Sightseeing stop in Radimlja: discover beautiful places in Bosnia-Herzegovina

Radimlja highlight

archaeological site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

We at Monterrasol Transfers specialize in private car transfers. Together with the transfer itself, we propose that you visit some beautiful places along the transfer route. We call such places optional sightseeing stops (short excursions).

One of the places we selected to propose as a sightseeing stop is a beautiful Radimlja in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Sightseeing stops are a perfect easy opportunity to see new places during your transfer across Bosnia-Herzegovina, especially during long distance transfers. Take it as a great option to get in touch with local culture and history. It's good to combine transportation and sightseeing together!

Radimlja is a main UNESCO World Heritage Site where is possible to see so called Stecci, a monumental medieval tombstones. Radimlja necropolis located near town Stolac, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is one of the most valuable monuments of the medieval period in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Last reviewed: 11 February 2021

Radimlja description

Stecci is the name for monumental medieval tombstones, that lie scattered mainly across Bosnia and Herzegovina, and minority amount of Stecci is located around the border parts of Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. An estimated 60,000 are found within the borders of modern Bosnia and Herzegovina and the rest of 10,000 are found in what are today Croatia (4,400), Montenegro (3,500), and Serbia (2,100), at more than 3,300 odd sites have it in poor condition.

Stecci appearing in the mid 12th century, with the first phase in the 13th century, and reached their peak in the 14th and 15th century, before disappearing during the Ottoman conquest of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the very early 16th century. Stecci were a common tradition amongst Bosnian, Croatian and novadays Montenegro population, Catholic and Orthodox Church followers alike, however the original ethnic and religious affiliation is still undetermined. The one of the best preserved collection of these tombstones is named Radimlja, in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Stecci can be described as horizontal and vertical tombstones, made of stone, with a flat or gable-top surface, with or without a pedestal. The common classification divided Stecci into recumbent Stecci and standing Stecci. The systematization of Stecci is not currently complete, nd currently recognized seven main shapes: slab, chest, chest with pedestal, ridge/gable, ridge/gable with pedestal, pillar, and cross.

For instance, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to UNESCO, "about 40,000 chests, 13,000 slabs, 5,500 gabled tombstones, 2,500 pillars/obelisks, 300 cruciform tombstones and about 300 tombstones of indeterminate shape have been identified. Of these, more than 5,000 bear carved decorations".

The majority of its Stecci tombstones date from the 1480s through the 16th century, as evidenced by the epitaph on one of the tombstones.

The Radimlja necropolis includes 133 Stecci. The core of the necropolis was built at the end of the 14th century, when three big chests were made, of which two are richly decorated with motifs in bas-relief. The next phase included simple chests and ridges with flower crosses on the front and borders acanthus leaves. The last phase with circa 20 separate Stecci of high quality and diverse forms indicates that the site was the cemetery of the local noble, attested in epitaphs on five tombstones.

Due to several Illyrian burial mounds near the necropolis, it seems the location was used from earlier times as a resting place for the dead, and the local population continued this ancient tradition.

Nearly half Stecci (63) were decorated, in bas relief, engraving or a combination. The finest decorated examples are tall chests with pedestal and sarcophagus with pedestal, saved for the social elite.

Figural depictions can be divided to those of male figures with raised right hand, scenes of hunting, posthumous kolo and chivalric tournaments with basic artistic and religious interweaving of pagan and Christian ideas.

Stecci were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016. It includes a selection of 4,000 stećci at 28 necropolises, of which 22 from Bosnia and Herzegovina, two from Croatia, three from Montenegro, and three from Serbia.

We know good things to see in Bosnia-Herzegovina. We know the roads, well-known tourist attractions like UNESCO sites, and off-the-beaten-path places.

If you would like to learn more about Bosnia-Herzegovina and explore it by visiting different attractions, come with us for a private tour. We can travel all across Bosnia-Herzegovina and we will show you all the important tourist attractions together with the hidden gems of this beautiful country. Feel free to contact us!

We have developed numerous itineraries for private car tours in Bosnia-Herzegovina as well as in neighboring countries, including tours passing through several countries as one journey. Solo private tours and tours for Seniors are available also.