MOSTAR

Grad iz bajke

PIŠE/BY Ana Janković

Obilazak Mostara, toga čarobnoga grada u Bosni i Hercegovini, čini se poput putovanja kroz vrijeme, u prošlost. Prva pomisao koja zacijelo mnogim posjetiteljima Mostara proleti kroz glavu jest pa je li ovdje vrijeme stalo? Ali nije.

Touring Mostar, that magical town in Bosnia and Herzegovina, promises to be most similar to a time travel experience, an experience of stepping back in time. The first thought that probably crosses the mind of many visitors to Mostar is has time stopped here? No, it has not.

Zahvaljujući blijedosivom vapnencu od kojeg su izgrađene sve zgrade i ceste u starome Mostaru, grad izgleda kao da je istrgnut sa stranica neke ilustrirane knjige s bajkama. Najvjerojatnije nazvan po nekadašnjim mostarima koji su čuvali njegov najljepši most, Mostar je najpoznatiji po Starome mostu. Pa zašto ne bismo upravo odatle krenuli u obilazak grada? Kako bi premostili povijesno središte Mostara prepolovljeno rijekom Neretvom, Osmanlije su u 16. stoljeću izgradile Stari most, danas dio svjetske baštine pod zaštitom UNESCO-a. Vrhunski je to primjer islamske arhitekture na Balkanu koji krasi šiljasti luk visok 24 metra, s kojeg se krajem srpnja svake godine organizira natjecanje u skokovima, čija tradicija seže do daleke 1664. godine. Povijesno središte Mostara širi se u oba smjera od mosta. Krenete li u smjeru istoka, doći ćete do najstarijeg dijela grada − stare čaršije odnosno Kujundžiluka. Sagrađen sredinom 16. stoljeća za vrijeme osmanske vladavine, Kujundžiluk je bio čaršija ili tržnica u kojoj su djelovale isključivo kujundžije ili zlatari. Otuda Kujundžiluku ime. Kujundžijski ili zlatarski zanat u to je vrijeme u Sarajevu cvjetao, tako da je do druge polovice 18. stoljeća zlatarski esnaf odnosno ceh brojao više od 200 majstora zanatlija, trgovaca i šegrta, među kojima je bilo i urara, kovača koji su se bavili pozlaćivanjem predmeta od bakra i kovača noževa koji su se specijalizirali za izradu srebrnih drški za noževe. Neobičnim popločanim ulicama Kujundžiluka, koji pomalo podsjeća na Veliki Bazar u Istambulu, nižu se tradicionalne kamene i otomanske kuće, zanatske radnje, aščinice i restorani koji već stoljećima održavaju tradiciju i običaje bazara na životu. Kujundžiluk je

A fairy-tale town

Stari most u Mostaru preko rijeke Neretve, dio UNESCO-ove svjetske baštine, kad je izgrađen 1566., bio je najšira lučna konstrukcija na svijetu

The Old Bridge in Mostar over the Neretva River is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which, when it was built in 1566, was the widest human-made arch in the world također savršeno mjesto za kupnju suvenira, posebno ako ste u potrazi za nečim ručno i zanatski izrađenim te originalnim.

Ako želite nenametljivu poveznicu sa suvremenim načinom života, predlažemo da je pronađete u nezaobilaznom ispijanju kave. Tradicionalna bosanska kahva oduvijek se pripremala u bakrenoj džezvi, u kojoj se najprije pržilo zrno, a potom se to zrno zakuhavalo. Pije se crna i polako te se ne zaslađuje šećerom, nego rahat lokumom s dodacima poput oraha ili ružine vodice. Ta kultura ispijanja kahve zadržala se do danas.

Duboko prožet poviješću, Mostar ponosno nosi svoju ostavštinu, umjetnost, kulturu, arhitekturu, tradiciju i način života. Za ljubitelje umjetnosti nezaobilazna je mostarska adresa galerija

The Hub of Fine Arts. Riječ je stalnom postavu više od 100 slika i skulptura renomiranih umjetnika iz 19. i 20. stoljeća. A ako se želite malo udaljiti od gradskih ulica, predlažemo da svakako posjetite vidikovac Fortica, s kojeg se pruža prekrasan pogled na taj grad hipnotizirajućeg šarma i ljepote.

Da ipak više niste u nekom davnom stoljeću, možete se podsjetiti adrenalinskim užitkom na popularnom ziplineu , okrepu

01 Kafići i restorani s desne strane Neretve, u koje se dolazi iz Tabhane, nekadašnje radionice za štavljenje kože

Cafes and restaurants on Neretva’s right riverbank accessed from Tabhana, formerly a hide tanning workshop

02 Koski Mehmed-pašina džamija sagrađena 1617. jedina je mostarska džamija u kojoj je sačuvana prvobitna boja i dekoracija zidova

Built in 1617, Koski Mehmed Pasha’s Mosque is the only mosque in Mostar whose murals and wall paint have been preserved in their original form možete potražiti u Restoranu i vinariji Romanca, a udoban smještaj turistima u Mostaru ponudit će Hotel Mepas. I upravo u toj vrevi turista koji neumorno tumaraju mostarskim ulicama jasno ćete osjetiti sadašnji trenutak. Vrijeme u Mostaru ipak nije stalo. 

