The Medieval Town Prozor and Glorious Kingdom of Rama

Because of its unique geographical position and the river that ran through most of the area, these villages were inhabited since ancient times. According to some private analyses of found objects on individual sites, their age exceeds over 4000 years.

Glorious Kingdom of Rama

How Rama was glorious is evidenced by a few historical facts, and I will mention just a few.

Hungarian King Bela II took the title of Rex Ramae in 1138 and Ban Stjepan II Kotromanic called himself the Ban of Rama in 1345. Ban Tvrtko in 1366 in Prozor in Rama issued a memorandum to V. Hrvatinic and Dubrovnik Grand Chamber mentioning that their envoy contacted them from Prozor-Rama in 1433.

I have to admit, as I read what I wrote, that I am deeply filled with grief. I’m sad about the fact that the city whose history is long over 1000 years has one single main street and a couple of buildings. And because of that when you come to Rama, the city isn’t the reason why you come and what will remain forever in your hearts.

Nature and people are what give this region its magnificence.

It’s hard to believe that this hasn’t been discovered yet, and that’s why you will not see tourists or crowded streets here. Here you are alone, or with your group and literally enjoy the unspoiled nature.

Mountaineers are well-marked mountain walking routes and for your safety would be a good idea to keep up the marked trails, unfortunately, outside of marked trails, no one can guarantee that somewhere is not residual mines from the last war.

Prozor City

City Prozor is the starting point from which you go further depending on which route you have chosen. The name Prozor (literally translated means window) was given long ago, while the passage of the road from Jablanica that enters into Prozor, was narrow as a window. Today, the entrance to the Prozor got new and streamlined contours. You’ll easily find accommodation in the centre of Prozor in the Motel “Rama”, where you can possibly have lunch.

I’m sorry I’ll disappoint you, but some attractive content and an enjoyment in sense of spa centers and the like, you’ll not find here.

You can buy foods that you need in the mountain, you can have a drink of refreshments at one of many cafes and this is all you can do in Prozor. But, you didn’t come here because of the urban villa, you are coming here because of the pristine natural wealth that is in a literal sense, “undiscovered” and waiting for you.

Prozor is the seat of the Rama region which is divided into Upper, Middle, and Lower Rama. If you watch this from above, the area looks like a huge Y. The Y is, of course, the road that runs through Rama, and at the entrance to the Prozor from Jablanica branches to one branch leading to Tomislavgrad, and the other to the Gornji Vakuf – Uskoplje. Most villages are located relatively close to the mentioned road and are surrounded by hills.

What to see in Rama

Ban’s Table or King’s Chair

Photo by Branko Ivancic

Ban’s table or King’s chair, are two huge stone chairs with headrests. On the underside of the King’s table is a great heap of stones some of which is cut stone. Near the King’s table are two smaller necropoleis with several tombstones or stecci at the Glavicica.

Medieval Town of Prozor

Medieval Prozor was first mentioned in 1366. From that town, till today is left only the main tower, whose entrance was six meters above the ground, and the tower was probably entered by the bridge. Until a few decades before there were other buildings around the tower. These buildings around the tower disappeared sometime during the Second World War when the Italians raised fortifications in that place to defend against partisan attacks.

From the fortress, you have a view over the city, as at the palm. Not only the centre but also the surrounding hills, plateaus, and distant mountains.

The prehistoric site

Photo by Damir Misura

Village Rumboci bordering with the village Varvara, but for me, Rumboci is everything at a height above the lake, do not distinguish further. I’m sorry, I’m not from Rama! So Rumboci bordering Varvara, Varvara is one of the most important prehistoric sites in Bosnia and Herzegovina. There were found objects with the characteristic of the Vucedol culture, and later in the Bronze Age, there was built a fortress which was the strong metallurgical centre and was found moulds for casting bronze objects. This small “fort” is now under the water, but sometimes, when the lake withdraws you can see the outlines of Roman buildings and a late antique church. Yes, and you and I, when passing Varvara do not know whether it Rumboci or Varvara, or is that village with spectacular views of the lake or the historical habitat of Roman municipality Bistue Vetus.

Zahum

Photo by Damir Misura

Another place where you should be stopped if you wander over Rama is Zahum. Zahum is a village located on the hill below the elevation of Umna Glava (Rational Head). There is, in one of the villages, last year raised another memorial monument to Diva Grabovceva. About Diva Grabovceva was told many legends. One of the stories is that Kopcic Bey chased her, and she sacrificed her own life to preserve honour and integrity. She is particularly appreciated at the Kedzara in the National Park Blidinje, where every year, on the first Sunday in July, thousands of people came to pray at that place. Diva has a monument in front of the monastery on the Scit, also.

Scit and Rama Lake

Photo by Damir Misura

Scit is a small village which was built above a fertile valley through which flowed River Rama and its tributaries Buk and Krupic until 1968. The same year, 1968, made an artificial lake that flooded a large area of the Rama Valley. The village Scit remained on a small peninsula with its symbol, a Franciscan monastery and Church of the Assumption, and Ethnographic Museum.

