About The Franciscan Monastery of Bač:
This is one of the oldest monasteries in Vojvodina, established by the Knights Templar and later managed by the Franciscans. The monastery was part of a fortified complex surrounded by a water moat, reflecting its strategic importance during the medieval period. It served as a spiritual and cultural center for the Catholic community in the region, particularly for ethnic Hungarians and Croats.
Architectural Features:The monastery showcases Romanesque-Gothic architecture, with elements from the 12th to 14th centuries, including arched windows and stonework. The complex includes a church dedicated to St. Paul the Apostle, a cloister, and living quarters. It houses a rich archive and library with rare books and manuscripts dating from the 15th to 20th centuries, preserved as part of its cultural heritage.
It played a key role in preserving Catholic traditions during periods of Ottoman and Habsburg rule.
The site is part of the broader Bač Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage candidate, highlighting its importance in Serbia’s medieval history.
Since 1923, the monastery has become part of the Franciscan Province of Saints Cyril and Methodius based in Zagreb, Croatia.
The Baroque restoration included both the church and the monastic cells, whose characteristic square – cloister was being formed from 1724 to 1770 in a slightly modified location. The last thorough restoration of the monastery was in the first half of the 19th century, when a new altar was erected in the church.
The Franciscan Monastery of Bač is characterized by a well-preserved and visible rich cultural stratification.
Significant contribution to better understanding of the architecture and life of this complex has been made by the research that foll
owed the 2011 discovery of the remains of a fresco showing Crucified Christ with the Virgin Mary, which was built into the wall of the bell tower. On the counter stone of the counterfort, the testimonies of destructions and renovations were found, which are now visible owing to the presentation of the site of the fresco’s findings. The remains of a part of an older monastery were discovered in the part of the bell tower and the sacristy.
Rehabilitation of the Franciscan Monastery of Bač:
Activities on the research, protection and presentation of the Franciscan Monastery of Bač, managed by the Provincial Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of Petrovaradin, have been ongoing since the 1960s, with longer interruptions. Since 2006, they have been carried out within the Integrative Protection Development Project “Centuries of Bač” (by Dr Slavica Vujović) and its subproject “Rehabilitation of the Franciscan Monastery of Bač”, which by decision of the Ministry of Culture and Information in 2012 was among the projects nominated for EU funding.
This project, due to a significant EU donation, started on December 18, 2013 with the signing of the Financing Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the European Union. In the period 2016– 2018, works worth € 828,449.96 were carried out, and together with the preparation, project management and expert supervision, the invested funds exceed the amount of € 1,000,000.
Traveling to The Franciscan Monastery of Bač:
Bač is about 130 km northwest of Belgrade, accessible by car or bus. The monastery is within the fortress complex, a short walk from the town center.