JAJCE is a strategic town on the Pliva river where it flows into Vrbas. It is the ancient capital of the Croatian princes Hrvatinić and Tomašević. Remains indicate that there was a settlement here in Roman times but its name is unknown, we do know, however, that the cult of Mithraism flourished there. Jajce was first mentioned in 1396 in the “Conte di Jaicze” which refers to the Prince Hrvoje Vukčić Hrvatinić, a powerful Croatian magnate who ruled over northwest Bosnia and part of Dalmatia. The development of Jajce is tied to this Herceg (or ruler), it was an important road junction with considerable transit trade via Dubrovnik, Split and Trogir.
The fifteenth century walled town included a citadel, royal palace and urban settlement with a Franciscan monastery and with a merchants’ quarter outside the walls. Three churches (St. Mary’s, St. Chatarine’s and St Lucas’) - date back to the period of the fifteenth century. St Mary’s Church (late 14. early 15. c) had a belfry with a lower part Gothic and the upper Romanesque. It was known as St Lucas’ belfry. All the churches were turned into mosques or were burned in fire. Near the entrance to Jajce fortress is a Gothic portal showing a crown of lilies, the work of an unknown local master. Medieval Jajce had its catacombs, two-tiered subterranean galleries including several tombs in an adjoining chapel, Ghotic vultins and an unfinished coat of arms of Hrvoje Vukčić Hrvatinić. After his death Jajce came under Prince Stjepan Tomašević who spent a lot of time in his “stone place” of Jajce where he had his court (EX Jaice, apud curiam Regis Bosniae) a quotation dating back to 1457.
Stjepan Tomašević drew up several maps in Jajce, including one concerning the Venetians and their trading tights during his reign. Jajce fell to the Turks in 1463. It was retaken by the Hungaro-Croatian king Matthias Corvinus who made it the center of the Nabat and Jajce in order to stem the advance of the Turks. Despite all those who heroically gave up their lives in the fighting against the turks (including Ivanis Corvinus and Ban Petar Keglavić) the town fell to the Turks in 1528. The importance of Jajce then dwindled. The Turkish travel writer Evlia Čelebi (1660) mentioned a castle in ruins. The town commanders took care that a regular watch was maintained. During the Turkish occupation Jajce suffered three great fires. The last one was started by artillery attack of Omar Pasha Latas in 1851.
This barbaric destruction was repeated in 1992. when strong Serbian para-military formations, after several month of heavy shelling, took the town at the end of October. The Croatian and Muslims population sought refuge all over Herceg-Bosna.
Prior to the Serbian occupation Jajce had an electrochemical plant, a timber and plastics factory, and twp hydroelectric centers on the Pliva and Vrbas rivers. Jajce is famous for it waterfalls (28m, 90 feet high) on the river Pliva. Nearby is the pilgrimage center (festivities June 24) of Podmilačje with the famous church of John the Baptist first mentioned in 1461.