Rama Lake has an area of about 15 square kilometres, and the whole area is surrounded by the steep mountains of Radusa, Makljen, Ljubusa and Vran. Now, imagine this, Rama Lake, and within the lake islands. Have you imagined?

As I said before, this part, regardless of the cultivated area around the Monastery, Church and the Museum does not offer anything but nature. Not even here you will not find bars, restaurants or shops that will distract you from the natural beauty. This is the most famous and most visited tourist spot in Rama and the most deserving for that are the Franciscans.

Mountains

Vran

Vran (literally translated means crow) is a mountain range that extends from southwest to northeast and has the appearance of an elongated horseshoe. Vran is located somewhere between the mountains Cvrsnica and Ljubusa, raised above the Duvno and Dugo Field, Rama, Jablanica and Posusje, and offers panoramic views of beautiful Rama Lake.

With Vran mountain many legends are connected, for example how Vran Mountain got its name, so one says because the mountain has a dark appearance when you are looking from the lowlands, the other says that it is because of the crow birds that once in a large number inhabited this mountain. The highest peak of Vran Mountain is Veliki Vran with a height of 2047 m, then Bijela Glavica at 1990 m, Mali Vran with a height of 2017 m and Vran at 1961m.

Also, at the eastern part of the Vran is the Pasija Stijena which is on the border between the municipalities of Jablanica and Prozor. The height of Pasija Stijena is 1689 m and due to such a height, you have an excellent view in all directions.

A rare are those who know the terrain from the Rama hydropower plant, over Maglice to the Vran Mountains as the locals. Active mountaineers of the Croatian Mountaineering Association Rama cleaned this track and marked the path at a distance of 11 km from Maglice to Plemine Stijene. Don’t miss to visit all the attractive locations on Vran Mountain.

Part of the mountain Vran is included in the Nature Park Blidinje Lake.

Radusa – Idovac

Photo by Damir Misura

The mountain range Radusa extends from the upper course of the river Sana and the city Jajce to the end of the northwest area of Rama. The highest peak of the mountain range Radusa is Idovac (1956 m) and is located in the southeast of the chain. Radusa is famous for its karst lakes Veliko and Rumbocko Lake. Besides the lakes, there is another natural rarity and it is Ledenica. Ledenica is special because of the source which is located under a large stone grotto which can be reached only by a narrow and steep path exclusively from the north-eastern sides. The area is rich in flora and fauna and it is not unusual to see hikers throughout the year.

Makljen

Why am I mention Makljen? I am very often in Prozor, and Makljen certainly is not a mountain which one serious mountaineer would select for his route. Makljen is the mountain where you want to come to the picnic, the mountain where you want to walk in the fresh air and thus kill two to three-five hours of your time. It is a mountain at an altitude of 1123 m and is a natural border between Bosnia and Herzegovina. On the Makljen was built the monument “Battle of Neretva” in 1978, but is mined in 2000 and since then stands as a mockery.

Klecka Stijena (Klecka Rock)

The view from Klecka Stijena at Rama Lake

Klecka Stijena is the centre from which you can easily see many other mountains like Radusa, Ljubusa, Vran, Cvrsnica, Igman, Prenj, Vranica and another whole series of small mountains. All naturalists, hikers and other lovers of nature will come into their own if they visit Klecka Stijena.

Volujak or Volijak

River Volujcica is long about 19 km and builds a canyon that is somewhere deep, even, over 600 m. It is hard to find this place on maps for hiking, there are no tables with descriptions, so if you do not speak one of the official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina, you’ll miss exploring one of the beautiful natural phenomena, canyons Volujak, located between the village of Donja Vast (near Uzdol) and Doscica.

The Phenomenon of Folk Costumes

Photo by Damir Misura

Why I wrote “phenomenon of folk costumes”? Firstly, because of costume that is truly beautiful and rich, secondly, not less important, is the tradition. So do not be surprised if you on the streets of Prozor see an older woman walking in Rama’s traditional costumes. It is still quite normal in Prozor or Rama. Finding the traditional costumes for many of us is hard, and the idea of finding this stuff is only in museums, but not for the people of Rama. If you want to wear the traditional costume in Prozor-Rama, for half an hour, at the latest, there will be someone who will bring the costumes from its house, washed, starched and ready to wear. Rama has its own distinctive style that weaves on its costumes and it can be seen on beautiful “Rama towel”, also.

And there is more about Prozor, and there is more about Rama, but if I discovered all, you have no need to come and discover the rest of this beautiful place. A photo as far as is beautiful is never enough nice as the serenity that you feel when you find yourself in such a place.

To conclude, Rama is not ‘in Bosnia” and is not “in Herzegovina” it is “and” between Bosnia and Herzegovina and its nature and nice people connects into a whole, both of these areas.