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BiH Atlas
World HeritageSrednjovjekovni nadgrobni spomenici stećci

Stećci Medieval Tombstone Graveyards

A serial World Heritage property of 28 stećak graveyards across four countries: 20 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2 in Croatia, 3 in Montenegro and 3 in Serbia. Monolithic medieval tombstones with carvings found nowhere else.

UNESCO World Heritage 2016
Where
Radimlja (Stolac) & other locations across BiH
Built
n/a
Architect
not recorded
Materials
n/a

History

Dating from the 12th to 16th centuries, these monolithic tombstones (stećci) are laid out in rows within historical graveyards. They represent a fascinating fusion of Christian traditions (Western Catholic and Eastern Orthodox) with local, pre-Christian, and enigmatic Bogomil beliefs. The carvings feature decorative borders, spiraling vines, astronomical symbols (stars, crescent moons), hunting scenes, tournaments, and the iconic raised-hand figure.

Radimlja near Stolac is the most famous necropolis, featuring some of the largest and most beautifully ornamented tombstones.

Key facts

  • ◆Around 60,000 stećci are located in Bosnia and Herzegovina, representing over 85% of the global total.
  • ◆The most famous symbol is a man with a large, raised right hand, symbolizing hospitality, oath-making, or pointing to the heavens.
  • ◆Many stećci are inscribed with ancient Cyrillic (Bosančica script) containing poignant philosophical epitaphs.
  • ◆The necropolis of Radimlja features 133 tombstones, most dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries.
Why UNESCO listed it
Inscribed under criteria (iii), (vi) in 2016. Criterion (vi) means association with events, traditions or ideas of universal significance; (ii) an interchange of human values; (iii) testimony to a cultural tradition; (iv) an outstanding example of a type of building; (ix) and (x) ecological processes and biodiversity.
Sources and verification

Checked 2026-09-11: designation year, dates, dimensions and attributions verified; several invented single-year construction dates in the draft were replaced with the documented century.