ZENICA city guide — John W Bills

Zenica is immensely underrated, and I don’t care who disagrees. Famous for its industry and the horrendous air quality that produces, the city tends to fall on the maligned side of public opinion, with many considering a neglected place of pessimistic grey. Does that exist? Sure, of course, but only a fool would walk away happy to have that form their entire opinion of Zenica. Zenica has terrible air and endless factories, but it also has a proud history of creativity, education, rebellion and innovation. Can you have one without the other? I’m not qualified to answer that, but I am qualified to sing the praises of Bosnia’s Steel City.

Zenica has been inhabited since the beginning of (human) time, but it wasn’t until the modern era that things kicked into high gear. It was a stronghold of Bosnian kings and a trade centre for the Ottomans (the town was first mentioned as “Zenica” under the latter), but the arrival of the Austro-Hungarians in the late 19th century changed everything. The Central European superpower brought railways, factories and heavy industry, which in turn brought people and urbanisation. The process continued in Yugoslavia, and Zenica’s population exploded in the 20th century. It has suffered in the years following the war, but don’t be shocked to see the city flourish in the very near future. Something has to be happening in all of those cafes, right?

TRANSPORT

This canton does a fine line in train and bus stations being next door to each other, so well done, Zenica, for leading the way. Neither station is going to win awards for aesthetics (you might hear that sort of phrase a lot here), but both do the job. The bus station (Bulevar Kralja Tvrtka I 34, +387 32 205 450) is sizeable, has buses going in all directions (Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Tešanj, Travnik, Tuzla, the lot), an old socialist-era feel, and no frills at all, but that’s fine. The train station (Bulevar Kralja Tvrtka I) has even fewer frills, which is quite a drop from zero, but you aren’t there for epiphanies; you are there for trains. One goes to Sarajevo, another to Maglaj, and then there is the daily run to Banja Luka. There are plenty of cafes and kiosks nearby for snacks and coffee, and the centre of Zenica is a 15-minute walk away. Yes, it feels like you are right in the centre, but Zenica is bigger than you think.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO

Zenica City Museum

One of the best museums in the country, Zenica’s City Museum tells the story of this fascinating town from its origins to the present day. That isn’t an exaggeration either, as the museum has everything from archaeology to the modern media via ethnology, economics and more. The City Synagogue and Vranduk Fortress also fall under the museum’s jurisdiction, although separate tickets are required. Muhameda Seida Serdarevića bb, +387 32 209 515, 09:00 - 17:00, closed weekends.

Old Town

Industry and 20th-century brutalism might dominate the conversation when talking about Zenica but don’t assume that this city just magically appeared with the mines and factories. There is history here. Zenica’s Old Town is small but perfectly formed, a collection of small buildings that might not hum with commerce and conversation like they once did, but hum they still do.

Hadži-Mazića House

Sticking with history, the oldest standing house (1835) in the centre of Zenica is the Hadži-Mazića Kuća. The black and white abode has seen plenty in its time, with single female teachers living here back in the day as potters sold their wares on the ground floor. Here, those in charge met to desperately try and work out how to stop the Austro-Hungarian charge to Sarajevo in 1878. Muhameda Seida Serdarevića 10

Church of the Nativity of the Holy Virgin

Zenica’s Orthodox Church is an Orthodox Church in Zenica. What else is there to say? Constructed in 1885, the church replaced an old log cabin as the primary worship site for Zenica’s Orthodox Christians and has been pretty well looked after ever since. The fascinating roof resulted from budgetary issues, although the chandelier inside suggests those issues were eventually solved. Travnička cesta 4

Church of St Elijah

Zenica’s Catholic Church is a Catholic Church in Zenica. Yes, I do this every time, but don’t expect too much of me. Dedicated to St Elijah, the church was opened in 1910 and has a surprisingly charming greyish-blue facade. The parish office adjoins the church, with winsome balconies and the usual grace that comes with such buildings. Masarykova 66

City Synagogue

The Sephardic Synagogue in Zenica is a relic, a reminder of what was once a sizeable Jewish population in Bosnia, a number reduced to dust. It is said that Jews first settled in Zenica in the middle of the 18th century, but it wasn’t until 1907 that this Neo-Moorish beauty was completed. It is no longer active in its original function, but the City Museum looks after it reasonably well. It is arguably the most beautiful building in Zenica, and by “arguably,” I mean it is the most beautiful building in Zenica. Jevrejska bb, +387 32 209 515

Lamela Building

It might seem strange to sing the praises of a universally derided building, but hey, welcome to the 21st century. One brutalist construction stands tall above all others in Zenica (literally): Lamela. The work of architect Slobodan Jovandić, this imposing apartment building stretches 27 storeys into the sky across six blocks that create the effect of a stairway to heaven, sort of, although in this case, the ‘heaven’ is the smoggy skies above Zenica. Lamela was the tallest building in Yugoslavia until the ghastly Genex Tower (Belgrade) took that title. I’m going to go ahead and say I quite like it. Bulevar Kulina Bana

Sultan Ahmed Mosque

The oldest mosque in Zenica, I’m happy to give the Sultan Ahmed Mosque the prize of ‘most delightful in town’. Known as the Čaršijska Džamija, the city centre mosque has been in this spot since the beginning of the 16th century, possibly longer if certain tales are to be believed. However, you are correct in assuming it has been rebuilt many times over the centuries. Muhameda Seida Serdarevića 35, +387 61 846 964

