DO MEMORIAL SITES FROM THE SECOND WORLD WAR POSSESS POTENTIAL FOR TOURISM DEVELOPMENT – EXAMPLES FROM CROATIA AND BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Abstract

This paper researches memorial sites built in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in a planned manner to mark the Second World War sufferings or military operations. Most of the analysed sites were planned, designed and built following an urban-architectural competition. All of these sites were designed by the best local planners and artists of the time. Nearly all of them are located in protected natural areas (of varying degrees of protection). Depending on the significance of a particular memorial site at the time, it was planned and constructed as a memorial, educational and/or tourist centre with numerous recreational and accommodation facilities, restaurants and other facilities. This paper examines the role memorial sites played, the current state of memorial sites as a whole, the state of the natural heritage, the state of the cultural heritage, the state of buildings and infrastructure and the present possibilities for tourism development. Memorial sites from Croatia included in the analysis are: Jasenovac, Podgariš, Kalnik, Petrova Gora, Kumrovec, Brezovica, Korenica, Matiš Poljana etc. Memorial sites located in Bosnia and Herzegovina and included in the analysis are: Sutjeska, Kozara, Jablanica, Makljen, Sanski Most, Konjuh Planina, Drvar etc. Taking into consideration that planned memorial sites from the Second World War lost their political significance, the conclusion summarizes the state of memorial sites by site, country and the potential for tourism development.