CAZIN city guide — John W Bills

Ostrožac Castle © Sadmir Mustafic // Shutterstock.com

Criminally underrated, Cazin is a picture of progress, a pugnacious town with a proud history of standing up for itself. The last few decades have seen the town develop beyond expectations, making it ever easier for folks looking to explore its fascinating centre and charming surroundings. Bosnia’s most alluring castle highlights the latter, and there aren’t many spots in the country that can touch Ostrožac in setting the imagination alight. Cazin is looking to the future but doing so while holding its history close to its heart, whether that is defending the border from medieval powers or fighting Cold War Europe’s only peasant rebellion. Cazin isn’t going to be underrated forever.

TRANSPORT

Once the gateway to Europe, Cazin’s bus station (Ćuprija, +387 37 514 318) has seen better days. It still performs most of its requirements to a more than adequate level, with a friendly ticket office happy to answer questions about routes and times, but there is definitely an air of nostalgia to the whole shebang. The small waiting room is caked in the stuff, as are the closest cafes and discotheques. There is a toilet, but you might need to ask for the key. Cazin is linked to Velika Kladuša, Bihać, Bosanska Krupa, and Bužim, with a daily bus to Tuzla also operating. There are also links to Slovenia, Austria and Germany because leaving for Central Europe seems to be the national pastime.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO

Ostrožac

The grandaddy of “when I win the lottery, I will fix this place,” Ostrožac is one of the most magnificent settings in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sure, its peak is long gone, but the dilapidated corridors and empty rooms sing with a quiet grandeur that can’t be manufactured. You either got it, or you don’t, and Ostrožac has got it in spades. It was ostensibly built as a home for the ludicrously wealthy von Berk family, a magnificent place to live when the squalor of Bihać was too much, and its massive parties and banquets attracted the celebrities of its time. The views are incredible, and the courtyard is splendid, the perfect place for exhibitions and events. Unfortunately, the castle itself is a shell, but it is lovingly maintained by some of the finest people in the country, and who knows what the future will bring. For now, Ostrožac sings despite its state. An absolute must in Bosnia and Herzegovina, let alone this part of the country. Ostrožac na Uni, +387 62 642 767

Cultural Centre (Centar za kulturu i turizam Cazin)

The beating heart of cultural life in Cazin, the town’s Cultural Centre hosts everything from shows to readings and more. If it is an important event in town, the chances are it will take place on the centre’s stage in front of an enthusiastic crowd of the town’s most important folks. The cafe is more than decent. Gradska uprava Cazin, +387 37 539 069

Nurija Pozderac House in Cazin © John Bills

Nurija Pozderac House (Kuća Nurije Pozderca)

What makes a historical house important? The architecture? The individuals who called it home? Both, of course, depending on the house in question, and both boxes are ticked when it comes to this spot. A fabulous example of Ottoman-era housebuilding in Cazin, this house also happens to be where the town’s most famous Partisan was born. Nurija Pozderac’s birthplace was built in 1820 by his father, Ahmet-aga Pozderac, himself a very important person in these parts. The house looks picture-perfect from the outside, but its structure is somewhat fragile, so keep that in mind. Nurije Pozderca

Cazin Fortress and Mosque (Stari Grad Cazin i Gradska Džamija)

Two for the price of one, but don’t make the mistake of lumping these two in together. Yes, the development and stories of Cazin’s city-centre fortress and mosque are inextricably linked, but each offers a glimpse into the fascinating history of this marvellous town. When walking up to the fortress, take a moment to put yourself in the boots of a medieval soldier tasked with scaling the hill and conquering the town. Good luck! A large mosque awaits in the heart of the fortress, under renovation when I visited, but something special nonetheless. The fortress dates to the 16th century, and it is thought that the mosque was built on the site of an old church.