Hotel Internacional

Not a tourist attraction, really, but folks sure like neglected and forgotten Yugoslav relics, right? Hotel Internacional is another of the genre and another building from the mind of Slobodan Jovandić. The hotel was constructed in 1978 and quickly became the hotel of choice in the town for the rich and famous. Big Joe (Tito, if this is your first time on the page) stayed here when visiting Zenica, although I dread to think what Joey would think of it today. In its pomp, the hotel had space for 120 or so guests, who enjoyed one of the city’s best cafes, a fabulous restaurant, a sauna, and art on every wall. The great legend claims that you couldn’t even enter the car park if you weren’t wearing a suit. When I was last there, two dudes were pondering the long-bankrupt building, neither of whom was wearing a suit. The building is up for sale if you are interested, but it will cost you a solid 9 million KM, which is around €4.5 million. Bulevar Kulina Bana

Papirna

Here’s a lovely little tidbit of history for you. When Austria-Hungary swooped in and took Bosnia and Herzegovina under its wing, it had ambitious plans to make it a model colony. That is relatively well-known, but what did it actually mean? Well, it meant that for a short while, all the paper used for official Austria-Hungary government documents came from a new factory in Zenica, the fabulously named Privileged Paper and Wood Processing Factory of Eduard Musil in Zenica. We’ll just call it Papirna, for short. The idea was to make quality paper of all kinds 365 days a year, but it soon became clear that the government was paying way over the odds for substandard paper. In fact, the cigarette paper was of such bad quality that the authorities tried to get out of the contract by paying Musil not to produce it. Despite its privileges, the factory was doomed from the get-go and now stands as another neglected ruin of Zenica’s industrialisation. The chimney is pretty darn cool, and the one side of the building has a funky paint job, but that’s about it. If I ever win the lottery, I will purchase this building and turn it into some sort of studio, like Bigz, but organised. I don’t play the lottery. Saliha Cakana Mulalića 1

Ensar Mosque

You know what, maybe I was too quick to crown the Sultan Ahmed Mosque as the best in Zenica, because this beauty might just give it a run for its money. The Ensar Mosque is the centre of worship in the large Babina Rijeka area and was the first modern mosque constructed in the city, with the finishing touches applied in 1998. The style is Pseudo-Moorish, all straight lines and stark columns, while the interior is supposedly as green as green gets. Prve Zeničke Brigade

Vranduk Fortress

Vranduk Fortress is another in a long line of aesthetically pleasing and historically strategic fortifications in the heart of Bosnia. The river Bosna flows alongside it, and it doesn’t take a medieval military expert to understand why it was constructed here, although the main road and tunnels lessen that impact in the modern age. The first mention of Vranduk (the name loosely comes from “braniti,” “to defend”) came in 1410, March 11 to be exact, and its standing as a royal fort meant it was highly sought after by all who ventured into these parts. The Ottomans took it in 1463, extended and improved it, and Vranduk held its position as an important fort. Located on a steep ridge, not even Eugene of Savoy could conquer it, which is saying something once you understand his trail of destruction. In the 18th and 19th centuries, it became a jail for political prisoners (not a particularly pleasant one) before being abandoned in the modern age. Today, it is continually developing from a touristic standpoint, with educational boards and interactive opportunities available. Above all else, to cowards like myself, it is a gorgeous memory of Bosnia’s history in a stunning setting. A village of the same name surrounds the fortress, and direct buses run to and from Zenica throughout the day. Vranduk, +387 32 223 520

BREWS, BOOZE AND BITES

Zenica is a triumph on the food and drink front, with a decent roster of cafes, bars and restaurants to go with some standouts. In my humble opinion, anyway, and I guess it’s my humble opinion, we’re working with here. Gradska Kafana (Trg Bosne I Hercegovine, +387 61 951 245) is all sorts of popular and follows the increasingly common minimalist, industrial aesthetic, with one charming quirk: the cafe is actually located in a brutalist structure that falls under the “if you’ve got nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all” heading. It’s not a looker, but seeing this sort of cafe in a building that fits the interior aesthetic is refreshing. Elsewhere, Bonaparte (Stara Čaršija 19, +387 63 333 333) is Zenica’s quirky and cool artsy hangout, while Pivnica Gatto (Dr. Abdulaziza Aska Borića 33) got me good and drunk many years ago. It doesn’t look open now, unfortunately, but you never know. On the food front, Bella Ciao (Kučukovići, +387 32 833 264) has a delightful terrace for sunny days, which is nice, right? I’m sure my Bosnian language teacher will disagree with this. Still, I’m going to go ahead and point you in the direction of Salčinović (Dr. Abdulaziza Aska Borića 20, +387 32 404 423). This grill restaurant isn’t going to win any stylistic awards, but I’ll be damned if it didn’t serve some of the best ćevapi I’ve ever eaten. Top 5, at least. Succulent as all heck.

SLEEPING

Hotel Dubrovnik (Školska 10, +387 32 202 700) and Carpe Diem (Školska bb, +387 32 206 650) are fine and dandy but stay at City Code Hotel (Sarajevska 1b, +387 32 408 000) if you get the chance. Friendly staff, comfortable beds, good facilities, an excellent cafe and restaurant downstairs, and friendly staff. Yes, that gets two mentions, but they really were friendly. Also, there is a pleasant terrace on the third floor if you have a room up there or the floor is empty. Ask about it. There is also Hotel Zenica (Kamberovića čikma, +387 32 209 600) on the other side of the river, and plenty of private apartment options.

ZENICA