of 5 towers. The exact data about the construction of the Maglaj Fortress are currently unavailable, and some information is available only about the Clock tower, built on 1697 and well-preserved currently. It is believed that in the Clock tower it was once a gold bell. However, this has never been confirmed.

The Clock tower is located at the entrance of the Maglaj fortress. As this tower is built on a cliff, its front side is slightly larger than the opposite side. After 1878, this clock tower received a clock which was purchased in Vienna, and a bell which was bought at a fair in Zagreb in 1923. Today, the clock tower is abandoned, with no clocks and bells.

The mosque of Kuršumlija, near the fortress, is one of the most beautiful monuments of the Ottoman period in Bosnia. The mosque was built by Ali Pasha Kalauz, and it is know by the name Kuršumlija because it is covered with lead.

The Maglaj fortress has served its purpose for years, primarily as a center of defense of internal security. Upon concurring of the Austro-Hungarian Army in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1878, the fortress lost all military significance, and was abandoned as a military defensive object. The desolation of the Old part of the city becomes even more intense when the people who lived in about 70 or so houses left it.

The Maglaj fortress was declared a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2005.

Maglaj related tours

We at Monterrasol Travel welcome you to see Maglaj during multi-day private car tour. Contact us if you would like to customize your tour to Maglaj.

We have developed several private tours that visiting beautiful Maglaj. But, if you have a special conditions or any from these tours fit you, please do not hesitate to contact us, we can organize a tour exactly as you would like. We charge nothing for develop a custom itinerary. And remember, we have no problems to take you from almost any place where you stay, hotel or private accommodation.

All seasons 6 days Bosnia exploring tour from Mostar. Medieval land of Bosnia: nature, scenic roads, old towns and monasteries. all seasons tour 6 days Price from € 1,098 View tour details Request this tour tour starts in: Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina tour finishes in: Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina tour duration: 6 days (5 nights) tour countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina tour destinations: Banja Luka, Blagaj, Doboj, Jajce, Ljubačke doline, Maglaj, Radimlja, Sarajevo, Tešanj, Travnik, Trebinje, Tvrdoš, Višegrad, Vjetrenica, Zavala, Šćit All seasons 6 days Bosnia-Herzegovina exploring tour from Mostar. Visit the most important places of the medieval land of Bosnia-Herzegovina. With this tour we going to see historical town Blagaj with dervish monastery (tekija) built around 1520; visit archaeological site Radimlja with carved gravestones (UNESCO World Heritage Site); walk in Vjetrenica Cave (UNESCO Tentative List Site), Bosnia's largest and most important cave, and see a unique and totally endemic animal, so-called human fish; close to the cave we will see small Orthodox monastery Zavala, partially located in cave; end of the day we will come to Trebinje, to see its cathedral and have good dinner in local restaurant that also serve wine from its own vineyard. The tour will continue with visiting Tvrdos monastery, learn why this monastery is so important for all local people, and taste its famous wines; next, we will take a picturesque road to Visegrad, small town almost on the border with Serbia, to its beautiful Ottoman-era bridge (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and modern time tourist attraction called Andricgrad, produced by famous film director Emir Kusturica. At the end of this day we will come to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina. In Sarajevo, we will spend a whole day to see the Tunnel of Hope, walk in historical center, see cathedral, mosques, old market, and finish Sarajevo tour with panoramic view of whole city from the hill we come by funicular. From Sarajevo, we will take a road to fortress Travnik, after visit fortrees Maglaj, and will come to Doboj. In Doboj, we need to see Doboj fortrees, and on the way to Banja Luka to see another attraction, the Tesanj fortress. In Banja Luka, we need to see historical center, cathedral, and fortress. On the way back to Mostar we will visit ethnic village where a private collector store 200 years original village houses from different regions; visit town Jajce to see waterfall, fortress, and cute small wooden watermills. We will also see Scit monastery located on tiny peninsula at the middle of beautiful lake.

Bosnia year-round discovery 7 days tour from Sarajevo. Travel medieval Bosnia off the beaten path. all seasons tour 7 days Price from € 1,334 View tour details Request this tour tour starts in: Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina tour finishes in: Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina tour duration: 7 days (6 nights) tour countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina tour destinations: Banja Luka, Blagaj, Doboj, Jajce, Ljubačke doline, Maglaj, Mostar, Radimlja, Tešanj, Travnik, Trebinje, Tvrdoš, Vjetrenica, Zavala, Šćit We welcome you to travel with us across Bosnia-Herzegovina with our year-round discovery 7 days tour from Sarajevo. Let's travel medieval Bosnia-Herzegovina off the beaten path. With this tour we going to visit medieval fortresses Travnik, Doboj, Maglaj and Jajce, see beautiful Jajce waterfall, walk historical center of town Mostar (UNESCO World Heritage site) and walk over famous Mostar bridge, explore historical center of Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Jajce, get to know why Radimlja is UNESCO World Heritage site, meet silent Zavala monastery and try amazing wine in old cellars of Tvrdos monastery, visit thin peninsula at the middle of lake with Franciscan monastery and explore its ethnographic museum, wonder on beauty of Vjetrenica cave, passing the beautiful landscapes every day.

All seasons 12 days tour across Bosnia from Tivat. Explore the best in Bosnia include UNESCO town Mostar. all seasons tour 12 days Price from € 2,114 View tour details Request this tour tour starts in: Tivat, Montenegro tour finishes in: Tivat, Montenegro tour duration: 12 days (11 nights) tour countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina tour destinations: Banja Luka, Blagaj, Bosnian Pyramids, Doboj, Gradačac, Jajce, Kravica, Ljubačke doline, Maglaj, Međugorje, Mogorjelo, Mostar, Počitelj, Radimlja, Sarajevo, Srebrenik, Stolac, Tešanj, Travnik, Trebinje, Tvrdoš, Višegrad, Vjetrenica, Vranduk, Zavala, Šćit Explore main attractions in Bosnia-Herzegovina with all seasons 12 days tour. We will pick you up in Tivat, a coastal town with an airport, in southwest Montenegro. This tour is particularly interesting for travelers without Schengen Visa. With this tour we will visit medieval towns and Ottoman fortresses, Orthodox monasteries, explore historical centers of few famous towns, try local food specialties and wine, try local made craft beer, visit several museums, few outskirt parks with rivers, beautiful waterfalls, Ottoman bridges, an ethno village with 200 year old original houses, UNESCO archaeological site, famous pilgrimage center, and enjoy scenic valley and hills roads all across the Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Croatia castles + Bosnia medieval fortresses 27 days tour. Balkans UNESCO sites on roadtrip from Zagreb via Adriatic coast and Bosnia land. off-season only tour 27 days Price from € 9,094 View tour details Request this tour tour starts in: Zagreb, Croatia tour finishes in: Zagreb, Croatia tour duration: 27 days (26 nights) tour countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia tour destinations: Banja Luka, Blagaj, Doboj, Dubovac, Dubrovnik, Jajce, Klis, Ključ, Kravica, Labin, Loreto, Maglaj, Morosini, Mostar, Nehaj, Ostrožac, Počitelj, Pula, Rijeka, Rovinj, Sarajevo, Skrivanat, Slano, Sokolac, Solin, Split, Ston, Tešanj, Trebinje, Trogir, Trsteno, Tvrdoš, Velika Kladuša, Vjetrenica, Vranduk, Zadar, Zavala, Šibenik Explore 2 famous Balkans countries Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Extended Balkans round trip via UNESCO sites of Adriatic coast of Croatia and venetian towns of Dalmatian Riviera. Meet medieval towns, fortresses and monasteries of Bosnia-Herzegovina.