Tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Encyclopedia
Tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina
is a fast growing sector in Bosnia-Herzegovina making up an important part in the economy of the country. The tourist business environment is constantly developing with an increasingly active tourism
promotional system.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
has been a top performer in recent years in terms of tourism
development; tourist arrivals have grown by an average of 24% annually from 1995 to 2000. The European region’s solid growth in arrivals in 2007 was due in significant part to Southern and Mediterranean Europe’s strong performance (+7%).
In particular, Bosnia and Herzegovina were among the stronger players with an growth of 20%.
In 2010 Bosnia-Herzegovina had 656.333 tourists and 1.416.691 overnight stays which is an 11,7% increase from 2009.
54,5 % of the tourists came from foreign countries.
According to an estimate of the World Tourism Organization
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
will have the third highest tourism growth rate in the world between 1995 and 2020.
The major sending countries in 2010 have been Serbia
(14,7%), Croatia
(13,6%), Slovenia
(8,4%), Poland
(7,1%), Italy
(6,4%) and Turkey
(5,9%).
The travel guide series, Lonely Planet
, has named Sarajevo as the 43rd best city in the world, and in December 2009 listed Sarajevo as one of the top ten cities to visit in 2010.
With its #43 spot Sarajevo
has come ahead of Dubrovnik
, #59, Ljubljana
at #84, Bled
at #90, Zagreb
at #125 and Belgrade
at #143, making Sarajevo the best ranking city on the Balkan peninsula behind Athens
, Greece
.
Tourism in Sarajevo
is chiefly focused on historical, religious, and cultural aspects.
(see also: Sites of interest in Sarajevo
)
Sarajevo
, the national capital, hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics
, which, at the time, were the largest Winter Games ever (in terms of athletes and media).
The country is regaining its reputation as an excellent ski destination after the war period between 1992 and 1995 with its olympic mountains such as Bjelasnica
and Jahorina
.
.
More recently, the town of Visoko has experienced a staggering increase in tourist arrivals due to the alleged discovery of the Bosnian pyramids
, attracting in excess of 10,000 tourists in the first weekend of June 2006.
Međugorje has become one of the most popular pilgrimage sites for Catholics (and people of other faiths) in the world and has turned into Europe's third most important religious place, where each year more than 1 million people visit. It has been estimated that 30 million pilgrims have come to Međugorje since the reputed apparitions began in 1981.
Neum
on the adriatic coast has steep hills, sandy beaches, and several large tourist hotels. Prices tend to be lower than in neighboring Croatia
, making it popular with shoppers. Tourism and the commerce it brings, is the leading contributor to the economy of the area. Tourism in Neum is active mostly in the coastal region. The inland area behind Neum has a rich archeological history and untouched wilderness
and is starting to develop agricultural tourism.
In an interview with Hotel Vikas the tourist department of Bosnia and Herzegovina indicated that the most attractive benefits experienced by visitors are - 1) the spirit of the people. 2) Cities across the country are well connected with intercity busses and 3) major cities with the surrounding natural sites are easily reachable within a day.
Some of the tourist attractions in Bosnia and Herzegovina
include:
) has included the following Bosnia and Herzegovina
sites on its World Heritage List:
Properties submitted on the Tentative List:
, Jahorina
and Igman
hosted the skiing events. These are the most popular skiing mountains in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Jahorina was the site of the women's alpine skiing events. The men's alpine events were held at Bjelašnica.
At Igman The Malo Polije area hosted the ski jumping
and the ski jumping part of the Nordic combined
events. Meanwhile, the Veliko Polje hosted the biathlon
, cross-country skiing
, and the cross-country skiing part of the Nordic combined event.
Large investments has been made to build modern ski lift and remarkable good standards of accommodation, especially at Bjelasnica.
The mountain Vlasić
has also become a major center for winter tourism due to its excellent accommodation for skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports. It is also a popular destination for summer and eco tourism with many hiking trails and undisturbed wilderness areas.
The mountain and National Park Kozara
has over the past years also become a popular tourist attraction for skiing and hiking.
, Orthodoxy
, Catholicism and Judaism
coexisting there for centuries. Due to this long and rich history of religious diversity, Sarajevo has often been called the "Jerusalem of Europe"
Sarajevo has a strong tourist industry and was named by Lonely Planet
one of the top 50 "Best City in the World" in 2006. Sports-related tourism uses the legacy facilities of the 1984 Winter Olympics
, especially the skiing facilities on the nearby mountains of Bjelašnica, Igman
, Jahorina
, Trebević
, and Treskavica
. Sarajevo's 600 years of history, influenced by both Western and Eastern empires, is also a strong tourist attraction
. Sarajevo has hosted travellers for centuries, because it was an important trading center during the Ottoman
and Austria-Hungarian
empires. Examples of popular destinations in Sarajevo include the Vrelo Bosne
park with Roman thermal springs, the Sarajevo cathedral
, the Gazi Husrev-beg's Mosque and old town of Sarajevo; Baščaršija
. Tourism in Sarajevo is chiefly focused on historical, religious, and cultural aspects.
The city is rich in museums, including the Museum of Sarajevo
, the Ars Aevi Museum of Contemporary Art
, Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, The Museum of Literature and Theatre Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina
(established in 1888) home to the Sarajevo Haggadah
, an illuminated manuscript
and the oldest Sephardic Jewish document in the world issued in Barcelona
around 1350, containing the traditional Jewish Haggadah, is held at the museum.
The city also hosts the National theatre of Bosnia and Herzegovina, established in 1919, as well as the Sarajevo Youth Theatre. Other cultural institutions
include the Center for Sarajevo Culture, Sarajevo City Library, Art Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Bosniak Institute
, a privately owned library and art collection
focusing on Bosniak history.
The Sarajevo Film Festival
, established in 1995, has become the premier film festival
in the Balkans. The Sarajevo Winter Festival
, Sarajevo Jazz Festival
and Sarajevo International Music Festival are well-known, as is the Baščaršija Nights
festival, a month-long showcase of local culture, music, and dance.
The Sarajevo Film Festival has been hosted at the National Theater, with screenings at the Open-air theater Metalac and the Bosnian Cultural Center, all located in downtown Sarajevo and has hosted such world-renowned actors, directors, and musicians as: Steve Buscemi
, Bono
, Coolio
, John Malkovich
, Morgan Freeman
, Nick Nolte
, Daniel Craig
, Willem Dafoe
, Anthony Minghella
, Katrin Cartlidge
, Alexander Payne
, Sophie Okonedo
, Stephen Frears
, Michael Moore
, Darren Aronofsky
, Mickey Rourke
, Gillian Anderson
, Kevin Spacey
, and many other major cultural figures from the Balkans, Europe, and the Americas.
In the past thirteen years, the festival has entertained people and celebrities alike, elevating it to an international level. The first incarnation of the Sarajevo Film Festival was hosted in still-warring Sarajevo in 1995, and has now progressed into being the biggest and most significant festival in South-Eastern Europe
. A talent campus is also held during the duration of the festival, with numerous world-renowned lecturers speaking on behalf of world cinematography and holding workshops for film students from across South-Eastern Europe.
The Sarajevo Jazz Festival
has been entertaining Jazz connoisseurs for over ten years and has hosted such artists as Richard Bona
, The John Butler Trio
, Cristina Branco
, Dhafer Youssef
, and many more. The festival takes place at the Bosnian Cultural Center (aka "Main Stage"), just down the street from the SFF, at the Sarajevo Youth Stage Theater (aka "Strange Fruits Stage"), at the Dom Vojske Federacije (aka "Solo Stage"), and at the CDA (aka "Groove Stage").
Mostar
is an important tourist destination in Bosnia and Herzgovina. Mostar International Airport
serves the city as well as the train and bus stations which connect it to a number of national and international destinations. Mostar's old town is an important tourist destination with the Stari Most
being its most recognizable feature.
Partisan cemetery in Mostar
, which is a World War II
memorial, is another important city symbol and it was designed by the famous architect Bogdan Bogdanović
. Its sacrosanct quality consists in the unity of nature (water and greenery) with the architectural expression of the designer; the monument was included into a list of national monuments in 2006.
The "Rondo shopping centre", "Biosfera Mall", "Orka Mall" and the "Mercator shopping mall" are some of the city's newer attractions. The Catholic pilgrimage site of Međugorje is also nearby as well as the Tekija Dervish Monastery in Blagaj
, 13th century town of Pocitelj
, Kravice
waterfalls, seaside town of Neum
, Stolac
with its famous stecak
necropolis and the remains of an ancient Greek town of Daorson
. Nearby sites also include the nature park called Hutovo Blato
, Boracko Lake
as well as Vjetrenica
cave, the largest and most important cave in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The historic site of Počitelj
is located on the left bank of the river Neretva
, on the main Mostar
to Metković
road, and it is to the south of Mostar.
During the Middle Ages, Počitelj was considered the administrative centre and centre of governance of Dubrava župa (county), while its westernmost point gave it major strategic importance. It is believed that the fortified town along with its attendant settlements were built by Bosnia's King Stjepan Tvrtko I in 1383.
The walled town of Počitelj evolved in the period from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Architecturally, the stone-constructed parts of the town are a fortified complex, in which two stages of evolution are evident: mediaeval, and Ottoman.
Blagaj
is situated at the spring of the Buna river
and a historical tekke
(tekija or Dervish
monastery). The Blagaj Tekija
was built around 1520, with elements of Ottoman architecture and Mediterranean style and is considered a national monument.
