Blagaj Tekija is a Dervish monastery located in the historic Blagaj village in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is nearly 600 years old. The tekija is situated at the base of a cliff, next to the source of the river Buna. The site where the Blagaj Tekija and the Buna River spring are located is also known as Vrelo Bune. Due to its distinctive and magnificent setting in which man-made monuments coexist with nature, the site is protected by the KONS, Commission to Preserve Natural Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The natural and architectural ensemble of Blagaj is also on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.
Dervishes are members of the Sufi fraternity in Islam, and they are especially known for their rituals that involve various forms of whirling. The monasteries belonging to the Dervish community are also known as tekija, takiyya, or tekke. These Sufi houses were used as places of gathering, spiritual retreats, and guest houses for other Sufi travelers.
A beautiful representation of Ottoman architecture, Blagaj Tekija consists of a guesthouse, kitchen, hammam, prayer room, tombs, and a courtyard, that were tucked into the natural surroundings. The exact history of the Dervish tekija is uncertain but historians suggest that it was built around 1520, soon after the beginning of the Ottoman rule in the area. The guesthouse was built around the 1660s but was rebuilt in 1851, so its original appearance is not known.
Blagaj Tekija is open to visitation and is still actively used for praying and meditating.
