Friday, June 29th, 2012
After my relatively late arrive last night, I got up sort of early to check out Mostar. I didn't have to go far of course since I spent the night in a museum. This morning I got to check it out....with a private tour.
The outdoor courtyard area. This area would have been used for everything from afternoon tea to political discussions. It is representative of the Ottomans in the 17th century. This was built as a home for Muslim nobles yet this courtyard is decorated with the Star of David. I found that confusing until it was explained to me that at the time, the Star of David was a monolith symbol of all religions.
The first floor and main entry way. Today you will find the hotel rooms on this floor. Construction of the Muslibegovic House began in 1871.
The second floor divan. I wasn't really sure what a divan was but when you look up the definition (or definitions) they all fit. A divan can refer to a large couch, usually without a back or arms (often used as a bed). Divan can also refer to a council chamber. This room would have been used by men very often for political reasons.
A look at the traditional clothing warn by Muslims at the time. Interesting to note that the clothing worn by Catholics and Orthodox look the same but were simply different colours. Catholics wore navy blue and Orthodox wore black.
A sample bedroom on the third floor. On the third floor you would also find a divan that women would use for entertaining.
The view of the courtyard from the upper floors.
Once my tour of the museum was done, I stashed my bag and headed out to see the town. I was staying nice and central so everything was within walking distance. I was planning to catch a bus at 1730 (5:30pm) so had a full day to see Mostar.
My first stop was just down the street at the Karadjozbe Mosque. It was built in 1557 and is the oldest mosque in the area.
A quick look at the main prayer area in the mosque.
Naturally I had to climb up the mosque tower to check out the view......and it was a pretty good view. Mostar is a pretty little city in a pretty little mountain area.
The grave yard out back. Just as old as the church.
I then headed down the street to check out what many believe is the only reason (I disagree) to visit Mostar.....the Old Bridge.
There it is.....Stari Most (The Old Bridge). Not really a cleaver name because this bridge, originally built by the Turks in 1566, was actually rebuilt in 2004. The original bridge was destroyed during the war in 1993.
Looking along side the Old Bridge. Small bit of info about bridges in Mostar....there is no bridge in Mostar older than 1994. They were all destroyed during the war.
There is a nice little museum in the bridge. This is the view from the upper floors. The museum takes you through the entire story of the bridge, from the original wooden bridge that was built in the 15th century to the new bridge you see now. The bridge is now a UNESCO Heritage Site which means that when it was rebuilt it had to be done with the same materials and the same methods as the original.
A few of the artifacts you can find in the museum. Many of these items were found when construction on the new bridge started. The damage revealed many treasures that had been buried over the years.
Also found after the bridge was destroyed. Many artifacts were found in this area and it has been reinforced so people can check it out.
This old wall in Mostar bears many scars from the war in the 1990's.
The remains of a few more buildings that remain a reminder of some of the damage caused by the war.
Looking down from the centre of the bridge. The water looks a little inviting right?
What's he doing? Well he is a member the Mostar Diving Club. They dive off the bridge to the cool water below. This guy sat here for a long time but he never did take the leap. The bridge is 21 metres (68 feet) high......so that's more than double the height of a 10 metre platform dive. Much too big a jump for me to test. In fact it is not recommended that untrained people make the leap. The water in the river is a constant 12 C (54 F) so on a day when it was about 32 C (90 F), the change in temperature can cause heart attacks.
Nothing like relaxing on a sunny day with a cold Bosnian beer. It's pretty good too.
Offers a good view of the bridge. That's the same guy just sitting there. He psyched us out a few times but never jumped.
A different view of the bridge.......and a slightly different Bosnian beer. It was while I was here that someone finally dropped from the bridge. Of course they wait until I didn't have a great view.
A little video of that jump. Kind of obstructed but you get the point.
The "main street" in Mostar. A great little place to check out the bazaar (very Turkish style). I managed to get some great jewelery here.
Eventually I had to leave the great little city of Mostar and catch a bus to my next and final destination of the trip, Sarajevo. I arrived in the early evening, settled into my hotel and then headed out to see a few things (and grab some food). I made my way to the visitor information centre first for a map and to set up a tour for tomorrow. And then I did what I do best......wander.
Giant park chess games. Always interesting to see. I still don't know how to play chess though.
A look at one of the churches within the old city.
A pretty common scene on store fronts in the city. After the war, carrying firearms became a lot more popular (as you can imagine), so it became necessary to post signs like this on doors.
The remains of the old caravan and souk.
One of the old buildings you will find in the old town. Of course it is Friday night so there were tons of people on the streets shopping and eating and taking in some of the entertainment the Old Town centre offers.
It was off to bed relatively early for me. I had a busy day planned tomorrow. So much of Sarajevo, so little time.
Julie
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