HWR
Religious Places
Church of St. Kliment
Church of St. Klimenta, popularly known as Klimentica, a typical Mediterranean medieval stone church, is located on the right bank of the Trebišnjica river, in the village of Mostaći. It is considered one of the oldest churches in our region. This church is interesting because of its paintings that decorate all wall surfaces from top to bottom. The decoration of this church, together with other significant churches from the period of the Turkish occupation of our region, has, first of all, great value as a cultural and historical monument.
Ćuprija mosque
Mosque of Hajji Alija Hadzisalihovic or Cuprija mosque was built in 1736, on the left bank of the river Bregava, next to Inat Cuprija. According to Decision of the Commission for the Protection of National Monuments, on January 21, 2003, it was declared a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Duži Monastery
The Duži monastery is located 12 km south of Trebinje in the area of the Trebinje Forest. At the end of the 17th century, on the site of today’s monastery, there was a small church with auxiliary buildings that housed the monks who looked after the livestock of the Tvrdoš monastery. After the destruction of the Tvrdoš monastery by the Venetians in 1694, part of the brotherhood went to the Savina monastery (Herceg Novi) carrying with them some of the valuable monastery relics. The second part of the brotherhood goes to the Duži monastery, transferring the remaining part of the relics, but also the glory of the Tvrdoš monastery , the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the Turkish destruction, almost all the goods of the Tvrdoš monastery, transferred to Duža, perished. Until the abolition of the Patriarchate of Peć in 1776, the monastery was the center of the Metropolitanate of Herzegovina. After World War I, the monastery was home to Russian monks, exiled from Imperial Russia, who painted the monastery. With the renovation of the Tvrdoš monastery in 1992, its glory was restored, and the Duža monastery was restored to its original glory as the “Cover of the Blessed Virgin Mary”.
Hadzi-Kurt Mosque (Tabačica)
This mosque was built between the 16th and 17th centuries, as desired by Hajji Kurt, member of the ancient Mostar Kurt family. Standing on the right bank of the Neretva River, about 100 metres from the Old Bridge, this mosque was next to the antque Tabhana, the district where leather processing workshops were once found; and this fact reveals the mystery of its name, deriving actually from the term Tabaci (leather tanners). A row of small shops and its location make the Tabačica mosque one of the most frequently visited in Mostar.
Hercegovina Gračanica
The tourist complex Hercegovačka Gračanica is the most visited location of sacred character in eastern Herzegovina. Herzegovinian Gračanica was built as a fulfillment of the wish of the famous Serbian poet Jovan Dučić expressed in his will. He wanted to be buried on one of the hills surrounding Trebinje in a church similar to “the one in Kosovo”, referring to Kosovo Gračanica, the most famous endowment of King Milutin from 1321. Jovan Dučić died in 1943, on April 7, the feast of the Annunciation. On that same day in 1999, the foundation stone for the construction of Herzegovinian Gračanica was laid on Crkvina Hill (at the location where, according to some reports, there was the Church of St. Michael the Archangel, an endowment of King Milutin). The entire Hercegovačka Gračanica complex was completed the following year, in 2000. On the feast of the Annunciation (47 years after the poet’s death), in 2000, Dučić’s mortal remains were transferred to Hercegovačka Gračanica. Herzegovinian Gracanica is not identical to the one in Kosovo. Namely, it is smaller by one level, and the interior has certain differences. The church was built in the Byzantine style and is vividly painted in the so-called. “secco” technique (dry painting technique) under the strong influence of the famous Greek icon painter Stamatis Skliris. Inside the church, there are 16 pillars, 15 of which are square, while one is rounded and has a special significance and symbolism. At its foot, there is a stone brought from Kosovska Gračanica, which has the symbolism of a “stone from the hearth” that conveys the spirit of the “old home” to the “new home”. On the floor of Herecgovačka Gračanica is a mosaic replica from the Prizren Monastery of the Holy Archangels (Metohija), an endowment of Emperor Dušan, and it also has strong symbolism. At the very entrance to the church, a “serpent” is presented, which personifies the devil, so that visitors entering the church step on the “unholy” and thus renounce him. The iconostasis is a faithful copy of the iconostasis from the Hilandar monastery on Mount Athos. It was made at the Tvrdoš monastery. On the right side of the church is the poet’s grave with a modest inscription “Jovan Dučić – poet”, written according to his wishes. As part of the complex, next to the church, there is also a bell tower, bishop’s palace, an amphitheater, a souvenir shop and the summer restaurant “Dučićev pogled”. Over time, Gračanica became a favorite place for couples to get married. In the church itself, one of the most impressive motifs is the “Wedding in Cana of Galilee”.
Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque
The Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque in Mostar is an extraordinary example of Ottoman architecture in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Built in 1618/19, it showcases classical Ottoman design. Its founder, Mehmed Koskija, was a chronicler of the great vizier Lala Mehmed Sokolovic.
The mosque has a one-space floor plan with a dome, built from precisely tanned stone blocks. It bears a resemblance to the Karadzoz Beg Mosque but has a slightly lower minaret without stalactite decoration. Situated on the cliffs of the Neretva River in the city center, it features a porch with three domes and a beautifully crafted mihrab and mimbar.
Apparition Hill and the Blue Cross
Apparition Hill and the Blue Cross in Medjugorje hold profound spiritual significance for millions of pilgrims worldwide. Medjugorje is a renowned pilgrimage site where, since June 1981, six young visionaries have reported regular apparitions of the Virgin Mary. Apparition Hill, or Podbrdo, is the site where the first apparition allegedly occurred, drawing countless devotees seeking solace, healing, and spiritual renewal. On the other hand, the Blue Cross, situated at the base of Apparition Hill, has become a place of intense prayer and reflection, where visitors meditate on the sufferings of Christ and present their intentions to the Virgin Mary. Both sites have become symbols of hope and faith, attracting people from various backgrounds to seek divine encounters and experience the transformative power of Medjugorje’s spiritual atmosphere.
Blagaj Tekke – Dervish House
Just 12 km from Mostar, on the river Buna, lies the enchanting town of Blagaj, a medieval city from which today’s Herzegovina emerged. The ruins of the old city or Herceg Stjepan’s Tower offer a breathtaking panorama of the Neretva valley. Nearby attractions include the Velagić House, Sulejman’s Mosque, Karađozbeg’s Bridge, and the Tekija—a 16th-century house of prayer and meditation. Blagaj, with its picturesque scenery and the spectacular Buna River spring, is a treasure not to be missed.
Apparition Hill and the Blue Cross
Apparition Hill and the Blue Cross in Medjugorje hold profound spiritual significance for millions of pilgrims worldwide. Medjugorje is a renowned pilgrimage site where, since June 1981, six young visionaries have reported regular apparitions of the Virgin Mary. Apparition Hill, or Podbrdo, is the site where the first apparition allegedly occurred, drawing countless devotees seeking solace, healing, and spiritual renewal. On the other hand, the Blue Cross, situated at the base of Apparition Hill, has become a place of intense prayer and reflection, where visitors meditate on the sufferings of Christ and present their intentions to the Virgin Mary. Both sites have become symbols of hope and faith, attracting people from various backgrounds to seek divine encounters and experience the transformative power of Medjugorje’s spiritual atmosphere.
Blagaj Tekke – Dervish House
Just 12 km from Mostar, on the river Buna, lies the enchanting town of Blagaj, a medieval city from which today’s Herzegovina emerged. The ruins of the old city or Herceg Stjepan’s Tower offer a breathtaking panorama of the Neretva valley. Nearby attractions include the Velagić House, Sulejman’s Mosque, Karađozbeg’s Bridge, and the Tekija—a 16th-century house of prayer and meditation. Blagaj, with its picturesque scenery and the spectacular Buna River spring, is a treasure not to be missed.
Castle of Nancy and Patrick Latta
In 1999, Nancy and Patrick Latta began to build a castle in Medjugorje, to be used as a retreat place for priests, nuns, seminarians, and religious. Robert Nanasi, the architect, designed the various buildings and structures comprising the castle. 17 years later, the work is continuing. Patrick was a very successful businessman in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He and his wife Nancy enjoyed a lavish life style, but God was missing from their lives. Patrick’s four children (from two previous marriages) had everything that money could buy, but they were haunted by addictions to drugs, alcohol, and immoral life styles. Patrick’s conversion occurred when Nancy gave him a copy of Our Lady’s messages from Medjugorje. He read the shortest message – “For the last time, I am calling you to conversion.” Something inside him told him that it was time to return to the Catholic Church. After going to Confession, he began his journey back to the Catholic faith. As a result of prayer, fasting, and living according to the “five stones” mentioned by Our Lady, their lives, and those of his children, changed for the better. Patrick and Nancy give talks to pilgrimage groups, telling and retelling their story to young and old alike.