Mostar...
We'll be walking along the ancient cobblestone streets of
this magnificent place with our own local guide !!
We'll be having lunch along
the River Neretva... and be visiting the famous Old Bridge,
old bazaar, the Franciscan church, the mosque,
Turkish house, and more!
Stari Most (English: Old Bridge) is a 16th-century Ottoman bridge
Mostar was able to develop as a
city in the desert-like landscape of Herzegovina,
because of the river
and was a major trading center
of the region. What makes this city
known is it’s famous bridge.
The Old Bridge was built by the
Ottoman empire in 1565. It was the great
architect Mimar Hajrudin who had
succeeded with the impossible mission
to cross the Neretva River with
a single span stone bridge.
The city of Mostar is located in a beautiful
valley between the high mountains of Herzegovina
on the banks of the River Neretva.
It's about 18 miles away from Medjugorje and takes about a half an hour to get here!
Our lunch spot
along the River!
This one, like all the other mosques in
Mostar were damaged by war.
In the second world war it was severely
damaged, and in the last Yugoslav-war it
was almost completely destroyed. However,
today the mosque is rebuilt and ready to
proudly once again receive visitors.
This is considered to be the
most beautiful mosque in the region
of Herzegovina and with
it’s big dome and high minaret
it is also the biggest one.
It was built by the Turkish
architect Kodza Mimar Sinan in 1557.
THE MOSQUE
THE OLD
BAZAAR...
winds along a small, pretty, cobbled street, dating back to the middle of the 16th century, where crafts shops and traditional restaurants are found.
...
In the past, it was the heart of the business world in the Ottoman era. Even with the changes due to the passing of time, this road has maintained its ancient outward appearance, characterized by its ever-present mosques and small inns – and has maintained, up till now, some of its most characteristic crafts, such as the working of copper and the weaving of carpets.
-The Mostar Tourist Center
THE TURKISH HOUSE
This is a 17th century Bosnian National Monument...
A look back into everyday living centuries ago!
The same family lives here!
There is something like a drawbridge inside, as the stairs to the 2nd floor
can be pulled up and a trapdoor can be brought down
and locked over the opening.
The Franciscan Church is an
old minaret from
the medieval time period.
The church belonged to the
Franciscan Order and was
a place of both religious and
historical value.
Franciscan Church
Bell Tower
The Catholic church was built in 1866,
with the approval of the then Sultan
and a gift of 50 000 grossi –
medieval coins.
A Franciscan monastery was built in
1890 next to the church.
The monastery has a library with
very valuable and rare books.
The church was burnt down in 1992
and a new church has been built instead,
with a high bell tower
dominating the sky.
