Rehabilitation of Domed Mosques from the Ottoman Period in Bosnia and Herzegovina: The Case of Ferhad Pasha Mosque

Abstract

The paper explores the role, significance, and validity of the post-war rehabilitation of Ottoman-era domed mosques in Bosnia and Herzegovina, focusing on the case of the Ferhad Pasha Mosque in Banja Luka. After the end of the war, various forms of reconstruction were undertaken, and the most common method was complete (facsimile) reconstruction, known as post-war rehabilitation of architectural heritage. These rehabilitation projects, across various public and religious buildings, include the renovation of mosques as an integral part of the refugee return project and the promotion of coexistence and reconciliation among different communities in BiH. Special attention from the profession and the public has been placed on the rehabilitation of domed mosques from the Ottoman period, as objects that have already been recognized and declared national monuments. During the research, the question arises: Does rehabilitation affect the authenticity of architectural heritage? What does the post-war rehabilitation of architectural heritage actually mean, and what methods of protection does it entail? The case of Ferhad Pasha Mosque also serves as a critical review, as it analyses one of the most significant post-war rehabilitation projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The review of the works is intended to determine the correctness of the procedures within the project, which contributes to several current topics in the field of active protection methods. Revision of this project, i.e., determining the correctness of the procedures within the rehabilitation project, should, in a theoretical and practical sense, present various methods applied both to the entire building and to individual elements. Therefore, a detailed, chronological overview of the rehabilitation project, with an emphasis on specific elements, aims to inform both the profession and the general public about the interventions carried out and their validity. The need arose to establish the basic steps of a post-war strategy for the rehabilitation of architectural heritage, created on the basis of international declarations, charters, recommendations, and research. There was also a need to emphasize the view of authenticity in cases where architectural heritage was violently destroyed and where we can only apply protection measures to its fragments.