HWR
Historical Landmark
Orthodox Church in Bjelušine
The old Orthodox Church was built in 1834 in the area of Bjelusine. The church represents an important example of sacred orthodox architecture, guarding a beautiful icon of the Virgin Mary, a wooden iconostasis with several Russian, Venetian and local icons dating back to between the 15th and 18th centuries.The new Church, located in a hilly part of the city was built between 1863 and 1873 according to the project of the artist Spasoje Vulić. Due to a lack of understanding between Vulić and the people of Mostar, the work was finished by Andreja Damjanov who had just finished constructing the Orthodox Church of Sarajevo.
Orthodox Monastery Žitomislići
Žitomislići, is a little village situated on the left side of the Neretva River, along the road that connects Mostar to Ploče. In this village lies one of the most important Herzegovina Orthodox Monastery. It was constructed at the end of the 16th century on the foundations of an ancient church, commissioned by the nobleman Hrabren Miloradovic. One of its most interesting features is the door of the Imperial Altar with the iconographic representation of the “Annunciation”. Around the church, there are other buildings: an old overnight dwelling, dated 1767, a more recent hostel dated 1967 and a 19th century school. The monastery was totally restored in 2005, when it was proclaimed a Bosnia Herzegovina National Monument.
Palaeolithic site of Badanj
Badanj is an important Paleolithic site located near Stolac, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was discovered in 1976 and is dated to the late period of the Younger Paleolithic, around 13,000 to 12,000 BC. The site consists of a multi-layered cave where periodic activities of Paleolithic homo sapiens took place. The upper layer revealed 20 cultural and geological layers belonging to the Late Paleolithic – Epigravettian. The fauna and artifacts found suggest that small groups or communities of 10-15 people lived there periodically, engaging in activities such as hunting, tool-making, and food preparation. The most significant discovery at the site is an engraved drawing of a horse, representing one of the oldest art monuments in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Similar engravings are found in other Mediterranean regions, indicating communication and artistic expression during that time.
Počitelj
Počitelj is dominated by oriental building styles, which with a mixture of Mediterranean style give this settlement a special dimension. It was mentioned for the first time in written documents in 1444, as the seat of the parish of Dubrava. It is assumed that the builder of the fortified city and the founder of the suburban settlement was the Bosnian king Tvrtko I. Kotromanić in 1383. In the coming period, for the purpose of defense against the conquest of the Turks, the Hungarian-Croatian King Matthias Corvin, together with the local nobility, established Počitelj with the financial support of the Republic of Dubrovnik. The Turks conquered Počitelj in 1471, when it became the headquarters of the captaincy. With the Venetian conquest of Gabela in 1694, Počitelj took over the previous role of a border center, which Gabela had, and kept it until the 19th century.
Podgradska čaršija
The area between the Podgrad bridge and the Podgrad mosque, known as Mejdan or Little Čaršija, was historically used for trading agricultural goods, clothes, and various products. The mosque, rebuilt and renovated multiple times, had different names like Mejdan mosque, Hadži Salih Bure mosque, Zulfikar-kapetan mosque, or Ali-paša Rizvanbegović mosque. It stands on an island between two Bregava river inlets, featuring three shops with arched entries facing the čaršija. Similar to the Suleymani mosque in Travnik, it is supported by pillars above the shops, a rare characteristic of mosques with integrated shops. The mosque’s construction reflects Mediterranean architectural influences. Opposite to the mosque stood the Muftića han (inn) and various shops for traders and craftsmen, now known as Konak, serving as a hostel and youth club. Across the river, the Turković tower rises, believed to have been built in stages between the XVII and XVIII centuries. Initially a Rizvanbegović family residence, it became part of the Turković family’s dowry, representing a unique blend between a feudal tower and an urban house.
Rav Moshe Danon Burial Site
The grave of Sarajevo rabbi Moshe Danon, situated on the Mostar-Stolac road in Krajšina, holds immense significance for both Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Jewish people. Rabbi Moshe Danon, a respected member of the Jewish community, plays a vital role in Jewish spiritual and material culture. In 1830, he set out on foot to Palestine but passed away near Stolac. His grave, marked by a stone monument resembling the tablets of the Ten Commandments, commemorates his journey and vow.