The source of the Buna river
(Vrelo Bune) is a strong karst
ic spring. The Buna
flows west for approximately 9 kilometres and joins the Neretva
near the village Buna.
The historic site of the Old Blagaj Fort (Stjepan grad), on the hill above Blagaj, was the seat of Herzegovinian
nobleman, Stjepan Vukčić, and the birthplace of Bosnian queen Katarina Kosača-Kotromanić
.
The architectural ensemble of the Blagaj
Tekke
(a Sufi monastery
) stands by the source of the Buna river
, not far from the centre of Blagaj
. The musafirhana (guest house) and türbe
(mausoleum) are tucked into the natural surroundings, constituting a single entity with the cliffs, source of the Buna river
and mills. The musafirhana of the Blagaj
tekke
and the türbe have been preserved to this day. The musafirhana was built before 1664, and rebuilt in 1851 - its original appearance is not known. The building was subsequently repaired on several occasions. The ensemble of the Blagaj Tekke was presumably built very soon after Ottoman rule
was established in Herzegovina
, around 1520 at the latest.
Trebinje
which was initially a Byzantine territory governed by the Serbs. In the mid 9th century, Knez Vlastimir gave the Župania (city-state
) of Trebinje (Travunia) to his son-in-law Krajina
to govern under his suzerainty.
It commanded the road from Ragusa
(Dubrovnik) to Constantinople
, traversed, in 1096, by Raymond of Toulouse and his crusaders
. Under the name of Tribunia or Travunja (the Trebigne of the Ragusans), it belonged to the Serbian Empire
until 1355. Trebinje became a part of the expanded Medieval Bosnian state under Tvrtko I in 1373. There is a medieval tower in Gornje Police (Gornye Politse) whose construction is often attributed to Vuk Branković. The old Tvrdoš
Monastery dates back to the 15th century.
In 1482, together with the rest of Herzegovina
and the Bosnian kingdom, it was captured by the Ottoman Empire
. The Old Town-Kastel was built by Turks on location of the medieval fortress of Ban Vir, on the western bank of the Trebišnjica River
. The city walls, the Old Town square, and two mosques, were built in beginning of the 18th century by Resulbegović family. The Arslanagić bridge was originally built (16th century) at the village of Arslanagić, five kilometres north of the town, by Mehmed-paša Sokolović
, and it was managed by Arslanagic family. It was moved closer to Trebinje (1 km) in the late 1960s. The Arslanagić bridge is one of the most attractive Turkish bridges in Bosnia and Herzegovina
. It has two large and two small semicircular arches.
During the period of Austro-Hungarian
administration (1878–1918), several fortifications were built on the surrounding hills, and there was a garrison based in the town. They also modernized the town expanding it westwards, building the present main street, as well as, several squares, park, new schools, tobacco plantations, etc.
The region of Bosanska Krajina
is known for its beautiful rivers and green landscape. The region also includes cultural cities such as Banja Luka
, Prijedor
, Bihac
and Jajce
. Old fortresses and castles such as Ostrozac Castle
and Velika Kladusa Castle made by the Ottomans and later Astrian-Hungarians are known national heritage sites. The city of The Bosnian kings, the foundation of Yugoslavia and the Jajce waterfalls Jajce
is an UNESCO candidate.
Banja Luka
lies on the Vrbas
river and is well known in the countries of the Former Yugoslavia
for being full of tree-lined avenues, boulevards, gardens, and parks.
The city is also home to the old fortress Kastel and the Ferhadija Mosque listed as a Bosnia and Herzegovina
cultural heritage site in 1950. It was subsequently protected by UNESCO
until its destruction in 1993. Today the site is being rebuilt and is listed as a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Other attractions of Banja Luka are the Banj Hill and a waterfall of the Vrbas river near Krupa. Rafting on the Vrbas river is currently becoming popular among the local tourists. There is fishing, rock climbing and hiking along the canyon of the Vrbas between Banja Luka and Jajce
, and there is plenty of accommodation for visitors.
Prijedor
is located on the river Sana and known for its Catholic, Orthodox Christian and Islamic heritage. Historic buildings from the Ottoman and Austrian-Hungarian periods are a feature of the urban landscape. Most known is the old Ottoman houses in the old city and the old city Mosque from the 15th century. The city underwent extensive renovation between 2006-2009.
Within Prijedor
municipality is also Kozara National Park
that was proclaimed a protected national forest in 1967 by Josip Broz Tito
. It is situated between the rivers Una, Sava, Sana
and Vrbas, in BiH
. These 33.75 square kilometers of dense forest and hilly meadows have earned the nickname 'Green Beauty of Krajina
'.
Kozara
is a popular hunting
ground, with a large 180 square kilometers area of the park open to regulated hunting of deer
, pheasants, foxes, boars, hares, and ducks.
A smaller part of the park is designated for nature lovers. Walking
, hiking
, biking and herb picking are among the many activities in Kozara.
Jajce
was first built in the 14th century and served as the capital of the independent Bosnia
n kingdom during its time. The town has gates as fortifications, as well as a castle with walls which lead to the various gates around the town. Skenderbeg Mihajlović
besieged Jajce in 1501, but without success because he was defeated by Ivaniš Korvin assisted by Zrinski, Frankopan, Karlović and Cubor. When the Bosnian kingdom fell to the Ottoman Empire
in 1463, Jajce was taken by the Ottomans but was retaken next year by Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus. About 10–20 kilometres from the Jajce lies the Komotin Castle
and town area which is older but smaller than Jajce. It is believed the town of Jajce was previously Komotin but was moved after the black death.
During this period, Bosnian
queen
Katarina Kosača-Kotromanić
restored the Church of Saint Luke in Jajce, today the oldest church in town. Eventually, in 1527, Jajce became the last Bosnian town to fall to Ottoman
rule. There are several churches and mosques built in different times during different rules, making Jajce a rather diverse town in this aspect.
The Franciscan monastery of Saint Luke
was completed in 1885.
Jajce gained prominence during the Second World War because it hosted the second convention of the Anti-Fascist Council of National Liberation of Yugoslavia on November 29, 1943, a meeting that set the foundation for the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
after WWII.
Bihać
was the temporary capital of the Croatian Kingdom
. It lost its civic status in the 14th century following dynastic struggles in the kingdom, and became a property of the Frankopan
nobles. In the 16th century it passed under direct royal rule, when battles with the Ottoman Empire
had begun. The town of Bihać, in the region of the same name, withstood the Ottoman attacks until it fell with the Bosnia sanjak (in 1592).
The Bihać fort would become the westernmost fort taken by the Ottoman army over a hundred years later, in 1592 under the Bosnian vizier Hasan-pasha Predojević
. The city was initially made the center of the Bihać sanjak
, part of the Bosnian pashaluk
. It was demoted in 1699 to become part of the sanjak of Bosnia, during the period of intense border wars between the Habsburg
monarchy and the Ottoman Empire. In 1865 it became the center of its own sanjak, but this lasted only until 1878, when all of Bosnia was occupied by Austria-Hungary
.
The city landscape of Bihac with the beautiful Una river
has old mosques, catholic churches and splendid nature surroundings.
is the only coastal town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It comprises 24.5 km (15 mi) of coastline and is the country's only access to the Adriatic Sea.
Neum has steep hills, sandy beaches, and several large tourist hotels. Prices tend to be lower than in neighboring Croatia
, making it popular with shoppers. Tourism and the commerce it brings, is the leading contributor to the economy of the area. Border formalities with Croatia are relaxed at peak times. Neum has over 5,000 beds for tourists, 1,810 in hotels with the remaining capacity in villas and private accommodation. Tourism in Neum is mainly active in the coastal region. The inland area behind Neum has a rich archeological history and untouched wilderness
and is starting to develop agricultural tourism.
National park
s of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Nature park
s of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
is a fast growing sector in Bosnia-Herzegovina making up an important part in the economy of the country. The tourist business environment is constantly developing with an increasingly active tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
promotional system.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
has been a top performer in recent years in terms of tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
development; tourist arrivals have grown by an average of 24% annually from 1995 to 2000. The European region’s solid growth in arrivals in 2007 was due in significant part to Southern and Mediterranean Europe’s strong performance (+7%).
In particular, Bosnia and Herzegovina were among the stronger players with an growth of 20%.
In 2010 Bosnia-Herzegovina had 656.333 tourists and 1.416.691 overnight stays which is an 11,7% increase from 2009.
54,5 % of the tourists came from foreign countries.
According to an estimate of the World Tourism Organization
World Tourism Organization
The World Tourism Organization , based in Madrid, Spain, is a United Nations agency dealing with questions relating to tourism. It compiles the World Tourism rankings. The World Tourism Organization is a significant global body, concerned with the collection and collation of statistical information...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
will have the third highest tourism growth rate in the world between 1995 and 2020.
The major sending countries in 2010 have been Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
(14,7%), Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
(13,6%), Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
(8,4%), Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
(7,1%), Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
(6,4%) and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
(5,9%).
The travel guide series, Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet is the largest travel guide book and digital media publisher in the world. The company is owned by BBC Worldwide, which bought a 75% share from the founders Maureen and Tony Wheeler in 2007 and the final 25% in February 2011...
, has named Sarajevo as the 43rd best city in the world, and in December 2009 listed Sarajevo as one of the top ten cities to visit in 2010.
