ZVORNIK city guide — John W Bills

Zvornik is smack-bang on the border of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, so it is easy to mistake it for a border crossing with a town attached. The town has more history than the border crossing, with a story that runs all the way to medieval times. Probably further, but the first mention of Zvornik comes in 1410, so our story starts there. Actually, forget that, the fortress predates that, but it wasn’t until the Ottomans arrived that things began to develop. Zvornik (loosely means “bell tower”) was an important trading stop between Sarajevo and Belgrade, as it remains today. It was one of the most important towns in Ottoman Bosnia, with plenty of industry and trade keeping its coffers nice and full. Today, around 60,000 people call it home, although Zvornik retains a small-town feel.

TRANSPORT

If you have ever been on a bus travelling from Serbia into Bosnia and Herzegovina, you’ll most likely have stopped at Zvornik. The bus station (Svetog Save +387 56 211 635) is on the main road next to the river and has a busy ticket office, a cafe called Bingo (with a cool sign) and a little shop for stocking up before jumping on the bus. There is almost certainly going to be a drunk dude loitering around. There are toilets, but it’ll set you back the princely sum of 2km to use those facilities. Do I use them? Every time, buddy, every single time. Like many sizeable border towns, Zvornik is well-connected, with direct buses to Bijeljina, Istočno Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Tuzla and many others.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO

King Aleksandar I Karađorđević Bridge

The bridge in Zvornik dates to 1929 and is quite the visual, albeit a different branch to the gorgeous stone bridges found around the country. It is an iron beast, one initially tested by 30,000 tons of stone, a bridge that has become a symbol of the town and the border. Now open to pedestrians, the bridge also acts as the international border between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Most Kralja Aleksandra Prvog

Kušlat Mosque

It absolutely blows my mind that this place doesn’t get more attention. Maybe that’s because it is bloody hard to get to, or the fact that it is out here on the edge of the country, but there simply isn’t a more dramatically located mosque in all of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Also called the Bird’s Nest Mosque (for obvious reasons), Kušlat Mosque is perched high on a perilous rock some 20km outside Zvornik, a logical spot for a military mosque. The oldest in the country, no less, constructed within the Kušlat Fortress (very little remains) at some point in the 15th century. If you have a car, drive 20km south of Zvornik, leave the vehicle where you can, and commence the steep 40-minute walk up the mosque. Those without private vehicles will have to do the same, only with a taxi. If you want to go inside the mosque, you’ll have to pick up the key from the tourist info centre in town. Raševo

Andraševa Vila

Add this to my list of places to fix up once I inevitably discover my billions. Once a grand villa in the heart of Zvornik, the old home of Slovenian carpenter Andrija Skibar Andraš is now a dilapidated mess, filled with garbage and constantly in danger of total collapse. You don’t need me to tell you it is a shame, but here we are. The architecture echoes similar buildings found in the Slovene Alps and wouldn’t look out of place in, I don’t know, Kamnik or somewhere similar. I mean, it would look out of place now, but you get the point. Andraš didn’t have any children; thus, no one took care of the house when he died, leaving it prone to the whims of nature and time. That’ll be fire, water, wind and idiots, in no particular order. As with many similar neglected buildings across Bosnia and Herzegovina, nobody seems to know who owns it, so nothing will be done to fix it. If you’re lucky, you’ll meet a fabulously friendly man called Nenad nearby, who will tell you about the place and his memories of its former life. Svetog Save 23

Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary

The construction of this massive church in the centre of Zvornik seemed to take forever, although that is only because it happened in my lifetime. It actually took 14 years, beginning in 2009 and culminating in 2023, making it the first Orthodox church erected in the city in over 200 years. It is undeniably striking, dominating the city's skyline with its many domes and monolithic bell towers. Patrijarha Pavla

Church of the Nativity of St John the Forerunner

You may know him better as John the Baptist, but names give way to grace in Zvornik’s most important church. Yes, the new one is bigger, but history and charm rule all. The Church of the Nativity of St John the Forerunner is tucked away behind the city centre and is an elegant one-nave temple founded in 1817 on the spot of an older church. The church received a new coat of paint not so long ago and is well looked after today. There are some beautiful buildings around it, although many of them are in a dilapidated state. Braće Stefanovića

