Blagaj Tekke: Where Nature and Spirituality Bloom In Harmony

The dervish monastery perched above Europe’s most abundant karst spring promises visitors a dazzling experience.

The Tekke in Blagaj, established around 1520, is one of the world’s most visited Sufi pilgrimage sites. Photo by Zsófia Sáfár

The glistening blue waters of the Buna River winding through the Neretva Valley create a perfect milieu for spiritual exploration. It’s no surprise that Sufi monks, renowned for their ascetic lifestyle, chose this serene and picturesque setting to build a monastery.

The Blagaj Tekke, nestled at the foot of a towering 240-meter rock cliff above the water source, has been home to Sufi monks for centuries. Today, devotees of this mystical Islamic tradition gather here three times a week for ceremonies, including the mesmerising whirling dervish dance, where they seek a divine connection. Like Christian monastic orders, Sufi practitioners are diverse in their practices, but they all share the belief that “knowing oneself is knowing God.”

Before the Ottoman Turks arrived in Bosnia, a Bogumil sanctuary stood on the site where the tekke now stands. Archaeological excavations in the area have also uncovered the remains of a late antique building. Photo by Zsófia Sáfár

The refreshing air, the sight of the spring cave and the rock wall draped by lush vegetation, the sound of murmuring water, and the inviting atmosphere of the monastery ensure visitors immerse themselves in a…