With its #43 spot Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
has come ahead of Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
, #59, Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
at #84, Bled
Bled
Bled is a municipality in northwestern Slovenia in the region of Upper Carniola. The area, within the Julian Alps, is a popular tourist destination.-History:...
at #90, Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
at #125 and Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
at #143, making Sarajevo the best ranking city on the Balkan peninsula behind Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
Tourism in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
is chiefly focused on historical, religious, and cultural aspects.
(see also: Sites of interest in Sarajevo
Sites of interest in Sarajevo
Some sites of interest in Sarajevo include:- Cultural sites of interest :*National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina*Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina*National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina*National Theater*Sarajevo Art Gallery...
)
Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
, the national capital, hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics
1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
, which, at the time, were the largest Winter Games ever (in terms of athletes and media).
The country is regaining its reputation as an excellent ski destination after the war period between 1992 and 1995 with its olympic mountains such as Bjelasnica
Bjelašnica
Bjelašnica is a mountain in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is found directly to the southwest of Sarajevo, bordering Mt. Igman. Bjelašnica's tallest peak rises to an elevation of 2067 meters ....
and Jahorina
Jahorina
Mount Jahorina , is a mountain in south-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, located southeast of Sarajevo within Republika Srpska. It borders fellow Olympic mountain Trebević...
.
Economy & Tourism
Presently, the economy and tourism are on the way back up, and the area provides some of the best-value ski vacations in EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
More recently, the town of Visoko has experienced a staggering increase in tourist arrivals due to the alleged discovery of the Bosnian pyramids
Bosnian pyramids
The term Bosnian pyramids has been used for a cluster of natural geological formations sometimes known as flatirons near the Bosnian town of Visoko, northwest of Sarajevo...
, attracting in excess of 10,000 tourists in the first weekend of June 2006.
Međugorje has become one of the most popular pilgrimage sites for Catholics (and people of other faiths) in the world and has turned into Europe's third most important religious place, where each year more than 1 million people visit. It has been estimated that 30 million pilgrims have come to Međugorje since the reputed apparitions began in 1981.
Neum
Neum
Neum is the only coastal town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It comprises of coastline, the country's only access to the Adriatic Sea. As of 2009, municipal population was of 4,605 and the one of Neum main town was of 4,268 .-Features:Neum has steep hills, sandy beaches, and several large tourist...
on the adriatic coast has steep hills, sandy beaches, and several large tourist hotels. Prices tend to be lower than in neighboring Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, making it popular with shoppers. Tourism and the commerce it brings, is the leading contributor to the economy of the area. Tourism in Neum is active mostly in the coastal region. The inland area behind Neum has a rich archeological history and untouched wilderness
Wilderness
Wilderness or wildland is a natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by human activity. It may also be defined as: "The most intact, undisturbed wild natural areas left on our planet—those last truly wild places that humans do not control and have not developed with...
and is starting to develop agricultural tourism.
Tourist attractions
Some of the tourist attractions in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
include:
- SarajevoSarajevoSarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
The "Olympic City". Scientific, cultural and commercial center of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Called The European Jerusalem. - MostarMostarMostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...
, "City on Neretva", "City of Sunshine", the UNESCO site of Stari mostStari mostStari Most is a 16th century Ottoman bridge in the city of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina that crosses the river Neretva and connects two parts of the city. The Old Bridge stood for 427 years, until it was destroyed on November 9, 1993 during the Croat-Bosniak War...
and old town Mostar; - VišegradVišegradVišegrad is a town and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is part of the Republika Srpska entity. It is on the river Drina, located on the road from Goražde and Ustiprača towards Užice, Serbia.-History:...
, the UNESCO site of the Mehmed Paša Sokolović BridgeMehmed Paša Sokolovic BridgeThe Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge is a historic bridge in Višegrad, over the Drina River in eastern Republika Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was completed in 1577 AD by the Ottoman court architect Mimar Sinan on the order of the Grand Vizier Mehmed Paša Sokolović...
; - Banja LukaBanja Luka-History:The name "Banja Luka" was first mentioned in a document dated February 6, 1494, but Banja Luka's history dates back to ancient times. There is a substantial evidence of the Roman presence in the region during the first few centuries A.D., including an old fort "Kastel" in the centre of...
, the "Green City" with various cultural sights like Kastel fortress and Ferhadija mosque (under reconstruction); - BihaćBihacBihać is a city and municipality on the river Una in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosanska Krajina region. Bihać is located in the Una-Sana Canton in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:...
and the river Una with its waterfalls and the Una River, within Una National Park; - JajceJajceJajce is a city and municipality located in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is part of the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity...
city of The Bosnian Kings, foundation of Yugoslavia and its famous waterfalls - Shrine of Međugorje, Catholic pilgrimage, the site of a famous Marian apparition;
- PrijedorPrijedorPrijedor is a city and municipality in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in the Bosanska Krajina region....
, Old City Mosque (National heritage), Kozara National ParkKozara National ParkKozara National Park is a national park in Bosnia and Herzegovina, that was proclaimed a protected national forest in 1967 by Josip Broz Tito. It is situated between the rivers Una, Sava, Sana and Vrbas, in the Republika Srpska entity of BiH...
and Bosnia's largest WWII monument at Mrakovica; - TuzlaTuzlaTuzla is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the time of the 1991 census, it had 83,770 inhabitants, while the municipality 131,318. Taking the influx of refugees into account, the city is currently estimated to have 174,558 inhabitants...
Birthplace of Mesa Selimovic and "The salt lakes" of Tuzla. - The NeretvaNeretvaNeretva is the largest river of the eastern part of the Adriatic basin. It has been harnessed and controlled to a large extent by four HE power-plants with large dams and their storage lakes, but it is still recognized for its natural beauty, diversity of its landscape and visual...
river and the RakitnicaRakitnicaRakitnica is the main tributary of the first section of the Neretva river known as Upper Neretva . The Rakitnica river formed a 26 km long canyon , of its 32 km length, that stretches between Bjelašnica and Visočica to southeast from Sarajevo....
river canyons in Upper NeretvaNeretvaNeretva is the largest river of the eastern part of the Adriatic basin. It has been harnessed and controlled to a large extent by four HE power-plants with large dams and their storage lakes, but it is still recognized for its natural beauty, diversity of its landscape and visual...
; - The TrebižatTrebižatTrebižat is a village in Herzegovina, in Čapljina municipality, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Ethnic composition, 1991 census:total: 1,399* Croats - 1,371 * "Yugoslavs" - 11 * Bosniaks - 9...
river and its waterfalls KraviceTrebižatTrebižat is a village in Herzegovina, in Čapljina municipality, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Ethnic composition, 1991 census:total: 1,399* Croats - 1,371 * "Yugoslavs" - 11 * Bosniaks - 9...
and KočušaTrebižatTrebižat is a village in Herzegovina, in Čapljina municipality, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Ethnic composition, 1991 census:total: 1,399* Croats - 1,371 * "Yugoslavs" - 11 * Bosniaks - 9...
; - The Buna and its spring Vrelo BuneVrelo BuneVrelo Bune is the natural and architectural ensemble at the Buna river spring near Blagaj kasaba and a part of the wider "Townscape ensemble of the town of Blagaj - Historical and Natural Heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina", southeast of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina.It is impossible to separate...
with the historical town of BlagajVrelo BuneVrelo Bune is the natural and architectural ensemble at the Buna river spring near Blagaj kasaba and a part of the wider "Townscape ensemble of the town of Blagaj - Historical and Natural Heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina", southeast of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina.It is impossible to separate...
; - The Lower Tara river canyon;
- The PerućicaPerucicaPerućica is one of the last remaining primeval forests in Europe. It is located in Bosnia and Herzegovina, near the border with Montenegro, and is part of the Sutjeska National Park. The forest can only be explored in a company of rangers ....
ancient forest, one of the last two remaining primeval forests in EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and the SutjeskaSutjeska National ParkThe Sutjeska National Park is a national park located in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Republika Srpska entity. Established in 1962, it is Bosnia and Herzegovina 's oldest national park. It includes the highest peak of Maglić at over , on the border with Montenegro. The Montenegrin part of Maglić...
river canyon, both within Sutjeska National ParkSutjeska National ParkThe Sutjeska National Park is a national park located in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Republika Srpska entity. Established in 1962, it is Bosnia and Herzegovina 's oldest national park. It includes the highest peak of Maglić at over , on the border with Montenegro. The Montenegrin part of Maglić...
; - Počitelj historical village;
- Mount Bjelašnica and JahorinaJahorinaMount Jahorina , is a mountain in south-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, located southeast of Sarajevo within Republika Srpska. It borders fellow Olympic mountain Trebević...
, sites of the XIV Olympic Winter Games1984 Winter OlympicsThe 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
; - MogorjeloMogorjeloMogorjelo is a Roman villa rustica that dates from the early fourth century. It is situated on a hill off the Neretva branch, 5 km south of Čapljina, alongside the road to Gabela in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:...
, a Roman villa rustica that dates from the early fourth century. It is situated 5 km south of Čapljina. - NeumNeumNeum is the only coastal town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It comprises of coastline, the country's only access to the Adriatic Sea. As of 2009, municipal population was of 4,605 and the one of Neum main town was of 4,268 .-Features:Neum has steep hills, sandy beaches, and several large tourist...
on the coast. City on the Adriatic shore of Bosnia-Herzegovina. - DobojDobojDoboj is a city and a municipality in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina, situated in the northern part of the Republika Srpska entity on the river Bosna. Doboj is the largest national railway junction; as such, the seats of the Republika Srpska Railways, and the Railways Corporation of Bosnia and...
and its 13th century fortress; - Stolac, the Begovina neighborhood and RadimljaRadimljaRadimlja is a stećak necropolis located near Stolac, Bosnia and Herzegovina....
tombstones; - Visoko, City of Bosnian Kings and site of the alleged Bosnian pyramidsBosnian pyramidsThe term Bosnian pyramids has been used for a cluster of natural geological formations sometimes known as flatirons near the Bosnian town of Visoko, northwest of Sarajevo...
