Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina is, perhaps, the most long-suffering Balkan state, which had greatly suffered in one the major conflicts in Europe in the end of the 20th century, the Bosnian war. Nevertheless, over the past dozen of years since the end of the conflict, Bosnia and Herzegovina becomes a civilized nation again. Along with the peaceful life tourists also began to return to the country. Because Bosnia is one of the oldest and most interesting travel destinations in Europe.

Sarajevo and Mostar are the two main cities of the country, one of which (Sarajevo) is the capital of the whole Bosnian Federation and the other (Mostar) is the capital of its part, Herzegovina. 

Sarajevo is a symbolic city for the whole European continent. Once it was considered to be one of the most picturesque places in the Balkans. Sarajevo was called the eastern town because of many buildings constructed in the era of Turkish domination. However, the 20 century turned the tragic pages of the chronicle of the city. In 1914, here occurred the assassinating of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which caused the beginning of the First World War. And in 1992 here broke out a large ethnic conflict, which consequences are still visible. But the peace, which came to the land of Sarajevo, allows again to feel the atmosphere of spices and to admire the eclectic heritage, in which the Muslim motifs (numerous mosques and madrassas) intertwine with the Christian and Jewish holy sites into the whimsical architectural pattern.

Mostar, grew up along the rocky shores of the Neretva River, was probably founded in the 15th century. The Bosnian war didn’t also spare the city: during the conflict the population had fallen twice. Many relic buildings were severely damaged or completely destroyed. Fortunately, today Mostar was able to restore the main attractions: the famous «Old Bridge» through the Neretva river, Tabakicha Mosque and the Muslim region Kuyundzhiluk.

Of course, there are not the only two cities that attract tourist to Bosnia. There also one tiny hamlet Medugorje, which became the largest center of pilgrimage in the Balkans, after a few local teenagers, on a nearby mountain peak, saw the Virgin Mary. There is also a city with a funny sounding name in Russian Jajce, which, nonetheless, is one of the major tourist centers of Bosnia, attracting visitors from all over the world with various ancient places of worship and unique wooden water mills. And there are also healing springs near the town of Banja Luka and Ilidze.