Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Before leaving, ponder how progressive the majority of Mostar's Muslims are. Most of
them drink alcohol, wear modern European clothing (you'll see very few women wearing
head scarves or men with beards—and those you do see are likely tourists from the Middle
East), and almost never visit a mosque to pray. In so many ways, these people don't fit our
preconceived notions of Islam...and yet, they consider themselves Muslims all the same.
The mosque's courtyard is shared by several merchants. When you're done haggling,
head to the terrace behind the mosque for the best view in town of the Old Bridge.
• Just beyond this mosque, the traffic-free cobbles of the Old Town end. Take a right and
leave the cutesy tourists' world. Walk up one block to the big...
▲▲▲ New Muslim Cemetery
In this cemetery, which was a park before the war, every tomb is dated 1993, 1994, or 1995.
As the war raged, more exposed cemeteries were unusable. But this tree-covered piece of
land was relatively safe from Croat snipers. As the casualties mounted, locals buried their
loved ones here under cover of darkness. Many of these people were soldiers, but some
werecivilians.StrictMuslimgravesdon'tdisplayimagesofpeople,buthereyou'llseepho-
tos of war dead who were young, less-traditional members of the Muslim community. The
fleur-de-lis shape of many of the tombstones is a patriotic symbol for the nation of Bos-
nia. The Arabic squiggles are the equivalent of an American having Latin on his or her
tombstone—old-fashioned and formal.
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