HWR
Religious Places
Museum Humac
The Franciscan Monastery in Humac contains the oldest museum in Bosnia and Herzegovina, founded in 1884. The museum displays Humac Stone Tablet from XII. Century which is the oldest preserved monument written in Croatian (a mixture of Glagolitic and Old Croatian Cyrillic). Thanks to the collecting activities of numerous Franciscans, as well as various donations from the civilian population, the holdings were continuously increasing, as was the need for new premises for the archaeological collection. Today’s museum exhibition, founded in 2003, is located in the basement of the monastery of St. Anthony of Padua on Humac. Archaeological material was collected in the wider area of Herzegovina and divided into prehistoric, ancient and medieval in a time span of almost 16,000 years. Part of the complex is a lapidary for the exhibition of stone monuments located in the monastery courtyard. Around 70 Roman monuments were found in the area of the Ljubuški region, of which the largest number are tombstones (stelae) belonging to veterans and soldiers of various legionary and auxiliary units. The museum displays the oldest Cyrillic-Glagolitic monument, which retells the restoration of the church of the Archangel Michael in the period 11/12. century, popularly called “Humac Stone Tablet”. Humac Stone Tablet is the oldest written monument of Croats in BiH.
Opening times: everyday from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm
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.
Osman Pasha Mosque
This mosque is located in the Old Town (Kastel) , not far from the main (western) gate and city ramparts. It was built of hewn stone and covered with a four-pitched roof in imitation of a dome under eternite. A stone minaret of octagonal shape, 16 m high, was built along the right wall and was one of the most beautiful in Herzegovina. It was built in 1726 and is the endowment of Osman Pasha Resulbegović. The builders were masters from Dubrovnik. There are elements of Mediterranean architecture in its construction. It is famous as the most spacious mosque in Herzegovina. Before the war, it was a cultural monument under state protection. Osman Pasha built a mekdeb and a madrasah near the mosque, which were the first educational institutions in Trebinje. After the construction of the mosque, Osman Pasha was accused in Istanbul of having built a more beautiful mosque than the emperor’s in his own name in Trebinje . Because of this, Sultan Ahmed III issued an order condemning him and his nine sons to death. Osman Pasha Resulbegović went to Istanbul to beg for pardon, but his was refused, and he was executed in 1729.
Petro-Pavlov monastery
The area around today’s monastery of St. Apostles Peter and Paul, together with the stećak necropolis, is an area that has been declared a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina since March 2003. It is located 7 km southeast of Trebinje in Petrovo polje. It includes the remains of the church of St. Peter (IV century), which are located below the present church, built in 1906, and the remains of the church of St. Pavle (V century), renovated in 2007. Today’s church of St. Petra is typical for this climate, with a simple foundation and modest dimensions, with an apse covered with stone slabs, as well as a tiled interior and a wooden iconostasis. Church of St. Pavla is located directly next to the church of St. Petra, on its southern side. According to the available archival materials and archaeological finds, it is believed that this church served as a congregational temple where services were held, while the trikonchos with the baptismal font (discovered in 2001) dedicated to the Apostle Paul was used for baptisms and burials of believers.
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.
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.