Franciscan Museum and Gallery Široki Brijeg

The Franciscan Museum and Gallery Široki Brijeg is a true “Louvre of Herzegovina,” preserving an invaluable treasure of more than 4,500 works of art that testify to the finest achievements of domestic and European art. Founded in 1990, this institution brings together the seemingly incompatible: from outstanding works by classics such as Vlaho Bukovac, Paja Jovanović and Ivan Meštrović, whose monumental relief adorns the facade itself, to radical avant-garde movements and naive art.

A special curiosity is the fact that the gallery was home to the first permanent avant-garde exhibition in the former country, while its turbulent history – from burying artworks during the war to serving as guardian of collections from other cities – gives every displayed canvas additional depth and weight. Today it is a top cultural institution where the past meets contemporary creativity, making Široki Brijeg an essential stop on the map of every true art lover.