ETHNO VILLAGE LJUBAČKE DOLINE - REMINDER OF IMPORTANCE OF ROOTS

BANJA LUKA, MAY 3 /SRNA/ - The ethno village Ljubačke Doline, located near Banja Luka, has been attracting visitors from around the world for years as a unique place that preserves the spirit of traditional life in the region.

This ethno village, which consists of 45 buildings and around 6,000 exhibits, is located 17 kilometers from Banja Luka on the road toward Kneževo. Its founder, Nedeljko Branković, says that his entire life has been invested in this project, which began as a passion for collecting antiques and historical items. He emphasizes that this is not a hospitality venue, but an open-air museum. Branković explains that the buildings in the ethno village were constructed in the spirit of the Dinaric architectural style, characteristic of the hilly and mountainous areas around Banja Luka. The complex also includes a church dedicated to Saints Cyril and Methodius, which, he notes, is the only one of its kind in the Banja Luka Eparchy, and whose construction was blessed by His Eminence Metropolitan Jefrem. In addition to the church, visitors to the ethno village can explore a school, pharmacy, blacksmith’s workshop, carpentry and weaving workshops, a museum, pottery and basket-weaving workshops, as well as an antique shop that is, most likely, the only one of its kind in Republika Srpska. Branković emphasizes that the main mission of the Ljubačke Doline ethno village is the preservation of tradition through architecture, crafts, cultural content, and gastronomy. “Here, the cuisine is also entirely homemade and traditional. We want guests to experience how people once lived and what the true values were,” said Branković. He added that visits by children, school groups, and tourists bring special joy, as the heritage of the region is presented to them through stories and various activities. Branković also said that the ethno village is at its most beautiful in spring and autumn, when nature gives the complex a particularly special atmosphere.