Antique Villa Mogorjelo
Mogorjelo is one of the most important monuments of the Roman era in Bosnia and Herzegovina and belongs to the most beautiful buildings of late antique architecture. Mogorjelo supplied the Roman city of Narona and probably served in the defense of the city and its surrounding, a dense grove of coastal trees (cypress) gives this monument a particularly beautiful frame. The building was excavated between 1889 and 1903, and in the following years it was conserved, being declared as a national monument in 2002.
Archaeological site Gabela
Gabela is a national cultural monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Due to its strategic location, Gabela was also inhabited in Roman times, from which we have the remains of a brick factory and farm buildings on the outskirts of the town. Of the large number of medieval buildings, the remains of the old fort and a stone plaque with a large winged lion, the symbol of the Republic of Venice, are the most impressive to this day. Gabela was from the 15th to the 18th century a large trading center, but also an important strategic fortress on the Venetian-Turkish border. At one time it was known as the slave square. Various political and economic interests were competing for supremacy over Gabel. The Turks occupied it in 1477, and after several failed attempts in 1694, the Venetians occupied Gabela, then with the Peace of Požarevac in 1718, Gabela belonged to the Turks, and the Venetians demolished all the important buildings. Gabela is again under Turkish administration, but without its former power. During the Austro-Hungarian rule and the construction of the narrow-gauge railway, Gabela was a junction from Sarajevo to Dubrovnik and Metković. The Mexican scientist Roberto Salinas Price developed a hypothesis based on geographical information in the Iliad that the Trojan War was in the valley of the Neretva River, that is, that Gabela was Ilios, the capital of the state of Troy.
Antique Villa Mogorjelo
Mogorjelo is one of the most important monuments of the Roman era in Bosnia and Herzegovina and belongs to the most beautiful buildings of late antique architecture. Mogorjelo supplied the Roman city of Narona and probably served in the defense of the city and its surrounding, a dense grove of coastal trees (cypress) gives this monument a particularly beautiful frame. The building was excavated between 1889 and 1903, and in the following years it was conserved, being declared as a national monument in 2002.
Archaeological site Gabela
Gabela is a national cultural monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Due to its strategic location, Gabela was also inhabited in Roman times, from which we have the remains of a brick factory and farm buildings on the outskirts of the town. Of the large number of medieval buildings, the remains of the old fort and a stone plaque with a large winged lion, the symbol of the Republic of Venice, are the most impressive to this day. Gabela was from the 15th to the 18th century a large trading center, but also an important strategic fortress on the Venetian-Turkish border. At one time it was known as the slave square. Various political and economic interests were competing for supremacy over Gabel. The Turks occupied it in 1477, and after several failed attempts in 1694, the Venetians occupied Gabela, then with the Peace of Požarevac in 1718, Gabela belonged to the Turks, and the Venetians demolished all the important buildings. Gabela is again under Turkish administration, but without its former power. During the Austro-Hungarian rule and the construction of the narrow-gauge railway, Gabela was a junction from Sarajevo to Dubrovnik and Metković. The Mexican scientist Roberto Salinas Price developed a hypothesis based on geographical information in the Iliad that the Trojan War was in the valley of the Neretva River, that is, that Gabela was Ilios, the capital of the state of Troy.
Arslanagić Bridge
Water is one of the most important natural resources of east Herzegovina. Trebišnjica possesses a vast unused potential, and it used to be the longest sinking river in Europe (98km). It is precisely in Trebinje where its beauty takes a full form. Banks of Trebišnjica are intertwined with many bridges, one of those standing out with exceptional beauty is the Arslanagić bridge, most famous monument from the Ottoman period in Trebinje. The Bridge played a very important role in Balkan architecture of 16th century. Mehmed-Pasha Sokolović built the bridge 1574 in honor to his son who was killed in the battle with Venice. When Turks got pushed away from Herceg Novi in 1687, many Turkish families moved from this town to Trebinje. A certain individual named Arslan-aga was among them. He was given land east of Trebinje: Zupci, Necvijeće and Jasen, and was also put in charge of collecting fee people had to pay to cross this bridge. Since that, this bridge was named after him – Arslanagić (Arslan-aga) bridge. With the construction of hydropower system on Trebišnjica in 1965 the bridge got submerged under the newly created reservoir lake. However, in 1966 the Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments requested the bridge to be moved upstream to the new location – between Gradina (right river bank) and Police (left).