Sights in Mostar - Croatia and Slovenia - page 667

trance to a mosque—a reminder of the importance of running water in Muslim culture. The
little white building is a kitchen—cleverly located apart from the house so that the heat and
smells of cooking didn't permeate the upstairs living area.
Buy your ticket and take off your shoes before you climb up the wooden staircase. Ima-
gine how a stairway like this one could be pulled up for extra protection in case of danger
(notice that this one has a “trap door” to cover it). The cool, shady, and airy living room
is open to the east—from where the wind rarely blows. The overhanging roof also preven-
ted the hot sun from reaching this area. The loom in the corner was the women's work-
place—the carpets you're standing on would have been woven there. The big chests against
the wall were used to bring the dowry when the homeowner took a new wife. Study the fine
wood carving that decorates the space.
Continue back into the main gathering room (divanhan). This space—whose name
comes from the word “talk”—is designed in a circle so people could face each other,
cross-legged, for a good conversation while they enjoyed a dramatic view overlooking the
Neretva. The room comes with a box of traditional costumes—great for photo fun. Put on a
pair of baggy pants and a fez and really lounge.
Other Turkish Houses: Ifyou'reintriguedbythishouse,considerdroppingbyMostar's
two other Turkish houses. The Muslibegovi ć House (Muslibegovi ć a Ku ć a) feels newer
because it dates from 1871, just a few years before the Ottomans left town. This homey
house—which also rents out rooms to visitors (see “Sleeping in Mostar,” later)—has many
of the same features as the Biš ć evi ć House. If they're not too busy, Sanela or Gabriela
can give you an English tour (4 KM, mid-April-mid-Oct daily 10:00-18:00, closed to vis-
itors off-season, just two blocks uphill from the Kara đ ozbeg Mosque at Osman Ðiki ć a 41,
tel. [phone], www.muslibegovichouse.com ) . To find it, go up the street between the
Kara đ ozbeg Mosque and the cemetery, cross the busy street, and continue a long block up-
hill on the alley. The wall with the slate roof on the left marks the house.
The Kajtaz House (Kajtazova Ku ć a), hiding up a very residential-feeling alley a few
blocks from the Old Bridge, feels lived-in because it still is (in the opposite direction from
most of the other sights, at Gaše Ili ć a 21).
• Go back to the main café street and continue to the...
▲ Kar a đ ozbeg Mosque (Kar a đ ozbegova Džamija)
The city's main mosque was completed in 1557, the same year work began on the Old
Bridge. This mosque, which welcomes visitors, feels less touristy than the one back in the
Old Town. Before entering the gate into the complex, look for the picture showing the re-
cent war damage sustained here. You'll see that this mosque has most of the same elements
as the Koski Mehmet-Pasha Mosque (described earlier), but some of these decorations are
original.Acrossthestreetisanothercemeterywithtombstonesfromthatterribleyear,1993.