Mostar

Mostar is a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina, formerly one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the country, and today suffering geographical division of ethnic groups. The city was the most heavily bombed of any Bosnian city during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina following the breakup of Yugoslavia. At the beginning of the war, air strikes destroyed many important buildings and structures, including the cultural and spiritual icon: The Old Bridge (Stari Most), which is a  UNESCO World Heritage site.

Mostar has been most famous for this beautiful historic Ottoman-style bridge, which spanned the Neretva river in what is considered the historic center of the city. Through combined efforts with the international community, rebuilding of The Old Bridge was completed in 2004, almost 11 years after its destruction, using some of its original pieces recovered from the Neretva river. A significant portion of the city has been rebuilt and visitors might be surprised to see that this formerly war-torn city is a lively and beautiful destination once again, particularly the area within and around the old town. However, many visible signs of Mostar's troubled recent history remain.

See

• ⊙The Old Bridge (Stari Most). 24/7. Originally built by the Turks in 1566, it was destroyed in 1993, but rebuilt in 2004. The bridge is the highlight of Mostar and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The bridge is 21 m high and you will frequently see members of the Mostar Diving Club dive off the bridge. It is customary to give the divers a few marks after they make the jump. Free. (updated Aug 2017)
• ⊙Old Bridge Museum (Next to the Old Bridge). Includes exhibits on the history of the bridge, a panoramic view from the top, and entrance into the excavations below, along with a video detailing the reconstruction of the bridge. It opened in 2006, commemorating the second anniversary of the bridge's reconstruction. 5 BAM. (updated Aug 2017)
• ⊙Muslibegovića House (Muslibegovića kuća) (located near the Karađoz Bey’s Mosque). Open for visitors 15 April – 15 October from 10:00-18:00. Constructed 300 years ago, it is considered the most beautiful house from Ottoman period in the Balkans. The house is comprised of separate quarters for women (women’s courtyard – haremluk), and men (men’s courtyard – selamluk). Unlike earlier architectural styles, this house resembled a four-storey house built around the centre. Double-arched entrance with the central pillar reveals Mediterranean influence. The house preserved authentic monumental structure, items and documents providing an insight into the life of a wealthy bey family from the time. In addition to museum exhibition, visitors are invited to take traditional beverages or cookies, or spend a night in this authentic surrounding. 4 BAM. 
• ⊙Museum of Herzegovina (Muzej Hercegovine). Open 08:00-16:00. Has a small collection of photographs from various phases of Mostar history, including a small exhibit on a native son who was Prime Minister of Yugoslavia for 6 years. Also shows an excellent video on the recent history of the Old Bridge. 5 BAM. 
• ⊙Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque (Koski Mehmed-pašina džamija), Mala Tepa 16. Small but simply pretty Ottoman mosque built in 1618, destroyed during the war but rebuilt with Turkish financial support. Climb the minaret to see a great view over the town. Ascending the minaret is not recommended to those with claustrophobia, but the 192 step climb rewards with a fantastic view on the Old Bridge. Entry: BAM 3, with minaret access: BAM 5. (updated Aug 2017)
• ⊙Karađoz Bey Mosque (Karađoz-begova džamija) (Old town). Ottoman mosque built in 1557; central mosque of Mostar. Entry: BAM3, with minaret access: BAM5. 
• ⊙Cemetery (next to Karađoz Bey Mosque in the Old town). A park turned into a cemetery in 1993 when the dead needed a place to be buried and other cemeteries were inaccessible due to the war. 
• ⊙Ottoman house (Bišćevića kuća), Bišćevića Street. An Ottoman house, where you only can see the few rooms in upstairs. 4 BAM. 

Do

• ⊙Watch locals dive off the Old Bridge. Members of the Mostar Diving Club will dive off the bridge into the emerald green waters, but first they will try to collect some money from tourists. Do not attempt this yourself. The waters of river are at a constant 12°C, and going suddenly from 30°C to 12°C can cause a heart attack among even the fittest. The young local men diving would hose themselves down first in order to lower their body temperature before diving. The best place to watch this is below Old Bridge on shore of Neretva river. 
• ⊙Walk Along the Former Front-line, on Bulevar Revolucije. Here, in 1993 the city was divided between Croats on the West and Bosniaks on the Eastern side. It is a surreal and sobering experience to see the bombed out buildings which still stand in this area only 5m from the division.