HWR
Historical Landmark
Stjepan Grad – Blagaj Fort
Stjepan grad, was built on a late antique fortress above Blagaj, which was one of the most important cities in Herzegovina. This was actually a palace, surrounded by hard ramparts with jagged peaks that are still visible today. Stjepan Vukušić Kosača dined in it, which is why it got the name Stjepan grad. This city was the backbone of the political and military turbulence of Herceg’s land until 1473, when it was conquered by the Turkish army and became the seat and residence of the Qadi.
Stone Bridge on the Bregava river
One of the most famous bridges is definitely the Old Bridge in Mostar, but little is known that there is a bridge just 40 km south of it, which was built half a century before it. It is an old stone bridge on the Bregava River in the Čapljina municipality, which was built in 1517 by the Herzegovinian Sandžak-beg Mustafa (Mustaj-beg), which is why this bridge is often called Mustajbeg’s bridge, and it was renovated by Ibrahim Šišman pasha from The author. It is located between Klepac and Tasovac polje. A bridge with a very elegant arch construction, which in some elements resembles the arch of the Crooked Bridge on the Radobolja in Mostar, but with its specific features it stands out and represents one of the most significant works of Ottoman architecture in the field of infrastructure facilities.
Tara and Halebija Towers
The Old Bridge, elegantly spanning the Neretva River, is flanked by two majestic towers that serve as architectural support and watchful guardians. On the east bank stands the semi-circular Tara Tower, once an Ottoman ammunition depot and now housing the Museum of the Old Bridge. Opposite on the west side, the Halebija tower served as a prison on its lower floors and as small barracks and a lookout post on its upper floors. Just beyond the Tara Tower, nestled on the left bank of the river, lies the Herceguša Tower, a remarkable structure built in the early 15th century during the reign of Herceg Stjepan Vukčić Kosača.
The towers can be visited from Tuesday – Sunday, from 10 am until 6pm
Tekke in Stolac
Tekke in Stolac is not only a mystical temple located near the river Bregava, but also a center for research and promotion of spiritual and cultural heritage in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was raised by sheikh Halil Hulusi Nakišendi el Bosnevi.
The Hamam Museum
The “Hamam Museum” in Mostar is an authentic cultural monument, which takes visitors back to a distant past to witnes the most beautiful stories of the former way of living. The Hamam was built in the late 16th century, and represents the only preserved hamam in Mostar. It was built in the classical Ottoman style, with a modest exterior, built next to the town square, where a mosque and a public kitchen are in the close proximity to the hamam. The Hamam was visited by women and men regardless of their religious affiliation, during the visit of the “Hamam Museum” visitor experiences the true historical picture.
Opening times: Tuesday – Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
The Herzegovina Museum
For those who wish to get acquainted with the history of Mostar and Herzegovina, this small but significant museum is a must. The museum is located in the rooms of the house where the former head of the Yugoslav Government Džemal Bijedić lived. The building, constructed in the Austrian-Hungarian period, is an example of a successful mixture of the style of Austrian dwellings with architectural features of Oriental residences. The museum itself possesses a rich collection of archaeological and ethnographic findings, as well as utmost valuable documents supplying information on the various periods of the city of Mostar and of the whole of the Herzegovina region. Inside, there are areas where original furniture and objects of daily use belonging to past city and country times, can be admired.
Opening times: Monday- Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
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).