The Suturlija River is a small river that flows through Banja Luka. Although not large, it holds significant historical and cultural importance for the city. The earliest written records of the Suturlija River date back to the Ottoman period. The first documents and plans mentioning Suturlija are linked to the planning and maintenance of Banja Luka’s water supply system. The river was crucial to the functionality and development of urban life, as it provided water to the then Banja Luka, whose center was in Šeher. Along the Suturlija River lies a neighborhood of the same name, and only small bridges connecting former residents are there to testify that the area was more populated in the past than it is today.
The river is distinctive for being very shallow, allowing the water to warm easily. In various parts of its course, the flow of the river has created small natural pools that are deeper, making the water warm relatively early, and by spring, it becomes pleasant for swimming. Houses used to stand near these pools, one of the most notable being the Handžić family home. The river also features small artificial stone dams, giving it a characteristic appearance.
Old residents of Banja Luka have written about the Suturlija River, including academic Tunjo Filipović and Nail Osmančević. “That’s why we children regularly went swimming in Suturlija as early as May,” wrote Filipović.
At the entrance to this neighborhood and the river stood the house of Mustafa Šaškin, a merchant from Banja Luka. On the terrace of this house was Alija Hasanić’s café. Alongside the river, there once stood a mill powered by the river, known as Erbab’s Mill. After World War II, the right side of Suturlija was settled by Romani families who built their homes there. During the socialist development period, many families from the area were allocated apartments, leading to the abandonment of some houses. Before the conflicts of the 1990s, Suturlija was a popular spot for outings among the people of Banja Luka. Today, many of those houses lie in ruins and are abandoned, a result of the wars of the late 20th century. Although there were no direct war activities in Banja Luka during the 1990s, a significant number of houses were mined and destroyed.
Even today, upstream along the river, there is a picnic area that has become overgrown and seems largely forgotten. Continuing further along the forest path leads to one of the most beautiful pools of the Suturlija – Divince. This spot is well-known for swimming, jumping from nearby rocks, and barbecuing. In the past, the Suturlija River served as a source of drinking water, and even today it remains a pristine haven for relaxation, swimming, and untouched nature. Suturlija is undoubtedly the cleanest river in Banja Luka. While the Vrbas River is being polluted at several points within the city, another well-known small river, Crkvena, has been turned into a sewage channel and the Vrbanja River is polluted in its upper reaches due to industrialization.
