THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE THE FIRST BOOK IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA WAS PRINTED

In the history of Serbian literacy and culture in Bosnia and Herzegovina, few places carry the significance of Sopotnica near Goražde. Hidden in the Drina River valley, this monastic complex was more than a spiritual center — it became the birthplace of the first printed book in Bosnia in the early 16th century. At a time when the written word was still bound to manuscripts, printing emerged in Sopotnica, opening a new chapter in the cultural history of the region.

PHOTO: Palelive.com

The Church of St. George in Sopotnica was built in 1446 as the endowment of Duke Stefan Vukčić Kosača, one of the most powerful figures of medieval Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is not an assumption, but a fact carved in stone.

A marble inscription, preserved through centuries, reads:

“In the year 1446, I, the servant of Christ God, Lord Duke Stefan, raised the temple of the holy great martyr of Christ, George, praying to him to intercede for me, a sinner, before my Lord Christ.”

This inscription is not merely a founder’s message, but a first-rate historical document. It speaks of the time, authority, and spirituality of an era, while also testifying to the continuity of the Orthodox tradition in this region.

By the 15th and 16th centuries, additional inscriptions appeared on the church walls, confirming that Sopotnica was not only a храм but also a monastery. This implies the existence of an organized monastic brotherhood, which would later prove to have not only a spiritual, but also a cultural role.

Sopotnica in Ottoman Defters

The story gains further weight through Ottoman census records known as defters. In the earliest registers of the Bosnian Sanjak from 1468 and 1469, as well as the nominal census of the Herzegovina Sanjak from 1477, Sopotnica is clearly mentioned.

These sources reveal something crucial — the monastery possessed land and income, indicating that it was institutionally recognized and economically sustainable even under Ottoman rule. In a time of major political change, Sopotnica did not disappear; it endured.

That continuity proved essential. It enabled the conditions for something unprecedented in the region at the beginning of the 16th century — the establishment of a printing house.

The Birth of the Goražde Printing House

A major turning point came in the early 1500s, when the first printing house in Bosnia — known as the Goražde Printing House — was established in Sopotnica. Its founder was Božidar Goraždanin, a prominent merchant who understood the importance of the new technology.

He sent monks, the Ljubavić brothers, to Venice — then a major center of printing — to learn the craft and acquire equipment. It was no small undertaking.

The printing house began operating in 1519, when the “Službenik” (Service Book) was printed — the first printed book in Bosnia. This was followed by the “Psalter with follow-up services” in 1521, and a “Prayer Book” in 1523.

These were no ordinary books. They were printed in Cyrillic, in the Church Slavonic language of the Serbian recension, with highly developed typography. Notably, they were printed in two colors — black and red — typical for liturgical books of the time.

Their ornaments, initials, and text structure reveal a strong influence of manuscript tradition. Printing did not replace manuscript culture — it transformed it into a new form.

The work was led by hieromonk Teodor, the chief printer and editor, alongside deacon Radoje, who is mentioned in the final notes. They are considered the first known printers on the territory of Bosnia.

Why the Printing House Disappeared

Despite its importance, the Goražde Printing House had a short lifespan. Its operations ceased shortly after 1523. The reasons were likely economic and political — the Ottoman Empire did not actively support such ventures, and the market remained limited.

However, the story did not end there.

The printing tradition continued through the descendants of Božidar Goraždanin, who relocated the press to Wallachia, to Târgoviște (in present-day Romania), where they resumed printing activities in the mid-16th century.

This makes Sopotnica not only the place where printing began in Bosnia, but also a starting point for the spread of printing culture across the Balkans.

Within the monastery itself, the tradition of literacy persisted. In 1550, a Four Gospels manuscript was copied in Sopotnica, proving that even after the printing house ceased operations, the preservation of the written word continued.

A Legacy That Endures

The Goražde Printing House was the first in Bosnia and one of the earliest in the Balkans. Its importance lies not only in the books it produced, but in its role as a bridge between medieval tradition and the modern age.

From 1523 until the 19th century, Bosnia had no new printing house. Printing reappeared only in Sarajevo during the rule of Osman Pasha in the first half of the 19th century.

Thus, in the endowment of Duke Stefan Kosača, the first printing house and the first printed book in Bosnia were created. Today, Sopotnica stands as a quiet yet powerful testament to Orthodox spirituality, literacy, and the historical continuity of this region.