Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
central zone was pretty much all there was to the city. It wasn't until the Tito years that it
became industrialized and grew like crazy. As you explore, survey the atmospheric eateries
clingingtothewallsofthecanyon—andchooseoneforamealordrinklaterintheday(I've
noted a couple under “Eating in Mostar,” later).
Walkstraightaheaduntilyoureachasquareviewpointplatformonyourright.It'sacross
from a charming little mosque and above the stream (you may have to squeeze between
souvenir stands to get there). The mosque is one of 10 in town. Before the recent war there
were 36, and before World War II there were even more (many of those damaged or des-
troyed in World War II were never repaired or replaced, since Tito's communist Yugoslavia
discouraged religion). But the recent war inspired Muslims to finally rebuild. Each of the
town's reconstructed mosques was financed by a Muslim nation or organization (this one
was a gift from an international association for the protection of Islamic heritage). Some
critics(read:Croats)allegethattheseforeignMusliminfluences—whichgenerallyinterpret
their faith more strictly than the typically progressive and laid-back Bosniaks—are threat-
ening to flood the country with a rising tide of Islamic fundamentalism. For more on this
• Look upriver. Spanning the river below the mosque (partly obscured by trees) is the...
Crooked Bridge (Kriva Ćuprija)
This miniature Old Bridge was built nearly a decade before its more famous sibling, sup-
posedly to practice for the real deal. Damaged—but not destroyed—during the war, the ori-
ginal bridge was swept away several years later by floods. The bridge you see today is a
reconstruction.
• Continue on the same street deeper into the city center. After a few steps, a street to the left
(worth a short detour) leads to the
TI,
then a copper-domed hammam (Turkish bathhouse),
which was destroyed in World War II and only recently rebuilt. A happening nightlife and
restaurant scene tumbles downhill toward the river from here, offering spectacular views of
the Old Bridge.
Back on the main drag, continue along the shopping zone, past several market stalls, to
the focal point of town, the...
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Crooked Bridge (Kriva Ćuprija)
One of the most evocative sights in the former Yugoslavia, this iconic bridge confidently
spanned the Neretva River for more than four centuries. Mostarians of all faiths love the
bridge and speak of “him” as an old friend. Traditionally considered the point where East
meetsWest,theOldBridgeisassymbolicasitisbeautiful.Dramaticallyarchedandflanked
by two boxy towers, the bridge is stirring—even if you don't know its history.
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