FRANCISCANA Project Launched in Sinj: Connecting Franciscan Heritage Across Three Countries

The FRANCISCANA – Cultural Heritage Guardians Route project was officially launched at the Franciscan Monastery of Our Lady of Sinj, marking the beginning of a cross-border initiative connecting Franciscan heritage in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro into a shared cultural route.

For centuries, Franciscan monasteries have safeguarded valuable books, archives and collections, many of which remain largely inaccessible to the wider public. Our project aims to make this rich cultural heritage more accessible through modern digital interpretation solutions, while respecting the unique character and spiritual significance of these religious sites.

In Sinj, project partner RERA S.D. will establish a modern digital interpretation centre in the crypt of the Basilica of the Miraculous Our Lady of Sinj. The centre will feature virtual tours and interactive content, while preserving the crypt as a place of silence and prayer.

With a total budget of EUR 1.59 million, FRANCISCANA brings together five project partners from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. By 2028, the project aims to establish six digital interpretation centres in Franciscan monasteries, creating new opportunities to discover and experience the region’s shared cultural heritage.

The opening conference was held in the year marking the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, giving the project launch an additional symbolic significance.