Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
I arrived to Mostar by road coming from Kotor in Montenegro (check my post describing my entire Balkan route). The one lane road was in good conditions with very little traffic. It did take me some 3:30 hours but they were worth every minute. The scenery en route was breathtaking.
Bileka Lake
Half way through the drive I passed by the artificial Bileka Lake near the Grancareva Dam built in 1968. Close by was also the crossing into Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Arriving in Mostar
Getting into Mostar, the weather was not in my favour. It was pouring down and rather fresh. But that was ok.
Mostar – cultural and economic centre
Mostar is the most important city in the Herzegovina region and serves as the cultural and economic center.
It has an amazing history of Ottomans, Austrians, Italians occupying the area. Not to speak of the fighting during the Balkan war which was very brutal in Mostar. It led to the breakup of Yugoslavia.
Stari Most
The famous 16th Century Ottoman Stari Most bridge over the Neretva River was my first destination. Hailed as a wonder of its time, it is now considered an exemplary piece of Islamic architecture in the Balkans.
Halebija and Tara towers
Mostar was on a trade route between the Adriatic Sea and Central Bosnia rich of minerals. The bridge connected the left bank, home to the market and travellers, to the right bank where the settlement spread.
Mostari
Mostar gets its name from the Mostari. This is what the medieval bridge-keepers were called.
Old settlement of Mostar
The photo below shows the so called “Fortress at the Bridge”. As custom during the Ottomans times, the settlement had two areas. One dedicated as center for crafts and commerce and the second as residential area.
Old Bazaar – Kujundziluk
Wandering around town, don’t miss the Old Bazaar, Kujundziluk. It takes its name from the goldsmiths that sold their work on this street.
By the way, roads are made of very irregular cobblestones somewhat rounded on top. Hence, a pair of good walking shoes is necessary if you do not want your feet to hurt.
Koski Mehmed Pasa Mosque in Mostar
This mosque was built in 1617. It is open to the public. Climb up the Minaret to get a great bird’s eye view of Mostar.
Don’t miss the close by Tepa Market to have a look at fresh local produce. Specialty of the area is the local honey produced all around Herzegovina.
Plenty of mosques around
During the Ottoman period, many indigenous people were converted from Christianity to Islam. Originally, there were 13 Mosques however during several wars seven of them were destroyed.
This is what history books at least say. Honestly, looking at the panorama of Mostar, I am sure I counted more than 7 minarets.
Ottoman Muslibegovica House in Mostar
This building dates to the second half of the 18thCentury. It is a national monument and a museum. Up to today, descendants of the Muslibegovica family still own the place and also live there.
This museum is also a hotel
And, it is also a hotel with 12 rooms. I was lucky to find availability but it was off season after all. How many people can say that they have slept in a museum? Well, now I can.
The two patios were particularly charming together with the huge Kiwi plant carrying hundreds of fruits.
Eating out in Mostar
There are many restaurants in Mostar offering Western and Eastern cuisine. Traditionally, dishes in Mostar are closely related to the Turkish, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food.
However, as the area was under Austrian rule for some years, Central European food can be found. But, honestly, that might also be to accommodate the great number of tourists.
I found the location of restaurants quite intriguing as they are either sitting on the rocks on the bank of the river or hidden under amazing trees.
Concluding, I was really charmed by Mostar. I only wish the weather had been better. It rained and was really quite cool. Roads in half of the town were either under construction or flooded. It was not easy to reach my accommodation.
And …. I would have never thought of finding Kiwis growing in the patio of my accommodation.
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