; - TešanjTešanjTešanj is a city and municipality in the northern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located near Teslić, Doboj and Zavidovići. Administrativley, it belongs to the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-About Tešanj:...
, one of the oldest cities in Bosnia with its old town; - BijeljinaBijeljinaBijeljina is a city and municipality in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. The city is the second largest in the Republika Srpska entity after Banja Luka and fifth largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is situated on the flat rich plains of Semberija...
, known for its agriculture and Etno village Stanišić. - LukavacLukavacLukavac is a town and municipality in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina. The town is the seat of a municipality within the Tuzla Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Geography:Lukavac covers an area of 352,66 km2...
- Modrac Lake (Jezero Modrac) the largest artificial lake in Bosnia and Herzegovina - TravnikTravnikTravnik is a city and municipality in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, 90 km west of Sarajevo. It is the capital of the Central Bosnia Canton, and is located in the Travnik Municipality. Travnik today has some 27,000 residents, with a metro population that is probably close to 70,000 people...
- The birthplace of Ivo AndrićIvo AndricIvan "Ivo" Andrić was a Yugoslav novelist, short story writer, and the 1961 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. His writings dealt mainly with life in his native Bosnia under the Ottoman Empire...
and site of old town Travnik - Ostrožac CastleOstrožac castleOstrožac Castle is a castle located in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Una-Sana Canton just outside of the town of Cazin, near the village of Ostrožac. The castle dates back to the 16th century when the Ottoman Turks established the Ottoman province of Bosnia...
- 16th century castle built by the Ottomans and a second addition added by the Habsburg familiy.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Bosnia and Herzegovina
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
) has included the following Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
sites on its World Heritage List:
- The Old MostarMostarMostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...
Bridge (Stari MostStari mostStari Most is a 16th century Ottoman bridge in the city of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina that crosses the river Neretva and connects two parts of the city. The Old Bridge stood for 427 years, until it was destroyed on November 9, 1993 during the Croat-Bosniak War...
) - Mehmed Paša Sokolović BridgeMehmed Paša Sokolovic BridgeThe Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge is a historic bridge in Višegrad, over the Drina River in eastern Republika Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was completed in 1577 AD by the Ottoman court architect Mimar Sinan on the order of the Grand Vizier Mehmed Paša Sokolović...
in VišegradVišegradVišegrad is a town and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is part of the Republika Srpska entity. It is on the river Drina, located on the road from Goražde and Ustiprača towards Užice, Serbia.-History:...
Properties submitted on the Tentative List:
- SarajevoSarajevoSarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
- unique symbol of universal multiculture - continual open city (N.I.) (1997) - Vjetrenica cave (2004)
- The natural and architectural ensemble of JajceJajceJajce is a city and municipality located in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is part of the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity...
(2006) - The historic urban site of PočiteljPočiteljPočitelj may refer to:*Počitelj, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a village near Čapljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina*Počitelj, Croatia, a hamlet near Gospić, Croatia...
(2007) - The natural and architectural ensemble of BlagajBlagajBlagaj is a village-town in the south-eastern region of the Mostar basin, in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It stands at the edge of Bišće plain and is one of the most valuable mixed urban and rural structures in Bosnia and Herzegovina, distinguished from other similar...
(2007) - The natural and architectural ensemble of BlidinjeBlidinjeBlidinje is a Nature park in Bosnia and Herzegovina, established on 30 April 1995.- Geography and hydrology :It is a spacious valley, 3–5 km long, situated at an elevation of 1.150-1.300 meters a.s.l., between Čvrsnica and Vran mountains with a total area of 364 km² and 3 municipalities...
(2007) - The natural and architectural ensemble of StolacStolacStolac is a town and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in the southern part of Herzegovina. Administratively, it is part of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
(2007) - The natural monument Vjetrenica cave with architectural ensemble of village Zavala (2007)
- StećciStećciThe Stećci , are monumental medieval tombstones that lie scattered across Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the border parts of Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. An estimated 60,000 are found within the borders of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the rest of 10,000 are found in Croatia, Serbia, and Montenegro...
- Mediaeval Bosnian Tombstones (2011)
Winter sports
During the 1984 Winter Olympics, the mountains of BjelašnicaBjelašnica
Bjelašnica is a mountain in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is found directly to the southwest of Sarajevo, bordering Mt. Igman. Bjelašnica's tallest peak rises to an elevation of 2067 meters ....
, Jahorina
Jahorina
Mount Jahorina , is a mountain in south-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, located southeast of Sarajevo within Republika Srpska. It borders fellow Olympic mountain Trebević...
and Igman
Igman
Igman is a mountain in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is found directly to the southwest of Sarajevo, bordering Bjelašnica mountain and the city of Ilidža. Igman's highest point, Vlahinja Ridge, is 1502 meters , making it the shortest of the Sarajevo mountains.Igman is a popular destination...
hosted the skiing events. These are the most popular skiing mountains in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Jahorina was the site of the women's alpine skiing events. The men's alpine events were held at Bjelašnica.
At Igman The Malo Polije area hosted the ski jumping
Ski jumping at the 1984 Winter Olympics
-Large hill:February 18, 1984-Normal hill:February 12, 1984-References:*...
and the ski jumping part of the Nordic combined
Nordic combined at the 1984 Winter Olympics
-Men's event:February 12, 1984-References:*...
events. Meanwhile, the Veliko Polje hosted the biathlon
Biathlon at the 1984 Winter Olympics
-10 km:-20 km:One missed target equals a one minute penalty.-4 x 7.5 km relay:-References:*...
, cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing at the 1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympic Games cross country skiing results. The women's 20 km debuted at these games.-15 km:February 13, 1984-30 km:February 10, 1984-50 km:February 19, 1984-4 x 10 km relay:February 16, 1984-5 km:February 12, 1984...
, and the cross-country skiing part of the Nordic combined event.
Large investments has been made to build modern ski lift and remarkable good standards of accommodation, especially at Bjelasnica.
The mountain Vlasić
Vlašic (mountain)
Vlašić is a mountain in the very center of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its peak is called Vlašićka Gromila and has an elevation of 1,969 meters above sea level. The mountain is a major center for winter tourism due to its excellent accommodation for skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports...
has also become a major center for winter tourism due to its excellent accommodation for skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports. It is also a popular destination for summer and eco tourism with many hiking trails and undisturbed wilderness areas.
The mountain and National Park Kozara
Kozara
Kozara is a mountain in western Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosanska Krajina region. It is bounded by the rivers Sava - north, Vrbas - east, Sana - south and Una - west...
has over the past years also become a popular tourist attraction for skiing and hiking.
Regions & cities
Bosnia-Herzegovina is known for having various cultural sites of mixed architecture with Roman, medieval, Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian influences.Sarajevo
The capital city Sarajevo is famous for its traditional religious diversity, with adherents of IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, Orthodoxy
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
, Catholicism and Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
coexisting there for centuries. Due to this long and rich history of religious diversity, Sarajevo has often been called the "Jerusalem of Europe"
Sarajevo has a strong tourist industry and was named by Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet is the largest travel guide book and digital media publisher in the world. The company is owned by BBC Worldwide, which bought a 75% share from the founders Maureen and Tony Wheeler in 2007 and the final 25% in February 2011...
one of the top 50 "Best City in the World" in 2006. Sports-related tourism uses the legacy facilities of the 1984 Winter Olympics
1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
, especially the skiing facilities on the nearby mountains of Bjelašnica, Igman
Igman
Igman is a mountain in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is found directly to the southwest of Sarajevo, bordering Bjelašnica mountain and the city of Ilidža. Igman's highest point, Vlahinja Ridge, is 1502 meters , making it the shortest of the Sarajevo mountains.Igman is a popular destination...
, Jahorina
Jahorina
Mount Jahorina , is a mountain in south-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, located southeast of Sarajevo within Republika Srpska. It borders fellow Olympic mountain Trebević...
, Trebević
Trebevic
Trebević is a mountain in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is found directly to the southeast of Sarajevo, territory of East Sarajevo city, bordering Jahorina mountain. Trebević is 1627 meters tall, making it the second shortest of the Sarajevo mountains.During the Middle Ages, Trebević was...
, and Treskavica
Treskavica
Treskavica is a mountain in Bosnia and Herzegovina, situated in Trnovo municipality just south of city of Sarajevo.Mala Ćaba peak at 2088 meters , makes Treskavica the tallest of all the mountains circling Sarajevo, and only some 300 meters shorter than the tallest mountain in the country...
. Sarajevo's 600 years of history, influenced by both Western and Eastern empires, is also a strong tourist attraction
Tourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities....
