Just five kilometers outside of Mostar, nature and history merge into a beautiful scenery surrounding Blagaj Tekija.
The Tekija was built on a solid rocky soil at the right side of the source of the Buna river, one of the biggest in Europe. A very high cliff stretches above the Tekija for some 240 meters. On top of that cliff lie the remains of Stjepan Vukcic-Kosaca’s fort-town dating back to the Middle Ages. The complex was damaged more than once because of rocks collapsing. The European nettle trees that grow from the cracks of the cliff above the Tekija significantly contribute to the frequency of the collapses.
The primary purpse of the structure was to serve as a dervish Zikr praise-chanting (praising God and His names) venue, while the musafirhana (guest house) has a profane purpose.
Built at the site of an earlier Bogomil sanctuary, it is a place of which history has no precise and stored data.
Archeological excavations have found and confirmed that this location holds the remains of a Late Antique structure.
During the Middle Ages, even before the arrival of the Ottomans, it was a place of utter cultural and religious importance (1. VI 1454.). The first written track of the Tekke was made by Evlija Celebija in 1664. in his travelogues, at time when the Tekke was already well-known throughout the Ottoman empire and within the scientific community.
Throughout its history the housing complex next to the Tekija was rebuilt and redecored on multiple occasions. The Tekija was actively open until its last shaykh Sejdo Sehovic died in 1925.
After the Second World War, activities of the dervishes and the Tekke i Bosnia and Herzegovina were officially banned.
Until early 70s, the Tekija was managed by the National Museum of B&H. Since then until 1974. it was officially without a trustee, after which time the Islamic Community, with no previous government consent, started using and protecting it from further delapidation. By reviving the tradition of the pilgrimage site, the common annual Mawlid (religious celebration of the birth of prophet Mohammad S.a.v.s.), the Tekke started reestablishing its previous importance. The last reconstruction of the Tekke was done in 2013. and a year later, in 2012. the completely destroyed housing complex – musafirhana (guest house) at its entrance were reconstructed as well.