The Islamic Community in Montenegro sent an official letter to the Secretariat for Culture and Sports of the Capital City regarding the conceptual design for the revitalization of the Depedogen site in Stara Varoš, expressing deep concern over the omission of key elements of Islamic and cultural heritage from this significant historical site.
The letter was signed by the chief imam of the Majlis of the Islamic Community of Podgorica, Džemo Redžematović, and it states that the Islamic Community followed with interest the announcements of the revitalization of this space located in the heart of historic Podgorica, but that the content of the published conceptual design "demonstrates selectivity in the interpretation of cultural layers" and "ignores the existence of the Sultan Mehmed Fatih Mosque with a minaret", although its existence is clearly documented in numerous historical, archival and cartographic sources.
"What is even more serious is that this approach creates the impression of institutional silence about an entire segment of cultural and religious heritage, in an area that was a symbol of Podgorica's shared life and identity," the letter states.
In the documentation available to the public, the site is incorrectly called "Fortress on Ribnica", which ignores the authentic name Depedogen, which is confirmed in numerous Ottoman and European documents, according to a statement from the Islamic Community Meshihat.
Additionally, the author of the conceptual design, it is pointed out, refers in one part to a famous painting from Marubi's collection, while at the same time omitting the contents that are clearly depicted in that same painting – the mosque and its minaret, which are drawn and numbered as objects 9 and 10 on the official plan of the fortress.
"The selective approach in the revitalization process offers a misleading picture and is not aimed at realistically representing the former state, so the question rightly arises - for what purpose is revitalization being carried out?", the letter says.
The Islamic Community also recalls that in the past, it submitted a request for archaeological research to identify the foundations of the mosque and minaret, but that request was not approved at the time. In the current circumstances, when the site is treated as a cultural and tourist presentation space, the Community says that "there is no longer just an opportunity, but also a legal and moral obligation for all layers of the past to be visible and equally represented."
The letter from the Capital City requests the correct identification of the site as Depedogen, based, as the Islamic Community claims, on historical and expert sources; the inclusion of the Mehmed Fatih Mosque with its minaret in the conceptual design of the revitalization, based on existing cartographic and archival data; and approval for archaeological research, which would be conducted in cooperation with relevant institutions and under expert supervision.
Attached to the letter to the Capital City were a photograph from Marubi's collection and an original cadastral drawing of the site from the Ottoman Empire period, with a clearly drawn mosque and minaret, the statement says.
The Islamic Community warns that this way of treating cultural heritage sends a dangerous message – that segments of a community's identity can be removed from collective memory and institutional presentation.
"Presenting the past correctly is not a matter of choice, but of responsibility. History cannot be the property of one vision - it belongs to everyone and seeks truth, not selection," concludes the address of the Islamic Community of the Capital, from which they said that they expect the competent authorities of the Capital to review the conceptual solution and take into account all legitimate and professionally substantiated requests, so that the revitalization of Depedogen becomes an example of inclusive and authentic cultural renewal.
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