Ne samo Mostar nego i njegova okolica mami na prelijepe doživljaje. Nemojte propustiti vodopad Kravicu na rječici Trebižat, vrelo Bune i tekiju Blagaj, srednjovjekovni grad Počitelj, nekropolu stećaka Radimlja, Daorson koji mnogi nazivaju hercegovačkim Stonehengeom, grad Stolac i stari grad Vidošku, etno selo Herceg, hodočasničko mjesto Međugorje... Želite li malo predahnuti od obilaska znamenitosti, posjetite vinograde Emporia, vinske podrume Andrija u Paoči, vinariju Domanica u Čapljini...

Great experiences can be had not only in Mostar, but also in its surroundings. Be sure to visit, for example, the Kravica Waterfall on the Trebižat River, the source of the Buna River and the kasaba or village-town of Blagaj, the medieval town of Počitelj, the Radimlja Necropolis and its stećak tombstones, Daorson which is often referred to as Herzegovina’s Stonehenge, the Town of Stolac, the Old Town of Vidoška, the Herceg Ethno Village, and the Shrine of Our Lady of Međugorje. To take a break from sightseeing, there’re the Emporia Vineyards, the Andrija Wine Cellars in the village of Paoča, and the Domanica Winery in the town of Čapljina.

With all of Mostar’s buildings and roads made of pale grey limestone, the town looks like it was plucked from the pages of an illustrated fairy-tale book.

Most probably named after mostari or the guards of old of its most beautiful bridge, Mostar is indeed most famous for its Stari Most or Old Bridge. So why not start your tour of Mostar from there. Built in the 16th century by the Ottomans to bridge Mostar’s historic centre halved by the Neretva River, Stari Most is an exemplary piece of Islamic architecture on the Balkans and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. What makes it iconic is its pointed arch and 24-meter drop into the river, from which a diving contest is organised at the end of July each year, a tradition that dates back to 1664.

Mostar’s historic centre sprawls out in either direction from the bridge. If you head east, you’ll get to the oldest part of Mostar − the old bazaar called Kujundžiluk. Built in the mid-16th century during the Ottoman rule, it was intended to be a marketplace reserved exclusively for kujundžije or goldsmiths, hence its name. The goldsmith trade was flourishing in Sarajevo at that time, so much so that by the second half of the 18th century, the goldsmiths’ guild gathered more than 200 master artisans, merchants, and apprentices, including clockmakers, metalsmiths who gilded copper items, and knifesmiths who specialised in making silver knife handles. Reminiscent of the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Kujundžiluk is lined with traditional stone and Ottoman houses along a quaint cobblestone street, and craft stores, inns, and restaurants that have kept the bazaar’s traditions alive for centuries. This is also the perfect place to do your souvenir shopping, particularly if you’re looking for something artisanal, handmade, and original.

There is a connection with modern life in Mostar, and it’s an inconspicuous one − you’ll find it in the art of Bosnian coffee. Traditional croatiaairlines.com _ m.croatiaairlines.com

Zrakoplovi Croatia Airlinesa lete iz Zagreba u Mostar nedjeljom, srijedom i četvrtkom, a iz Mostara u Zagreb ponedjeljkom, srijedom i petkom.

Croatia Airlines flies from Zagreb to Mostar on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and from Mostar to Zagreb on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Bosnian coffee has always been prepared in a copper dzhezva coffee pot, in which the beans are first roasted and then brought to boil. It is had black, is sipped, and is not sweetened with sugar, but with rahat lokum, more commonly known as Turkish delight, flavoured with, for instance, walnuts or rose water. The art and culture of Bosnian coffee has persisted to this day, which means that you too can enjoy it.

Deeply steeped in history, Mostar takes great pride in its Ottoman legacy, architecture, traditions and way of life. The Hub of Fine Arts in Mostar is a must-see art gallery for art lovers showcasing more than 100 paintings and sculptures by renowned 19th and 20th century artists. If, on the other hand, you’re looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the town, be sure to check out the Fortica Skywalk, a new glass floor walkway offering spectacular vistas of mesmerising Mostar.

To remind yourself that you haven’t actually travelled back in time, hop on Mostar’s adrenaline pumping zip line, look for refreshment at the Romanca Restaurant and Winery, and find comfortable accommodation at Mepas Hotel. To get grounded in the present moment, you have the bustle of tourists tirelessly roaming the streets of Mostar to thank. Because time in Mostar has not stood still after all. 