Mehmed-paša Kukavica was a notable Bosnian governor who served two terms (1752-1756 and 1757-1760). He was known for his decisive measures to strengthen the state and for his extensive building projects across Bosnia. His contributions include the construction of mosques, schools (mektebs and madrasas), bridges, fountains, caravanserais, baths (hamams), covered markets (bezistans), and clock towers (sahat-kulas) in cities like Foča, Goražde, Prijepolje, Sarajevo, Visoko, and Travnik. Importantly, Mehmed-paša Kukavica hailed from the local community, making his achievements even more significant in Bosnian history.
One of his most notable constructions is the clock tower in Foča’s Upper Bazaar (Gornja čaršija). Alongside a caravanserai and a mosque, he built the clock tower, presumed to have been erected after 1758 since it is not mentioned in his endowment (vakufnama) from that year. The tower was certainly completed before 1761, the year Mehmed-paša was exiled from Bosnia.
The Mehmed-paša Kukavica Clock Tower is characterized by its irregular square base, measuring 3.10×3.20 meters, and its height of approximately 20 meters. The tower features a low pyramidal roof covered with traditional ceramic tiles (ćeramida). Below the roof is a cornice, and beneath that are four openings with pointed arches on each side, housing the clock.
The clock mechanism is located between these openings and is connected to a bell. Although the exact time of the bell’s acquisition is unknown, it is known to have been purchased in Vienna after 1878.
The clock tower also has openings resembling loopholes, strategically placed on the main surfaces of the structure, allowing minimal light to enter the interior. Inside, a wooden staircase runs along the walls with small landings at each corner. The entrance door at the base of the tower is the smallest among all the clock towers in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In 2005, the Commission for the Preservation of National Monuments declared the Mehmed-paša Kukavica Clock Tower in Foča a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
