Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Ñaño house with mausoleum skull in foreground.
Ñaño Casa Museo
Honningsvåg Bamse Statue
Honningsvåg Bamse Statue
The salt cairn.
The Lewis and Clark Salt Works
South entrance.
Reigate Tunnel
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è Pasta... E Pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
The 2,653-mile-long Pacific Crest Trail spans the entire West Coast from Canada to Mexico.
Meet the Volunteers Who Keep Thru-Hikers Moving
5 days ago
The Haskell Free Library and Opera House building on the U.S.-Canadian border.
Could New Border Restrictions Literally Tear the Haskell Free Library Apart?
5 days ago
A woman peering into the cave of Sarah Bishop c. 1900.
The Curious History of New England’s Hermit Tourism
6 days ago
The Big Well
This Kansas Town Advertised the World’s Largest Well. It Wasn’t.
6 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Bosnia and Herzegovina Sarajevo Stećci

Stećci

Some of the best-preserved specimens of the monumental medieval tombstones found throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Added By
jht1993
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
There are many different styles of stećci   jht1993 / Atlas Obscura User
There are many different styles of stećci   jht1993 / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
March 2023   DMStephenson / Atlas Obscura User
The stećci are both in front of and in the garden of the museum   jht1993 / Atlas Obscura User
Some of the Old Bosnian Cyrillic   jht1993 / Atlas Obscura User
  jht1993 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Stećci (singular stećak) are monumental medieval tombstones found throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina and the surrounding areas. There are tens of thousands of these inscribed stones scattered around the region, but some of the best-preserved specimens are conveniently located a short walk from the Old City of Sarajevo, at the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Stećci began appearing in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the mid 12th century, reached their peak in the 14th and 15th century, and fell out of use with the arrival of the Ottomans in the 16th century. They were used by followers of the different Christian churches in the region, including the Bosnian Church, Catholics, and Orthodox.

While most of the stećci are written in the now-extinct Bosnian Cyrillic alphabet, some inscriptions are written in the Glagolitic alphabet, the first Slavic alphabet created by the same Saint Cyril and Methodius who later created the Cyrillic alphabet.

The stećci at the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina are located both outside the main entrance of the museum, and spread around in the botanical garden in the courtyard.

Related Tags

Medieval Tombs

Know Before You Go

The easiest way to get to the museum is to take the tram number three (3) from the Old City/Baščaršija away from the direction of the Old City. Get off when you see the American Embassy on the right (it's very large and a commonly referenced landmark in Sarajevo) or the Museum itself on the left. You can purchase tickets for around €1 at most kiosks. If you would prefer to walk, which is recommended, go from the Old City to the river and head to the right, following the river along the same street for around 20 to 30 minutes. At some point the street will pull away from the river but will reconnect in about 300 meters and continue until the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina which will be on you right.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina

Traverse the beauty and history of the Balkans through locals' stories.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

jht1993

Edited By

Collector of Experiences, DMStephenson

  • Collector of Experiences
  • DMStephenson

Published

December 14, 2016

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Stećci
3 Zmaja od Bosne
Sarajevo
Bosnia and Herzegovina
43.855069, 18.402607
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

ICAR Canned Beef Monument

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

miles away

Old Jewish Cemetery of Sarajevo

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

miles away

Sternenweg Sculpture

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Sarajevo

Sarajevo

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Places 17
Stories 1

Nearby Places

ICAR Canned Beef Monument

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

miles away

Old Jewish Cemetery of Sarajevo

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

miles away

Sternenweg Sculpture

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Sarajevo

Sarajevo

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Places 17
Stories 1

Related Places

  • Ahlat, Turkey

    Ahlat Seljuk Cemetery

    Hundreds of medieval Islamic gravestones decorate the mountainous landscape in the largest cemetery in Turkey.

  • Della Scala tombs behind a wrought iron fence.

    Verona, Italy

    Scaliger Tombs

    These elaborate gothic monuments honor Verona's medieval lords.

  • Cartuja de Miraflores.

    Burgos, Spain

    Cartuja de Miraflores

    This Gothic church houses ornate royal tombs and a magnificent gilded altarpiece.

  • Tomb of Edward the Black Prince.

    Canterbury, England

    Tomb of the Black Prince

    An impressive armored bronze effigy marks the tomb of one of the medieval era's greatest warriors.

  • The alleged tomb.

    Glastonbury, England

    'King Arthur's Tomb'

    In the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey lies the alleged resting place of the legendary king.

  • The Tomb of Antenor lies in the middle of Antenor square in Padua.

    Padua, Italy

    Tomb of Antenor

    The tomb of the mythological founder of Padua is not hidden in some obscure crypt, but stands right in the middle of the city square.

  • Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Radimlja Necropolis

    A field filled with carved medieval tombstones called stećak.

  • The medieval Church of Saint Nicholas.

    Ireland

    The Lost Town of Newtown Jerpoint (Jerpoint Park)

    Local legend says the remains of Father Christmas lie within the medieval grounds.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.