Church of St. Mary with St. Luke's Bell Tower

Saint Mary’s Church in Jajce is one of the town’s most evocative historical sites, a place where layers of medieval Bosnia still feel close. Once the main Catholic church of the royal capital, it was built in the 12th century and later expanded as Jajce grew in political importance. Its most striking feature is the tall, detached bell tower—known as the Papal Tower—which gives the complex a silhouette unlike any other church in the country. Inside, visitors can explore the remains of the medieval nave, where fragments of stone carvings and architectural details reveal the church’s Romanesque origins. One of the most interesting facts is that this is the site where the last Bosnian king, Stjepan Tomašević, was crowned in 1461, making it a rare location directly tied to the final chapter of the Bosnian Kingdom. The church later served different communities under Ottoman rule, and although much of the original structure was damaged over time, the surviving walls and tower preserve its solemn atmosphere. Archaeological displays inside present carved stones, liturgical fragments and artefacts uncovered during conservation works, helping visitors imagine the church’s former grandeur.