City Library Cazin (Gradska Biblioteka)

Cazin’s central library doesn’t get as much attention as the City Hall or the Cultural Centre (or the roundabout, for that matter), but that’s no bother for a quiet house of literary worship. Too strong? Yeah, I guess. From the outside, the library is one of the most graceful buildings in town, and its corridors and halls hold thousands of books covering a broad range of subjects. It started life in 1931 as a reading room, and, in true Cazin style, it has developed miraculously in the modern era, expanding from fewer than 1,000 books in 1957 to more than 20,000 today. A bust of Nurija Pozderac stands outside the entrance. Kulina Bana

Ibra Alagić House (Kuća Ibre Alagića)

Smack-bang in the centre of Cazin is a gorgeous example of traditional Bosnian residential architecture. The Ibra Alagić House is as pretty as a picture, a two-storey structure with an overhang, typical of its time but with plenty of local quirks for good measure. The general assumptions date it to the early 19th century and to a local shop-owning family, which means a relative amount of wealth and a willingness to flaunt it, and that building a gorgeous house on slightly sloping land will achieve that goal. I’m not sure what the state of the interior is, but the exterior is genuinely beautiful. The Alagić House is right in the centre of Cazin, close to the roundabout and 100 metres from the old town.

Kajtezovića Tombstones

These curious tombstones are on the northern edge of the municipality, right next to the boundary with Velika Kladuša, but they are well worth a look. Located in a village called Donja Lučka (30 minutes north of Cazin), they were installed in the early 20th century to commemorate a wealthy family with long roots in the area, though you could tell from the stones. These are some seriously intricate designs, meticulous in all the right ways, made of the finest Bihacite stone and showcasing ornamentation done right. There are 16 nišans in total (eight male, eight female). Anyone who has ever read anything about Islam won’t be shocked to hear that the huge, almost 3-metre tall ones, those are the dudes. Inferiority complex and all that. You can’t miss these fascinating relics, as they are set on the side of the road to Kladuša. Be sure to stop in Pećigrad on the way. Donja Lučka

Mural and monument in Cazin © John Bills

Mural of the Bosnian Knight (Mural Bosanskog viteza)

I’m not entirely sure if that is the correct name, but this memorial in the centre of Cazin is clearly more about aesthetics than monikers. The mural depicts a knight in armour, defending the honour of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with various other emblems, flags, and images all around. The work(from what I gather) of a young artist named Ismar Ružnić, the mural has evolved from a single knight into an entire memorial complex.

BREWS, BOOZE, AND BITES

With a lovely location in the town centre, you can’t go wrong with Hilton (Dr Irfana Ljubljankića 1, +387 61 418 156) for food. No, it has nothing to do with Paris and the rest of the family. On the coffee front, most of the cafes in Cazin sing from the same hymn sheet, so expect a decent cup at City Caffe (Trg Zlatnih Ljiljana, +387 37 512 200) and the rest. There is also a cafe called Tito (Nijaza Begića Kese, +387 62 224 165), complete with Big Joe affectations, so make a beeline for that if you are after some Yugostalgia. The folks at the cultural centre are also delightfully friendly, and I’m also told that Morgan Pub (Žrtaca Domovinskog Rata, +387 61 249 951) is a fabulous place for a drink in the evening. If you are heading out to Ostrožac (which you obviously should), consider stopping for a feed at Dva Bećera (Ostrožac, +387 37 531 994).

SLEEPING

Cazin is frustratingly light on accommodation options, with most of its spots sitting a long ol’ walk from the city centre. The folks at Motel Huremagić (Generala Izeta Nanića, +387 37 512 191) are a delight, and my bed was genuinely one of the most comfortable I’ve enjoyed in the country. The place is a little on the nostalgic side, but there’s no reason to complain. On the outskirts of town, up the hill, is Hostel Rez (Puškari, +387 63 793 883), although don’t be fooled into thinking this is a hostel in the classic sense of the term. It’s a functional motel by a gas station, and it ticks most of the boxes, except the box marked “close to town.” If you’ve got a car, head to Stovrela (+387 37 512 076) or Ranč Beganović (Miostrah na Uni, +387 61 748 109), two glorious options out in Cazin’s stunning natural surroundings.

CAZIN