. Sarajevo has hosted travellers for centuries, because it was an important trading center during the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
and Austria-Hungarian
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
empires. Examples of popular destinations in Sarajevo include the Vrelo Bosne
Vrelo Bosne
Vrelo Bosne is the spring of the River Bosna located in the central region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, southwest of Sarajevo. It is one of the country's top natural landmarks and is one of the most famous scenes of natural beauty in the region....
park with Roman thermal springs, the Sarajevo cathedral
Cathedral of Jesus' Heart
The Cathedral of Jesus' Heart in Sarajevo, commonly referred as the Sarajevo Cathedral is the largest cathedral in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the seat of the Vrhbosanski Archbishop, currently Cardinal Vinko Puljić, and center of Catholic worship in the city...
, the Gazi Husrev-beg's Mosque and old town of Sarajevo; Baščaršija
Bašcaršija
Baščaršija is Sarajevo's old bazaar and the historical and cultural center of the city. Baščaršija was built in the 15th century when Isa-Beg Isaković founded the town. The word Baščaršija derives from the Turkish language...
. Tourism in Sarajevo is chiefly focused on historical, religious, and cultural aspects.
The city is rich in museums, including the Museum of Sarajevo
Museum of Sarajevo
The Museum of Sarajevo is located in central Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina and was established in 1949.-Branches:*Brusa Bezistan*Jewish Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
, the Ars Aevi Museum of Contemporary Art
Ars Aevi
Ars Aevi is a museum of contemporary art in Sarajevo. It was formed during the war as a "resistance of culture". It has approximately 130 works by renowned world artists including Michelangelo Pistoletto, Jannis Kounellis, Joseph Beuys, and Joseph Kosuth....
, Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, The Museum of Literature and Theatre Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina
National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina is located in central Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was established in 1888, having originally been conceived around 1850...
(established in 1888) home to the Sarajevo Haggadah
Sarajevo Haggadah
The Sarajevo Haggadah is an illuminated manuscript that contains the illustrated traditional text of the Passover Haggadah which accompanies the Passover Seder. It is one of the oldest Sephardic Haggadahs in the world, originating in Barcelona around 1350. The Haggadah is presently owned by the...
, an illuminated manuscript
Illuminated manuscript
An illuminated manuscript is a manuscript in which the text is supplemented by the addition of decoration, such as decorated initials, borders and miniature illustrations...
and the oldest Sephardic Jewish document in the world issued in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
around 1350, containing the traditional Jewish Haggadah, is held at the museum.
The city also hosts the National theatre of Bosnia and Herzegovina, established in 1919, as well as the Sarajevo Youth Theatre. Other cultural institutions
Cultural institutions
Cultural institutions are elements within a culture/sub-culture that are perceived to be important to, or traditionally valued among, its members for their own identity. Examples of cultural institutions in modern Western society are museums, churches, schools, work and the print media.Television...
include the Center for Sarajevo Culture, Sarajevo City Library, Art Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Bosniak Institute
Bosniak Institute
The Bosniak Institute is a cultural center in Sarajevo focusing on Bosniak culture. It was established by Adil Zulfikarpašić. The institute is housed in a renovated sixteenth century Turkish bath and includes a library and an art center.-External links:*...
, a privately owned library and art collection
Collection (museum)
A museum is distinguished by a collection of often unique objects that forms the core of its activities for exhibitions, education, research, etc. This differentiates it from an archive or library, where the contents may be more paper-based, replaceable and less exhibition oriented...
focusing on Bosniak history.
The Sarajevo Film Festival
Sarajevo Film Festival
The Sarajevo Film Festival is the premier and largest film festival in the Balkans, and is one of the largest in Europe. It was founded in Sarajevo in 1995 during the siege of Sarajevo, and brings international and local celebrities to Sarajevo every year. It is held in August and showcases an...
, established in 1995, has become the premier film festival
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
in the Balkans. The Sarajevo Winter Festival
Sarajevo Winter Festival
The International Festival Sarajevo “Sarajevo Winter” is a cultural festival held annually since the winter of 1984/1985.The “Sarajevo Winter” Festival has traditionally been held under the auspices of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, European Union, UNESCO, The Presidency of B&H,...
, Sarajevo Jazz Festival
Sarajevo Jazz Festival
The Jazz Fest Sarajevo is an international music festival, held annually in the first week of November in Sarajevo.- History :Jazz Fest Sarajevo is an annual celebration of contemporary music based on jazz and improvised music. It has been a regular attraction since 1997, and has grown considerably...
and Sarajevo International Music Festival are well-known, as is the Baščaršija Nights
Bašcaršija Nights
Baščaršija Nights is the biggest festival in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Occurring annually from July 1 to July 31, the festival exhibits various aspects of the nation's culture...
festival, a month-long showcase of local culture, music, and dance.
The Sarajevo Film Festival has been hosted at the National Theater, with screenings at the Open-air theater Metalac and the Bosnian Cultural Center, all located in downtown Sarajevo and has hosted such world-renowned actors, directors, and musicians as: Steve Buscemi
Steve Buscemi
Steven Vincent "Steve" Buscemi is an American actor, writer and film director. An associate member of the renowned experimental theater company The Wooster Group, Buscemi has starred and supported in successful Hollywood and indie films including New York Stories, Mystery Train, Reservoir Dogs,...
, Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
, Coolio
Coolio
Artis Leon Ivey Jr. , better known by the stage name Coolio, is an American musician, rapper, actor and record producer.-Late 80s:He recorded two singles in the late 80s, titled "Watcha Gonna Do" and "You're Gonna Miss Me"...
, John Malkovich
John Malkovich
John Gavin Malkovich is an American actor, producer, director and fashion designer with his label Technobohemian. Over the last 25 years of his career, Malkovich has appeared in more than 70 motion pictures. For his roles in Places in the Heart and In the Line of Fire, he received Academy Award...
, Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman is an American actor, film director, aviator and narrator. He is noted for his reserved demeanor and authoritative speaking voice. Freeman has received Academy Award nominations for his performances in Street Smart, Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption and Invictus and won...
, Nick Nolte
Nick Nolte
Nicholas King "Nick" Nolte is an American actor whose career has spanned over five decades, peaking in the 1990s when his commercial success made him one of the most popular celebrities of that decade.-Early life:...
, Daniel Craig
Daniel Craig
Daniel Wroughton Craig is an English actor. His early film roles include Elizabeth, The Power of One, A Kid in King Arthur's Court and the television episodes Sharpe's Eagle, Zorro and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: Daredevils of the Desert...
, Willem Dafoe
Willem Dafoe
Willem Dafoe is an American film, stage, and voice actor, and a founding member of the experimental theatre company The Wooster Group...
, Anthony Minghella
Anthony Minghella
Anthony Minghella, CBE was an English film director, playwright and screenwriter. He was Chairman of the Board of Governors at the British Film Institute between 2003 and 2007....
, Katrin Cartlidge
Katrin Cartlidge
Katrin Cartlidge was an English actress. She first appeared on screen as Lucy Collins in the Liverpool soap opera Brookside from 1982 to 1988 and later became well known for her film work with directors such as Mike Leigh and Lars von Trier.- Biography :Cartlidge was born in London to an English...
, Alexander Payne
Alexander Payne
Alexander Payne, born Alexander Constantine Papadopoulos is an American film director and screenwriter. His films are noted for their dark humor and satirical depictions of contemporary American society.- Early life :...
, Sophie Okonedo
Sophie Okonedo
Sophie Okonedo, OBE is a British actress, who has starred both in successful British and American productions. In 1991, she made her acting debut in the British critically acclaimed coming-of-age drama, Young Soul Rebels...
, Stephen Frears
Stephen Frears
Stephen Arthur Frears is an English film director.-Early life:Frears was born in Leicester, England to Ruth M., a social worker, and Dr Russell E. Frears, a general practitioner and accountant. He did not find out that his mother was Jewish until he was in his late 20s...
, Michael Moore
Michael Moore
Michael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author, social critic and activist. He is the director and producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, which is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. His films Bowling for Columbine and Sicko also place in the top ten highest-grossing documentaries...
, Darren Aronofsky
Darren Aronofsky
Darren Aronofsky is an American film director, screenwriter and film producer. He attended Harvard University to study film theory and the American Film Institute to study both live-action and animation filmmaking...
, Mickey Rourke
Mickey Rourke
Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke, Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter and retired boxer, who has appeared primarily as a leading man in action, drama, and thriller films....
, Gillian Anderson
Gillian Anderson
Gillian Leigh Anderson is an American actress.After beginning her career in theatre, Anderson achieved international recognition for her role as Special Agent Dana Scully on the American television series The X-Files. During the show's nine seasons, Anderson won Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen...
, Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey, CBE is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and crooner. He grew up in California, and began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, before being cast in supporting roles in film and television...
, and many other major cultural figures from the Balkans, Europe, and the Americas.
In the past thirteen years, the festival has entertained people and celebrities alike, elevating it to an international level. The first incarnation of the Sarajevo Film Festival was hosted in still-warring Sarajevo in 1995, and has now progressed into being the biggest and most significant festival in South-Eastern Europe
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
. A talent campus is also held during the duration of the festival, with numerous world-renowned lecturers speaking on behalf of world cinematography and holding workshops for film students from across South-Eastern Europe.
The Sarajevo Jazz Festival
Sarajevo Jazz Festival
The Jazz Fest Sarajevo is an international music festival, held annually in the first week of November in Sarajevo.- History :Jazz Fest Sarajevo is an annual celebration of contemporary music based on jazz and improvised music. It has been a regular attraction since 1997, and has grown considerably...
has been entertaining Jazz connoisseurs for over ten years and has hosted such artists as Richard Bona
Richard Bona
Richard Bona is a jazz bassist and musician. His real African name, as he said live in Montreal in a show with Bobby McFerrin, is Bona Pinder Yayumayalolo...
