After the great natural disaster of 1882, specifically the floods that hit the Italian regions of Trento, Veneto, and Friuli, torrential waters swept away not only houses but entire estates, leaving behind devastation.
Several dozen families from the vicinity of Trento decided to seek a better future in the area north of Banja Luka, specifically in the village of Mahovljani.
The first Tyrolean Italians arrived in Mahovljani on September 20, 1883, and established the Tyrolean colony. The settlers created agricultural estates where they cultivated vegetables, fruits, and vineyards, producing renowned wine from the grapes. According to the 1921 census, 538 Italians lived in the Tyrolean colony in Mahovljani.
The parish church dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi was built in 1902, replacing a temporary chapel that the Italian families had constructed for their religious needs upon their arrival in Mahovljani. A Roman Catholic elementary school, run by the Sisters of the Precious Blood of Jesus, was also opened within the church complex.
The church is a single-nave structure with an elongated rectangular altar, which is one meter narrower than the nave.
The altar is flanked by two lower wings – the northern sacristy and the southern funeral chapel. A tall bell tower is attached to the southwestern corner of the facade. The interior is covered with a wooden ceiling, and the floor was renovated during restorations in 1992 and 1998. Above the entrance is a choir, and on either side of the altar are 19th-century wooden statues of Christ and the Virgin Mary. St. Francis of Assisi Church is a protected monument under state heritage.
In the churchyard stands a monument erected in 2013 by the descendants of Mahovljani’s Italians. The monument is shaped like three pointed mountains, with the surnames and birth years of all settlers inscribed on it. The monument also bears a cadastral map showing the estates of all Italian families who lived in Mahovljani.
In 1939, most of the Italians living in the Laktaši area emigrated, except for a few families whose descendants still reside in Laktaši today.
Surrounding the church, which is situated on a beautiful lookout, is a large church vineyard and the winery “Banja Luka Diocese Cellars,” which produces high-quality wines, including the “Bonaventura” variety. This place is highly visited by tourists and other visitors, and in recent times, organized groups are also offered wine tastings and the famous “Trappist” cheese.
Source: seesrpska.com
