Bora Stanković Memorial House | Museums of Serbia

The Museum of Bora Stanković's House is located in Vranje and is dedicated to the life and work of the famous writer.

In the house of his grandmother Zlata, situated in the old part of Vranje, formerly known as Donja Mahala, Borisav Stanković was born in 1876, one of the most significant Serbian writers and storytellers.

Today, his personal belongings are preserved here, and the memory of the renowned writer is carefully nurtured.

The memorial house of Bora Stanković was built in a Balkan-Oriental style and is considered an extremely valuable and rare monument of folk architecture in present-day Vranje. The exact year of construction of the house is not known, but it is assumed to have been built between 1840 and 1845. After restoration work, it was converted into a museum and opened to the public in 1966.

The authentic building with a courtyard is still a symbol of a bygone era. In the yard, just like 150 years ago, there is a well, cobblestones, a summer kitchen, an old mulberry tree, and a garden. The house consists of four parts, has an open porch and a doksa, a terrace for relaxation. The dining room with benches is located below the porch, and inside the house, there are Baba Zlata's room, as well as Bora's study and guest room.

The guest room is the brightest, as it is where celebrations took place and guests were received. It is furnished in a semi-Oriental style, and today it houses a display case in which the first editions of Bora's novels and original magazines for which Bora wrote are exhibited.

The copper utensils used for special occasions are arranged on the shelves, and on the eastern side, there is an icon of Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of the Stanković family. The low stools are placed by the window. This room also contains a chest in which clothes were kept.

Photographs of Bora's characters adorn the space between Baba Zlata's room and the guest room, with special emphasis on the characters Pasa, the famous Koštana - Malika Iminović, and mute Vanko from the novel "Nečista krv" ("Impure Blood").

Baba Zlata's room contains her loom and the bed of Bora's mother, Vaske.

Bora's chair, translations, television and theater representations of his life and work are kept in Bora's study, while the kitchen displays earthenware that was used daily in the 19th century.

Visitors are particularly drawn to the Permanent Exhibition, especially the original items that were the writer's personal belongings. A handwritten deed from 1898 is located in the central part of the house, where other family originals are also displayed, such as a writing inkwell, the upper part of Baba Zlata's clothing, Bora's father's pocket watch chain, Bora's mother's apron, and more.

Bora Stanković's birth house is the most visited cultural-historical monument and one of the top 10 tourist attractions in Vranje, visited by over 20,000 domestic and foreign tourists annually. The Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments in Niš has declared it a cultural asset of great importance.

The Museum of Bora Stanković's House is open on Mondays from 8 am to 3 pm. From Tuesday to Friday, visitors can come from 8 am to 8 pm, and on weekends from 9 am to 1 pm. The ticket price is 100 dinars, with a 50% discount for privileged categories of the population.