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Abbey Church "Our Blessed Lady’s Assumption", Banja Luka

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Abbey Church

About the site


Corridor: Diagonal Road
Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Banja Luka
Type: Christian religious centre
Epoch: 20th Century, Modern Times
Theme: Christian Monasteries
World Heritage:
20th CenturyModern TimesChristian MonasteriesChristian religious centre

The construction of the complex of Cistercian, Trappist “Marija zvijezda” monastery in Delibasino selo is related to the arrival of Trappist Franz Pffaner to Bosnia. On 27 June 1869, he selected a location for the future monastery “Mariastern” (“Maria Star”) on the bank of the Vrbas river due to possibility of using the river’s waterpower. The monastery church was completed in 1873. During the 1924, the Trappists moved to a new monastery, and the new church was built 1925-1928. After the Second World War, the monastery and some other buildings were demolished and new ones were built in their place.
The Trappists have founded modern economic and cultural development of the Banja Luka area. They constructed the first modern buildings of that time; they have established several handicraft plants, handicraft schools, the first hydro-electric power plant, brewery, great mill, saw-mill, cheese-production plant, plant for manufacture of fabric, large brickyard and the steel bridge over the Vrbas river.
The monastery possesses a rich collection of works of art. Apart from numerous liturgical objects made of metal, a rich collection of mass vestments and wooden furniture, the monastery possesses the collection of paintings and sculptures as well as a valuable library.

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