Historical Sites

For every history lover, BiH is a place where you can enjoy the historical sites of this country from different periods, of which the Ottoman Empire and, later, Austro-Hungarian were the most influential.

Olympic Games ’84

Bosnia & Herzegovina hosted the Winter Olympic Games in 1984, which speaks volumes about the potential of the country for winter sports. The country, in addition to the 20-kilometer coast, has many rivers and lakes to offer. And besides this, it is important to mention that BiH has the only preserved rainforest on European soil, Perućica the bird’s reserve and the nature park, Hutovo blato.

Archaeological Heritage

Badanj Cave – Herzegovina-Neretva. Grotto with prehistoric petroglyphs that were made between 16,000 and 12,000 BC, where an Upper Palaeolithic settlement once existed.
Daorson – Herzegovina-Neretva. Remnants of an ancient city that was built by Hellenized Illyrian tribe – Daorsi. In the time period between 300 and 50 BC, they built an acropolis here. It is surrounded by cyclopean walls that have been built from enormous stones.
Mogorjelo – Herzegovina-Neretva. Remnants of a large Roman villa that was built in the early 4th century. Later, two basilicas were built here.

In BiH, alongisde the beautiful landscape and natural resources, you can find sites such as the fortresses in Bobovac, Počitelj, Srebrenik, Doboj, Banja Luka and many other places. In addition, a special place on the list of sites in BiH is reserved for the Old Bridge in the beautiful Mostar. The capital Sarajevo, along with a mixture of different styles of construction and unique position and history, is also known for the fact that World War I began here.

Cities, Towns and Villages

Blagaj – Herzegovina-Neretva. Beautiful village – the town is located in an impressive natural setting that includes the powerful Vrelo Bune spring. Beside the spring, the Blagaj Tekija was built in 1520, a monastery for Dervish followers.
Lukomir – Herzegovina-Neretva. This is the most remote village in the country, a seminomadic mountain village. Traditional houses are built from stone and have cherry-wood roofs. Next to the village is a cemetery with traditional tombstones.
Mostar Old City – Herzegovina-Neretva. The unofficial capital of Herzegovina, a beautiful city in the Neretva Valley. The city contains many valuable buildings in diverse historical styles of architecture, for the most part in Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Classical styles.
Počitelj – Herzegovina-Neretva. This walled town, located in a karst amphitheater, was built in the 16^th-18^th

Fortifications and Castles

Bobovac – Zenica-Doboj. With remains of a hilltop fortress, this town was built in the early 14^thcentury and served as a seat for the rulers of Bosnia. This fortified town was taken by Ottomans in 1463 and is where several kings of Bosnia are buried.
Ostrožac Castle – Una-Sana. An impressive castle on the top of the mountain, built in the 16th century.
Visoki – Zenica-Doboj. Royal medieval castle town that was built during the 14th century. The fortress was quite small, 60 x 25 m large.

Bridges

Arslanagić Bridge – Trebinje, RS. This unusual medieval bridge was constructed in 1574, and has three main arches, one of which is a double arch with the two arches — one above the other.
Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge – Višegrad, RS. This beautiful bridge was built in medieval times, in 1577 and has a total length of 179.5 m, with 11 arches.
Stari Most – Mostar, Herzegovina-Neretva. The magnificent bridge that spans the Neretva River with a single arch, and was constructed in 1557 and then rebuilt in 2004. The bridge is protected by two fortified towers and is 29 m long; it is an important element of the urban landscape in this charming city.

Medieval Cemeteries with Traditional Tombstones

Boljuni Necropolis – Herzegovina-Neretva. One of the most impressive medieval cemeteries, it is comprised of 274 traditional tombstones. Ninety-two of these stones are decorated with reliefs, such as that of a lion, a woman with a child in hands and rosettes. Most of these tombstones were created in the middle of the 15th century.
Dugo Polje – Herzegovina-Neretva. A picturesque field with a medieval cemetery, with some 150 stečaks. Thirty-two tombstones are decorated with different symbols, most of them with rosettes and crosses.
Radimlja – Herzegovina-Neretva. The largest necropolis with stečaks, with 63 of them decorated with interesting and often enigmatic reliefs, such as spirals and rosettes.

Man-Made Landmarks

Atomska Ratna Komanda (ARK) – Herzegovina-Neretva. The largest nuclear bunker in the area of former Yugoslavia. This once-secret structure was built between 1953-1979, and cost $29B USD (by present-day value). The shelter is 280 m deep and could sustain up to 350 people for up to six (6) months. Now it serves as a meeting site for artists.
Emperor’s Mosque in Sarajevo – Sarajevo. This medieval mosque was built in 1457 and was the first mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Bosnia. Rebuilt in 1565, the mosque has many valuable and intricate architectural details.
Mlinčići in Jajce – Central Bosnia. Group of 19 wooden watermills that have been built on a natural dam (wide waterfall on the Pliva River).
Podbrdo in Medjugorje – Herzegovina-Neretva. The site where, reportedly, apparitions of the Virgin Mary started in 1981 and continue up to this day. Since then, Medjugorje has been turned into an important site for pilgrims.