Žuč Memorial Centre: Monument, Museum, Cinema Hall and Square to be Built

The best conceptual design for the Žuč Memorial Centre was presented today to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs of Sarajevo Canton Muharem Fišo, representatives of the municipalities of Novo Sarajevo, Novi Grad and Vogošća, as well as the brigades of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina that participated in the defence of Žuč, and the Sarajevo Canton Memorial Fund.  The authors of this urban-architectural-landscape project are professors  Emir and Hamdija Salihović. Their solution for the future memorial centre was selected as the best following the conducted competition procedure, reports the Patria news agency.

-The construction of the Žuč Memorial Centre is one of 11 sub-projects implemented by the Ministry for Veterans' Affairs of Sarajevo Canton within the Project „The Siege and Defence of Sarajevo in the period from 1992 to 1995,” said the Minister for Veterans' Affairs of Sarajevo Canton Muharem Fišo. 

He emphasised that the Commission for the selection of the best conceptual design for the future memorial centre did a quality job,  and selected a project that, through its organisation and layout, will enable the reconstruction of all battles fought on Žuč hill.

The Commission  included representatives of the relevant cantonal ministries and institutes, the Memorial Fund, three municipalities, and the Association of Architects and the Faculty of Architecture. According to the minister, the conceptual design will soon be presented to the wider public.

-This is a complex project which, among other things, envisages the construction of a monument in the form of a stylised bird as a symbol of freedom. Alongside the monument, the construction of a museum of the Battle of Žuč,  a multipurpose hall, a cinema hall, a flower shop, as well as a square where several thousand people can gather during the marking of important dates for the defence of Žuč, is planned, stated author  Emir Salihović.  The project also specifies  68  sites  where the heroes of the defence of Žuč lost their lives.

Salihović emphasised that the project will be carried out in phases, and one of the first steps will be the construction of road infrastructure to the future Memorial Centre.

Former commander of the First Glorious-111th Knight Brigade and member of the association of the same name, Ibrahim Dervišević, stated that he is satisfied with the selected design.

-It is important that the complex includes a complete reconstruction of the battles on Žuč. I particularly like the conceptual design of the museum, which will document and reconstruct all significant events for the defence of our city. I expect that the Memorial Fund and the Ministry for Veterans' Affairs of Sarajevo Canton will continue with the implementation of the initiated activities, so that construction work can begin as soon as possible, stated  Dervišević.

The total area of the Žuč memorial complex is  260 hectares, while the future memorial centre will be built on an area of 40 dunams of land purchased for its construction by the Novi Grad Municipality, the relevant ministry announced.