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Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mostar Old TownView of Mostar with its old bridge, the Stari Most, in the middle
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mostar_Old_Town_Panorama_2007.jpg
Author: Ramirez
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Mostar is a city in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. With a population of 130,000 (2011 estimate), it is the largest and most important city in the Herzegovina region. The city straddles the Neretva River, which has remained an integral part of the city since its founding.

The warmest month in Mostar is July, when the average high temperature reaches 31.1°C (88°F). Coldest month is January, when the average low temperature drops to 1.9°C (35.4°F). November is the wettest month, receiving 200 mm (7.87 in) of precipitation.

Not much is known about Mostar before the 15th century, although it is generally accepted that the area has been inhabited since prehistory. The earliest mention of Mostar appeared in 1474, where it was a village named after the bridge keepers, or mostari for the then wooden bridge across the Neretva River. The bridge provided a vital link for the Adriatic trade routes, and it allowed the settlement to expand to the right bank of the river.

Towards the Old Bridge, MostarThe route through the bazaar towards the Old Bridge, Mostar
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bazar_at_Old_Bridge_in_Mostar,_Herzegovina.JPG
Author: Neoneo13
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The spread of the Ottoman Empire westward reached Mostar in 1468. Under Ottoman rule, the old wooden bridge made way for a stone bridge. Completed in 1566, the stone bridge over the centuries became known as the Old Bridge (Stari Most). It was the symbol of the town and one of the most important structures in the area during Ottoman rule.

Mostar came into world attention after Bosnia and Herzegovina declared its independence from Yugoslava in 1992. The town was under siege for 18 months. The players were the Yugoslav People's Army on one side, and the Croatian Defence Council and the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the other. The result of the fighting was that many historical monuments of the cities were destroyed, among them, the Stari Most, as well as numerous cathedrals, churches and mosques.

View from Stari Most, MostarView from Stari Most, Mostar
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mostar_and_Neretva_-_view_from_Stari_Most.jpg
Author: Pudelek
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The return of peace to Mostar - and to Bosnia and Herzegovina as a whole - is best symbolized by the reconstruction of Stari Most to once again arch across the swift-flowing waters of the Neretva. The reconstructed "Old Bridge of Mostar" is today recognized as a World Heritage Site

Visiting Mostar

You can reach Mostar by bus from Sarajevo. The journey takes about two hours.

Sights & Attractions in Mostar

  1. Stari Most
    The reconstructed bridge across the Neretva River, today a World Heritage Site.

  2. History Museum of Herzegovina
    Museum providing snapshots of the history of Mostar as well as the Herzegovina region.

  3. Karadozbegova Dzamija (Karadjoz-Bey Mosque)
    This is a small Ottoman mosque dating back to 1557.

  4. Koski Mehmed Pasina Dzamija (Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque)
    A small Ottoman-era mosque first built in 1618.

  5. Muslibegovica House
    This 18th century house is regarded as the finest example of Ottoman architecture in the Balkans, with separate quarters for men and women, and the use of fine ornamentation that reflect the wealth of its owner.

  6. Old Bridge Museum
    Museum providing the history of Stari Most. It is located just next to the bridge.

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Dear visitor, thank you so much for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye and my hobby is to find out about places, write about them and share the information with you on this website. I have been writing this site since 5 January 2003. Originally (from 2003 until 2009, the site was called AsiaExplorers. I changed the name to Penang Travel Tips in 2009, even though I describe more than just Penang but everywhere I go (I often need to tell people that "Penang Travel Tips" is not just information about Penang, but information written in Penang), especially places in Malaysia and Singapore, and in all the years since 2003, I have described over 20,000 places.

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