, The John Butler Trio
John Butler Trio
The John Butler Trio are an eclectic roots and jam band from Australia led by guitarist and vocalist John Butler. They formed in Fremantle in 1998 with Jason McGann on drums and Gavin Shoesmith on bass guitar...
, Cristina Branco
Cristina Branco
Cristina Branco is a Portuguese musician.Branco was originally drawn to jazz and forms of Portuguese music before finally opting for fado after being introduced to the music of Amália Rodrigues by her grandfather. Branco studied the poems from which major fado lyrics are taken...
, Dhafer Youssef
Dhafer Youssef
Dhafer Youssef is a composer, singer and oud player. He developed an interest in jazz at an early age and clandestinely listened to it during his education at a Qur'anic school. He later left Tunisia to start a jazz career and has lived in Europe since 1990, usually in Paris or Vienna. He also...
, and many more. The festival takes place at the Bosnian Cultural Center (aka "Main Stage"), just down the street from the SFF, at the Sarajevo Youth Stage Theater (aka "Strange Fruits Stage"), at the Dom Vojske Federacije (aka "Solo Stage"), and at the CDA (aka "Groove Stage").
Mostar & Herzegovina
Mostar
Mostar
Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...
is an important tourist destination in Bosnia and Herzgovina. Mostar International Airport
Mostar International Airport
Mostar International Airport is an airport near Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, situated in the village of Ortiješ, south southeast of Mostar's railway station...
serves the city as well as the train and bus stations which connect it to a number of national and international destinations. Mostar's old town is an important tourist destination with the Stari Most
Stari most
Stari Most is a 16th century Ottoman bridge in the city of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina that crosses the river Neretva and connects two parts of the city. The Old Bridge stood for 427 years, until it was destroyed on November 9, 1993 during the Croat-Bosniak War...
being its most recognizable feature.
Partisan cemetery in Mostar
Partisan cemetery in Mostar
Partisans' Memorial Cemetery in Mostar was built in 1965 to honor the Yugoslav Partisans of Mostar who were killed in the National Liberation Front. The Partisans' Memorial Cemetery on Bijeli Brijeg displays all the features of a complex architectural, aesthetic and landscape design...
, which is a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
memorial, is another important city symbol and it was designed by the famous architect Bogdan Bogdanović
Bogdan Bogdanović
Bogdan Bogdanović was a Serbian architect, urbanist and essayist. He taught architecture at the University of Belgrade, where he also served as dean...
. Its sacrosanct quality consists in the unity of nature (water and greenery) with the architectural expression of the designer; the monument was included into a list of national monuments in 2006.
The "Rondo shopping centre", "Biosfera Mall", "Orka Mall" and the "Mercator shopping mall" are some of the city's newer attractions. The Catholic pilgrimage site of Međugorje is also nearby as well as the Tekija Dervish Monastery in Blagaj
Blagaj
Blagaj is a village-town in the south-eastern region of the Mostar basin, in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It stands at the edge of Bišće plain and is one of the most valuable mixed urban and rural structures in Bosnia and Herzegovina, distinguished from other similar...
, 13th century town of Pocitelj
Pocitelj
Počitelj is a town in the Čapljina municipality, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The historic site of Počitelj is located on the left bank of the river Neretva, on the main Mostar to Metković road, and it is to the south of Mostar.During the Middle Ages, Počitelj was...
, Kravice
Kraviće
Kraviće is a village in the municipality of Raška, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 187 people.-References:...
waterfalls, seaside town of Neum
Neum
Neum is the only coastal town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It comprises of coastline, the country's only access to the Adriatic Sea. As of 2009, municipal population was of 4,605 and the one of Neum main town was of 4,268 .-Features:Neum has steep hills, sandy beaches, and several large tourist...
, Stolac
Stolac
Stolac is a town and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in the southern part of Herzegovina. Administratively, it is part of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
with its famous stecak
Stecak
The Stećci , are monumental medieval tombstones that lie scattered across Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the border parts of Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. An estimated 60,000 are found within the borders of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the rest of 10,000 are found in Croatia, Serbia, and Montenegro...
necropolis and the remains of an ancient Greek town of Daorson
Daorson
Daorson was the capital of a Hellenised Illyrian tribe called the Daorsi . The Daorsi lived in the valley of the Neretva River between 300 BC and 50 BC...
. Nearby sites also include the nature park called Hutovo Blato
Hutovo Blato
Hutovo Blato is a nature reserve and bird reserve located in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is primarily composed of marshlands that were created by the underground aquifer system of the Krupa River. It is fed from the limestone massif of Ostrvo that divides the Deransko lake and Svitavsko lake.The...
, Boracko Lake
Boračko Lake
Boračko Lake is a lake of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is partly located in the municipality of Konjic....
as well as Vjetrenica
Vjetrenica
Vjetrenica is the largest and most important cave in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and one of the most interesting caves in the Dinaric Alps mountain range, which is famous worldwide for its karstic and speleological riches. Its entrance it not far from the village of Zavala in southern Herzegovina...
cave, the largest and most important cave in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The historic site of Počitelj
Počitelj
Počitelj may refer to:*Počitelj, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a village near Čapljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina*Počitelj, Croatia, a hamlet near Gospić, Croatia...
is located on the left bank of the river Neretva
Neretva
Neretva is the largest river of the eastern part of the Adriatic basin. It has been harnessed and controlled to a large extent by four HE power-plants with large dams and their storage lakes, but it is still recognized for its natural beauty, diversity of its landscape and visual...
, on the main Mostar
Mostar
Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...
to Metković
Metkovic
Metković is a city in the Dubrovnik-Neretva county of Croatia, located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the river Neretva and on the border with Herzegovina.-Demographics:...
road, and it is to the south of Mostar.
During the Middle Ages, Počitelj was considered the administrative centre and centre of governance of Dubrava župa (county), while its westernmost point gave it major strategic importance. It is believed that the fortified town along with its attendant settlements were built by Bosnia's King Stjepan Tvrtko I in 1383.
The walled town of Počitelj evolved in the period from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Architecturally, the stone-constructed parts of the town are a fortified complex, in which two stages of evolution are evident: mediaeval, and Ottoman.
Blagaj
Blagaj
Blagaj is a village-town in the south-eastern region of the Mostar basin, in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It stands at the edge of Bišće plain and is one of the most valuable mixed urban and rural structures in Bosnia and Herzegovina, distinguished from other similar...
is situated at the spring of the Buna river
Buna River
Buna River may refer to:* Buna River in Bosnia and Herzegovina, left tributary of the Neretva* Bojana River in Albania and Montenegro, Buna in Albanian, which flows from Lake Shkodra into the Adriatic....
and a historical tekke
Khanqah
A Khanqah, Khaniqah , ribat, zawiya, or tekke is a building designed specifically for gatherings of a Sufi brotherhood, or tariqa, and is a place for spiritual retreat and character reformation...
(tekija or Dervish
Dervish
A Dervish or Darvesh is someone treading a Sufi Muslim ascetic path or "Tariqah", known for their extreme poverty and austerity, similar to mendicant friars in Christianity or Hindu/Buddhist/Jain sadhus.-Etymology:The Persian word darvīsh is of ancient origin and descends from a Proto-Iranian...
monastery). The Blagaj Tekija
Vrelo Bune
Vrelo Bune is the natural and architectural ensemble at the Buna river spring near Blagaj kasaba and a part of the wider "Townscape ensemble of the town of Blagaj - Historical and Natural Heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina", southeast of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina.It is impossible to separate...
was built around 1520, with elements of Ottoman architecture and Mediterranean style and is considered a national monument.
The source of the Buna river
Buna River
Buna River may refer to:* Buna River in Bosnia and Herzegovina, left tributary of the Neretva* Bojana River in Albania and Montenegro, Buna in Albanian, which flows from Lake Shkodra into the Adriatic....
(Vrelo Bune) is a strong karst
KARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
ic spring. The Buna
Buna River (Neretva)
The Buna is a short river in Bosnia and Herzegovina; it is a left bank tributary of the Neretva. Its source , a strong karstic spring, is near the village Blagaj, southeast of Mostar. Actually, it is best known by famous Buna Spring , one of the strongest spring in Europe and extremely cold water...
flows west for approximately 9 kilometres and joins the Neretva
Neretva
Neretva is the largest river of the eastern part of the Adriatic basin. It has been harnessed and controlled to a large extent by four HE power-plants with large dams and their storage lakes, but it is still recognized for its natural beauty, diversity of its landscape and visual...
near the village Buna.
The historic site of the Old Blagaj Fort (Stjepan grad), on the hill above Blagaj, was the seat of Herzegovinian
Herzegovina
Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there is no official border distinguishing it from the Bosnian region, it is generally accepted that the borders of the region are Croatia to the west, Montenegro to the south, the canton boundaries of the Herzegovina-Neretva...
nobleman, Stjepan Vukčić, and the birthplace of Bosnian queen Katarina Kosača-Kotromanić
Katarina Kosaca-Kotromanic
Blessed Catherine of Bosnia was the Queen consort of Bosnia as the wife of King Stephen Thomas. She was a daughter of Stjepan Vukčić Kosača, Duke of Saint Sava...
.
The architectural ensemble of the Blagaj
Blagaj
Blagaj is a village-town in the south-eastern region of the Mostar basin, in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It stands at the edge of Bišće plain and is one of the most valuable mixed urban and rural structures in Bosnia and Herzegovina, distinguished from other similar...