Hadži Mahmud Mosque

Also known as the Riječanska Mosque, Zvornik’s city centre mosque was rebuilt after being destroyed during the war. The mosque is of the modern variety, although by modern, I mean the 1980s, meaning its aesthetics are in that weird middle ground between curious and awkward. Yugoslav architectural styles weren’t for religious buildings, it seems. The mosque’s position does provide a fascinating aesthetic; however, it is surrounded by high-rise buildings and the bustle of central Zvornik. There were plans to build a more appealing mosque here, but the local government rejected the Islamic Community’s plans on the grounds that the rebuilt mosque should be faithful to the original. Trg kralja Petra I Karađorđevića bb

Lake Zvornik

Lake Zvornik is an artificial body of water created when the nearby hydroelectric power plant was built. It was actually the first artificial reservoir on the Drina River. As you’d expect from a large, beautiful body of water, Lake Zvornik is popular in summer, with various cafes and cottages popping up as people swim, play, and fish in the waters. Also, ducks! The lake straddles the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.

Đurđevgrad

Zvornik Fortress is visible from the centre of town, which shouldn’t be a huge surprise considering its strategic location. On the other hand, it is somewhat surprising, because little remains of the original construction. Continuing the conveyor belt of reactions, that shouldn’t be a shock, as it is hella old. The town first gets a mention in 1410, but the fortress is widely believed to pre-date that, which makes sense. Here’s one for you, a snapshot of how brief our time is on this planet. Zvornik was first mentioned in written documents in 1410 and was considered a bustling place of trade and optimism, with a large population of merchants from Ragusa (Dubrovnik). By 1432, all that influence was gone, as the merchants upped sticks and left for rapidly developing mine towns elsewhere. 22 years! But yes, the fortress, split into three levels on the slopes of Mlađevac. The fortress is relatively accessible by a marked path from town, and the delightful Town Gate (on the main road) is considered part of it. The fortress goes by many names, with Đurđevgrad standing out, a name born out of its stint under Đura Branković in the 15th century. Supposedly, his wife (THE DAMNED JERINA) had a hand in its construction. There isn’t a whole lot of the fortress remaining, but that should be expected from a 13th-century construction. Instead, you’ll find a small church, an Ottoman cemetery, and some gorgeous views of Zvornik.

Kasina

Another three-in-one, the Kasina has long been a shining light in Zvornik’s architectural and cultural crown. The Art Nouveau delight was constructed in 1910 for the use of the Austrian Army before becoming a cultural centre and meeting point during the Yugoslav years. Today, it houses a museum collection, although you might have to have a chat with the tourist information centre before exploring it. The good news is that the info centre is right next door, so there’s really no excuse. Svetog Save 66, +387 56 210 260

Street Art

There’s no excuse for a city not to embrace street art at this point. There is so much talent, so much history, and so much blank space waiting to be dolled up. Zvornik has many excellent murals, and I can only assume that more will spring up in the future. Three stand out: a colourful homage to the unveiling of Zvornik’s first car (in 1924, for the record), an excellent doff of the cap to Emir Kusturica’s “When Father Was Away on Business” (Zvornik was the location of the prison camp in the film), and a sepia-tinged commemoration of a dinner between King Aleksandar I and a group of delegates, where the local folk convinced the king to build the iron bridge that takes his name.

Drina Promenade

Taking advantage of its location on the banks of the river, the city built a pedestrian promenade running alongside the waters. There is plenty of grass for picnics and playing, but you can’t beat a mid-paced amble as the famous river rushes by.

BREWS, BOOZE AND BITES

Cafe Central (Karađorđeva 9, +387 56 490 130) is unsurprisingly located in the town centre and has the usual Serbian options, your Jelens, Zaječarskos, etc. Zvornik has a few old pivnicas that have long since closed their shutters, rendering this portion of the text entirely superfluous. Hey, I didn’t promise that this would all be useful. Avala (Svetog Save, +387 56 210 001) is the best of the town centre restaurants, with all the usual grilled meat charmers on the menu, while Obrenovac (Svetog Save bb, +387 66 711 777) has good international options and a delightfully stylish interior. Want a coffee? There are plenty of choices, with Concept Cafe (Patrijarha Pavla 38, +387 65 235 639), Flamingo (Trg kralja Petra I Karađorđevića 66) and Sollo (Trg kralja Petra I Karađorđevića, +387 66 399 988) top of the charts.

SLEEPING

Surprisingly, Zvornik has few quality sleeping options. Cafe Central (Karađorđeva 9, +387 56 490 130) is decent enough, although there was a lot of drilling going on last time I was there. If hotel creature comforts are a must, Hotel Vidikovac (Ulica Druga 56, +387 56 490 657) is a good choice 3km south of the town centre.

ZVORNIK