BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 22. Deputy Chair of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Minister of Defense, Zukan Helez, visited the House of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where intensive renovation works are currently underway on this important national monument, Trend reports citing the country's Defense Ministry.
The House of the Armed Forces of BiH was built back in 1881 as an officers’ casino, and this is its first significant renovation since World War II. In 2006, the Commission for the Preservation of National Monuments of BiH declared this building a national monument.
The building is a cultural monument and a valuable witness to the history of Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Throughout its rich past, it has served as an important center of cultural, artistic, and social life in the capital, and thanks to the ongoing restoration, it will soon shine again as one of the symbols of Sarajevo and the entire country.
Particularly notable is the concert hall of the House of the Armed Forces of BiH, considered one of the most acoustically advanced in Southeast Europe.
In the ceremonial hall of the House of the Armed Forces of BiH, four monumental paintings by prominent Bosnian artist Ismet Mujezinović are displayed: "The Uprising of 1941," "Crossing the Neretva," "In Honor of the Fighters of Sutjeska," and "The Liberation of Jajce 1943." These artworks are of immeasurable value to the cultural and historical heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
One of the most complex aspects of the current renovation is the conservation and restoration of these valuable paintings. The work is being led by renowned conservation and restoration experts from the Academy of Fine Arts in Sarajevo – Prof. Dr. Ćazim Hadžimejlić and Ajla Alijagić, MA in Conservation-Restoration, who are considered leading professionals in this field in the region.
These artworks have been in a condition requiring conservation and restoration interventions for many years, and this is the first time they are undergoing such a process since their creation.
In parallel with the work in the ceremonial hall, renovation of the exterior woodwork and facade is also underway. All interventions are carried out under strict supervision of the Commission for the Preservation of National Monuments, to ensure the preservation of the original appearance of the building and its priceless cultural, historical, and national value.
“Although my primary focus as Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially in these challenging times, is on strengthening the capacities and modernizing the Armed Forces of BiH, their staffing, and improving the living and working conditions of our personnel, I take particular satisfaction in being able to contribute to the preservation and restoration of the House of the Armed Forces of BiH – a national monument of our country. Our relationship with cultural and national monuments is not a relationship with something external — it is a relationship with ourselves,” said Minister Helez on this occasion.
In the coming period, work on the roof is expected to begin, and the project will be rounded off with the construction of a park in front of the House.
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