Tekke
Khanqah
A Khanqah, Khaniqah , ribat, zawiya, or tekke is a building designed specifically for gatherings of a Sufi brotherhood, or tariqa, and is a place for spiritual retreat and character reformation...
(a Sufi monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
) stands by the source of the Buna river
Buna River
Buna River may refer to:* Buna River in Bosnia and Herzegovina, left tributary of the Neretva* Bojana River in Albania and Montenegro, Buna in Albanian, which flows from Lake Shkodra into the Adriatic....
, not far from the centre of Blagaj
Blagaj
Blagaj is a village-town in the south-eastern region of the Mostar basin, in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It stands at the edge of Bišće plain and is one of the most valuable mixed urban and rural structures in Bosnia and Herzegovina, distinguished from other similar...
. The musafirhana (guest house) and türbe
Turbe
Türbe is the Turkish word for "tomb", and for the characteristic mausoleums, often relatively small, of Ottoman royalty and notables. It is related to the Arabic turba, which can also mean a mausoleum, but more often a funerary complex, or a plot in a cemetery.-Characteristics:A typical türbe...
(mausoleum) are tucked into the natural surroundings, constituting a single entity with the cliffs, source of the Buna river
Buna River
Buna River may refer to:* Buna River in Bosnia and Herzegovina, left tributary of the Neretva* Bojana River in Albania and Montenegro, Buna in Albanian, which flows from Lake Shkodra into the Adriatic....
and mills. The musafirhana of the Blagaj
Blagaj
Blagaj is a village-town in the south-eastern region of the Mostar basin, in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It stands at the edge of Bišće plain and is one of the most valuable mixed urban and rural structures in Bosnia and Herzegovina, distinguished from other similar...
tekke
Zawiyya
The word zawiyya can refer to a sufi brotherhood or the shrine of a saint. Zawiyyas used to be very common in especially North Africa and Iran.-References:...
and the türbe have been preserved to this day. The musafirhana was built before 1664, and rebuilt in 1851 - its original appearance is not known. The building was subsequently repaired on several occasions. The ensemble of the Blagaj Tekke was presumably built very soon after Ottoman rule
History of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1463–1878)
The arrival of the Ottoman Turks marked a new era in Bosnian history.-Ottoman Rule:The Turks had conquered Slavonia and most of Hungary by 1541. In the next century, most of the Bosnian province wasn't a borderland and developed in relative peace...
was established in Herzegovina
Herzegovina
Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there is no official border distinguishing it from the Bosnian region, it is generally accepted that the borders of the region are Croatia to the west, Montenegro to the south, the canton boundaries of the Herzegovina-Neretva...
, around 1520 at the latest.
Trebinje
Trebinje
Trebinje is the southernmost municipality and town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is administratively part of the Republika Srpska entity and is located in southeastern Herzegovina, some from the Adriatic Sea....
which was initially a Byzantine territory governed by the Serbs. In the mid 9th century, Knez Vlastimir gave the Župania (city-state
City-state
A city-state is an independent or autonomous entity whose territory consists of a city which is not administered as a part of another local government.-Historical city-states:...
) of Trebinje (Travunia) to his son-in-law Krajina
Krajina Belojević
Krajina Belojević was the župan of Travunia, an administrative unit of the Principality of Serbia, in the 9th century. In 847/848, not long after the three-year Bulgarian–Serbian War in which Prince Vlastimir of Serbia Krajina Belojević was the župan of Travunia, an administrative unit of the...
to govern under his suzerainty.
It commanded the road from Ragusa
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
(Dubrovnik) to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, traversed, in 1096, by Raymond of Toulouse and his crusaders
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
. Under the name of Tribunia or Travunja (the Trebigne of the Ragusans), it belonged to the Serbian Empire
Serbian Empire
The Serbian Empire was a short-lived medieval empire in the Balkans that emerged from the Serbian Kingdom. Stephen Uroš IV Dušan was crowned Emperor of Serbs and Greeks on 16 April, 1346, a title signifying a successorship to the Eastern Roman Empire...
until 1355. Trebinje became a part of the expanded Medieval Bosnian state under Tvrtko I in 1373. There is a medieval tower in Gornje Police (Gornye Politse) whose construction is often attributed to Vuk Branković. The old Tvrdoš
Tvrdoš
Tvrdoš is a 15th-century Serb Orthodox monastery near the city of Trebinje, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The 4th-century foundations of the first Roman church on the site are still visible today....
Monastery dates back to the 15th century.
In 1482, together with the rest of Herzegovina
Herzegovina
Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there is no official border distinguishing it from the Bosnian region, it is generally accepted that the borders of the region are Croatia to the west, Montenegro to the south, the canton boundaries of the Herzegovina-Neretva...
and the Bosnian kingdom, it was captured by the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. The Old Town-Kastel was built by Turks on location of the medieval fortress of Ban Vir, on the western bank of the Trebišnjica River
Trebišnjica River
Trebišnjica River is a river in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It used to be a sinking river, 96,5 km long above the ground. With a total length of 187 km above and under the ground, it was one of the longest sinking rivers in the world.- Upper course :...
. The city walls, the Old Town square, and two mosques, were built in beginning of the 18th century by Resulbegović family. The Arslanagić bridge was originally built (16th century) at the village of Arslanagić, five kilometres north of the town, by Mehmed-paša Sokolović
Mehmed-paša Sokolovic
Sokollu Mehmed Pasha was a 16th-century Ottoman statesman...
, and it was managed by Arslanagic family. It was moved closer to Trebinje (1 km) in the late 1960s. The Arslanagić bridge is one of the most attractive Turkish bridges in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. It has two large and two small semicircular arches.
During the period of Austro-Hungarian
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
administration (1878–1918), several fortifications were built on the surrounding hills, and there was a garrison based in the town. They also modernized the town expanding it westwards, building the present main street, as well as, several squares, park, new schools, tobacco plantations, etc.
Bosanska Krajina
Bosanska Krajina
Bosanska Krajina or Bosnian Frontier is a geographical region, a subregion of Bosnia, in western Bosnia and Herzegovina enclosed by three rivers - Sava, Una and Vrbas. It is also a historic, economic and cultural entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
is known for its beautiful rivers and green landscape. The region also includes cultural cities such as Banja Luka
Banja Luka
-History:The name "Banja Luka" was first mentioned in a document dated February 6, 1494, but Banja Luka's history dates back to ancient times. There is a substantial evidence of the Roman presence in the region during the first few centuries A.D., including an old fort "Kastel" in the centre of...
, Prijedor
Prijedor
Prijedor is a city and municipality in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in the Bosanska Krajina region....
, Bihac
Bihac
Bihać is a city and municipality on the river Una in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosanska Krajina region. Bihać is located in the Una-Sana Canton in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:...
and Jajce
Jajce
Jajce is a city and municipality located in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is part of the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity...
. Old fortresses and castles such as Ostrozac Castle
Ostrožac castle
Ostrožac Castle is a castle located in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Una-Sana Canton just outside of the town of Cazin, near the village of Ostrožac. The castle dates back to the 16th century when the Ottoman Turks established the Ottoman province of Bosnia...
and Velika Kladusa Castle made by the Ottomans and later Astrian-Hungarians are known national heritage sites. The city of The Bosnian kings, the foundation of Yugoslavia and the Jajce waterfalls Jajce
Jajce
Jajce is a city and municipality located in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is part of the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity...
is an UNESCO candidate.
Banja Luka
Banja Luka
-History:The name "Banja Luka" was first mentioned in a document dated February 6, 1494, but Banja Luka's history dates back to ancient times. There is a substantial evidence of the Roman presence in the region during the first few centuries A.D., including an old fort "Kastel" in the centre of...
lies on the Vrbas
Vrbas
Vrbas may refer to:* Vrbas , river in Bosnia and Herzegovina* Vrbas , town and municipality in Vojvodina, Serbia* Vrbas , village in Bosnia and Herzegovina...
river and is well known in the countries of the Former Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
for being full of tree-lined avenues, boulevards, gardens, and parks.
The city is also home to the old fortress Kastel and the Ferhadija Mosque listed as a Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
cultural heritage site in 1950. It was subsequently protected by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
until its destruction in 1993. Today the site is being rebuilt and is listed as a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Other attractions of Banja Luka are the Banj Hill and a waterfall of the Vrbas river near Krupa. Rafting on the Vrbas river is currently becoming popular among the local tourists. There is fishing, rock climbing and hiking along the canyon of the Vrbas between Banja Luka and Jajce
Jajce
Jajce is a city and municipality located in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is part of the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity...
, and there is plenty of accommodation for visitors.
Prijedor
Prijedor
Prijedor is a city and municipality in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in the Bosanska Krajina region....
is located on the river Sana and known for its Catholic, Orthodox Christian and Islamic heritage. Historic buildings from the Ottoman and Austrian-Hungarian periods are a feature of the urban landscape. Most known is the old Ottoman houses in the old city and the old city Mosque from the 15th century. The city underwent extensive renovation between 2006-2009.
Within Prijedor
Prijedor
Prijedor is a city and municipality in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in the Bosanska Krajina region....
municipality is also Kozara National Park
Kozara National Park
Kozara National Park is a national park in Bosnia and Herzegovina, that was proclaimed a protected national forest in 1967 by Josip Broz Tito. It is situated between the rivers Una, Sava, Sana and Vrbas, in the Republika Srpska entity of BiH...
that was proclaimed a protected national forest in 1967 by Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
. It is situated between the rivers Una, Sava, Sana
Sana river
Sana is a river in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is a tributary of the Una, into which it flows near Novi Grad. It is longest of the nine rivers that flows through Sanski Most....
and Vrbas, in BiH
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. These 33.75 square kilometers of dense forest and hilly meadows have earned the nickname 'Green Beauty of Krajina
Krajina
-Etymology:In old-Croatian, this earliest geographical term appeared at least from 10th century within the Glagolitic inscriptions in Chakavian dialect, e.g. in Baška tablet about 1105, and also in some subsequent Glagolitic texts as krayna in the original medieval meaning of inlands or mainlands...
'.
Kozara
Kozara
Kozara is a mountain in western Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosanska Krajina region. It is bounded by the rivers Sava - north, Vrbas - east, Sana - south and Una - west...
is a popular hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
ground, with a large 180 square kilometers area of the park open to regulated hunting of deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
, pheasants, foxes, boars, hares, and ducks.
A smaller part of the park is designated for nature lovers. Walking
Walking
Walking is one of the main gaits of locomotion among legged animals, and is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults over the stiff limb or limbs with each step...
, hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, biking and herb picking are among the many activities in Kozara.
Jajce
Jajce
Jajce is a city and municipality located in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is part of the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity...
was first built in the 14th century and served as the capital of the independent Bosnia
Bosnia (region)
Bosnia is a eponomous region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It lies mainly in the Dinaric Alps, ranging to the southern borders of the Pannonian plain, with the rivers Sava and Drina marking its northern and eastern borders. The other eponomous region, the southern, other half of the country is...
n kingdom during its time. The town has gates as fortifications, as well as a castle with walls which lead to the various gates around the town. Skenderbeg Mihajlović
Skenderbeg Mihajlović
Skender Pasha Mihajlovic was a sanjakbey of the Bosnian Sanjak in period 1478—1480, 1485—1491 and 1499—1504.According to some sources, he was member of Mihaloglu family and brother of Ali Bey Mihaloglu....
besieged Jajce in 1501, but without success because he was defeated by Ivaniš Korvin assisted by Zrinski, Frankopan, Karlović and Cubor. When the Bosnian kingdom fell to the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
in 1463, Jajce was taken by the Ottomans but was retaken next year by Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus. About 10–20 kilometres from the Jajce lies the Komotin Castle
Komotin Castle
Komotin Castle is a ruined castle in Bosnia and Herzegovina.Komotin is believed to have been built in the early 14th century. The last Bosnian King Stephen Tomašević issued a charter which gives Komotin his uncle Radivoj Kotromanić. The architecture shows that komotin was a manorial court....
and town area which is older but smaller than Jajce. It is believed the town of Jajce was previously Komotin but was moved after the black death.
During this period, Bosnian
Bosnia (region)
Bosnia is a eponomous region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It lies mainly in the Dinaric Alps, ranging to the southern borders of the Pannonian plain, with the rivers Sava and Drina marking its northern and eastern borders. The other eponomous region, the southern, other half of the country is...
queen
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
Katarina Kosača-Kotromanić
Katarina Kosaca-Kotromanic
Blessed Catherine of Bosnia was the Queen consort of Bosnia as the wife of King Stephen Thomas. She was a daughter of Stjepan Vukčić Kosača, Duke of Saint Sava...
restored the Church of Saint Luke in Jajce, today the oldest church in town. Eventually, in 1527, Jajce became the last Bosnian town to fall to Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
rule. There are several churches and mosques built in different times during different rules, making Jajce a rather diverse town in this aspect.
The Franciscan monastery of Saint Luke
Franciscan monastery of Saint Luke, Jajce
Franciscan monastery of Saint Luke is a Franciscan monastery in Jajce, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The construction began in 1877 and it finished in 1885. In 1934-1935 the monastery was renovated by Karel Pařík. Franciscans in the 1970s tried to return the bones of St...
was completed in 1885.
Jajce gained prominence during the Second World War because it hosted the second convention of the Anti-Fascist Council of National Liberation of Yugoslavia on November 29, 1943, a meeting that set the foundation for the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
after WWII.
Bihać
Bihac
Bihać is a city and municipality on the river Una in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosanska Krajina region. Bihać is located in the Una-Sana Canton in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:...
was the temporary capital of the Croatian Kingdom
Croatia in personal union with Hungary
Kingdom of Croatia after the succession crisis become a part of Kingdom of Hungary and — depending on sources — either was incorporated into Hungary or Croatia existed in a personal union with Hungary....
. It lost its civic status in the 14th century following dynastic struggles in the kingdom, and became a property of the Frankopan
Frankopan
The Frankopans are a Croatian noble family. Also called Frankapan, Frangepán in Hungarian, and Frangipani in Italian.The Frankopan family is the leading princely Croatian aristocratic family which dates back to the 12th Century and even earlier to Roman times...
nobles. In the 16th century it passed under direct royal rule, when battles with the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
had begun. The town of Bihać, in the region of the same name, withstood the Ottoman attacks until it fell with the Bosnia sanjak (in 1592).
The Bihać fort would become the westernmost fort taken by the Ottoman army over a hundred years later, in 1592 under the Bosnian vizier Hasan-pasha Predojević
Hasan Predojević
Hasan Predojević, Telli Hasan Paşa, Gazi Hasan-paša Predojević, was a military leader of the Ottoman army. Born Niko Predojević in Herzegovina, he was given the name Hasan after he converted to Islam.During the rule of Murat III he became Sandjakbey of the Sanjak of Segedin where he stayed until...
. The city was initially made the center of the Bihać sanjak
Sanjak
Sanjaks were administrative divisions of the Ottoman Empire. Sanjak, and the variant spellings sandjak, sanjaq, and sinjaq, are English transliterations of the Turkish word sancak, meaning district, banner, or flag...
, part of the Bosnian pashaluk
Pashaluk
Pashaluk or Pashalik is a term for one type of the Subdivisions of the Ottoman Empire.It is the abstract word derived from pasha, denoting the quality, office or jurisdiction of a pasha or the territory administered by him....
. It was demoted in 1699 to become part of the sanjak of Bosnia, during the period of intense border wars between the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
monarchy and the Ottoman Empire. In 1865 it became the center of its own sanjak, but this lasted only until 1878, when all of Bosnia was occupied by Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
.
The city landscape of Bihac with the beautiful Una river
Una River
The Una is a river in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The river has a total length of and watershed area of .-Geography:The Una spring, also known as Vrelo Une, is located at the north-eastern slopes of the Stražbenica mountain in Croatia. After the river first reaches Bosnia and Herzegovina...
has old mosques, catholic churches and splendid nature surroundings.
Adriatic sea
NeumNeum
Neum is the only coastal town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It comprises of coastline, the country's only access to the Adriatic Sea. As of 2009, municipal population was of 4,605 and the one of Neum main town was of 4,268 .-Features:Neum has steep hills, sandy beaches, and several large tourist...
is the only coastal town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It comprises 24.5 km (15 mi) of coastline and is the country's only access to the Adriatic Sea.
Neum has steep hills, sandy beaches, and several large tourist hotels. Prices tend to be lower than in neighboring Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, making it popular with shoppers. Tourism and the commerce it brings, is the leading contributor to the economy of the area. Border formalities with Croatia are relaxed at peak times. Neum has over 5,000 beds for tourists, 1,810 in hotels with the remaining capacity in villas and private accommodation. Tourism in Neum is mainly active in the coastal region. The inland area behind Neum has a rich archeological history and untouched wilderness
Wilderness
Wilderness or wildland is a natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by human activity. It may also be defined as: "The most intact, undisturbed wild natural areas left on our planet—those last truly wild places that humans do not control and have not developed with...
and is starting to develop agricultural tourism.
National parks
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
s of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
| Name | Founded in | Area (km²) |
|---|---|---|
| Sutjeska National Park Sutjeska National Park The Sutjeska National Park is a national park located in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Republika Srpska entity. Established in 1962, it is Bosnia and Herzegovina 's oldest national park. It includes the highest peak of Maglić at over , on the border with Montenegro. The Montenegrin part of Maglić... |
1965 | 173 |
| Kozara National Park Kozara National Park Kozara National Park is a national park in Bosnia and Herzegovina, that was proclaimed a protected national forest in 1967 by Josip Broz Tito. It is situated between the rivers Una, Sava, Sana and Vrbas, in the Republika Srpska entity of BiH... |
1967 | 34 |
| Una National Park | 2008 | |
Nature park
Nature park
A nature park is a landscape protected by means of long-term planning, use and agriculture. These valuable landscapes are preserved in their present state and promoted for touristic purposes....
s of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
| Name | Founded in | Area (km²) |
|---|---|---|
| Hutovo Blato Hutovo Blato Hutovo Blato is a nature reserve and bird reserve located in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is primarily composed of marshlands that were created by the underground aquifer system of the Krupa River. It is fed from the limestone massif of Ostrvo that divides the Deransko lake and Svitavsko lake.The... |
1995 | 74.11 |
| Blidinje Blidinje Blidinje is a Nature park in Bosnia and Herzegovina, established on 30 April 1995.- Geography and hydrology :It is a spacious valley, 3–5 km long, situated at an elevation of 1.150-1.300 meters a.s.l., between Čvrsnica and Vran mountains with a total area of 364 km² and 3 municipalities... |
1995 | 6 |