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Medjugorje ( Serbo-Croatian : Međugorje , pronounced [mêdʑuɡoːrje] ) is a village in the municipality of Čitluk in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina , an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina . Since 1981, it has become a popular site of Catholic pilgrimage due to Our Lady of Medjugorje , a purported series of apparitions of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus , to six local children, which some people believe are still happening to this day.

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68-400: The name Međugorje literally means "between mountains". At an altitude of 200 m (660 ft) above sea level it has a mild Mediterranean climate . The town consists of an ethnically homogeneous Croat population of 2,306. The Catholic parish includes four neighbouring villages: Bijakovići, Vionica, Miletina and Šurmanci. Since 2019, pilgrimages to Medjugorje have been authorized by

136-455: A Serbian Orthodox Church , was built in 1834 during Ottoman rule. Austria-Hungary took control over Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1878 and ruled the region until the aftermath of World War I in 1918, when it became part of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs and then Yugoslavia . During this period, Mostar was the main urban centre of Herzegovina . In 1881, the town became the seat of

204-634: A Bosniak-majority old City and east bank (with ca. 50,000 residents), with the frontline running parallel to the Neretva River. Most Serbs had fled the city. Since the end of the wider war in 1995, great progress has been made in the reconstruction of the city of Mostar under the European Union Administration of the City of Mostar (EUAM). Over 15 million dollars has been spent on restoration. A monumental project to rebuild

272-596: A bridge had already been built there. Prior to 1444, the Nebojša Tower was built on the left bank of the Neretva, which belonged to the late medieval county still known as Večenike or Večerić. The earliest documentary reference to Mostar as a settlement dates from 3 April 1452, when Ragusans from Dubrovnik wrote to their fellow countrymen in the service of Serbian Despot Đorđe Branković to say that Vladislav Hercegović had turned against his father Stjepan and occupied

340-641: A group of former tanneries round an open courtyard. Once again, the 19th-century commercial buildings are predominantly neoclassical. A number of elements of the early fortifications are visible, namely the Hercegusa Tower dating from the medieval period. By contrast, the Ottoman defence edifices are represented by the Halebinovka and Tara Towers – the watchtowers on the ends of the Old Bridge, and

408-767: A raiding party sent from Medjugorje, it has been reconstructed. Gravestones erected in the Middle Ages have remained to this day in the Catholic cemetery Groblje Srebrenica in the hamlet of Miletina as well as in the hamlet of Vionica. In the area of the cemetery in Miletina, structures from the Roman era stood, whose ruins have not yet been fully excavated. Part of the Ottoman Empire until 1878, it became part of Austria-Hungary (War of 1878, Annexation 1908). In 1882

476-688: A series of stalemates. The Croat–Bosniak conflict ended with the signing of the Washington Agreement in 1994, and the Bosnian War ended with the Dayton Agreement in 1995. Around 2,000 people died in Mostar during the war. Two wars (Serb forces versus Bosniak and Croatian and Croat-Bosniak war) left Mostar physically devastated and ethno-territorially divided between a Croat-majority west bank (with ca. 55,000 residents) and

544-548: A stretch of the ramparts. The oldest single arch stone bridge in Mostar, the Kriva Cuprija ("Sloping Bridge") , was built in 1558 by the Ottoman architect Cejvan Kethoda. It is said that this was to be a test before the major construction of the Stari Most began. The Old Bridge was completed in 1566 and was hailed as one of the greatest architectural achievements in the Ottoman [Balkans]]. The single-arch stone bridge

612-517: A thousand hotel and hostel beds are available for pilgrims to the town. With approximately one million visitors annually, Medjugorje has the most overnight stays in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2017, Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Henryk Hoser of Praga (Warsaw) as a special envoy of the Holy See to Medjugorje, tasked with assessing its pastoral needs. By the end of 2017, Hoser had announced that

680-593: Is a city and the administrative centre of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina , an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina , and the historical capital of Herzegovina . Mostar is situated on the Neretva River and is the fifth-largest city in the country. Mostar was named after the bridge keepers ( mostari ) who guarded the Stari Most (Old Bridge) over the Neretva during

748-735: Is a home of music festival named Melodije Mostara (Mostar Melodies), which has been held annually since 1995. Theatre festivals include Mostarska Liska (organized by the National Theatre Mostar ) and The Mostar Spring (organized by the Matica hrvatska Mostar). Mostar art institutions include: Mostar cuisine is balanced between Western and Eastern influences. Traditional Mostar food is closely related to Turkish , Middle Eastern and other Mediterranean cuisines . However, due to years of Austrian rule and influence, there are many culinary influences from Central Europe . Some of

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816-460: Is a measure of a location's vertical distance ( height , elevation or altitude ) in reference to a vertical datum based on a historic mean sea level . In geodesy , it is formalized as orthometric height . The zero level varies in different countries due to different reference points and historic measurement periods. Climate change and other forces can cause sea levels and elevations to vary over time. Elevation or altitude above sea level

884-399: Is a perfect semicircle 8.56 m (28.1 ft) in width and 4.15 m (13.6 ft) in height. The frontage and vault are made of regular stone cubes incorporated into the horizontal layers all along the vault. The space between vault, frontal walls and footpath is filled with cracked stone. The bridge footpath and the approaching roads are paved with cobblestones, as are the main roads in

952-579: Is a standard measurement for: Elevation or altitude is generally expressed as " metres above mean sea level" in the metric system , or " feet above mean sea level" in United States customary and imperial units . Common abbreviations in English are: For elevations or altitudes, often just the abbreviation MSL is used, e.g., Mount Everest (8849 m MSL), or the reference to sea level is omitted completely, e.g., Mount Everest (8849 m). Altimetry

1020-566: Is also open to the public and is accessible from inside the mosque. Just around the corner from the mosque is the Tepa Market. This has been a busy marketplace since Ottoman times. It now sells mostly fresh produce grown in Herzegovina and, when in season, the figs and pomegranates are extremely popular. Local honey is also a prominent specialty, being produced all around Herzegovina. Magazine Most , along with Šantić 's Poetry Evenings,

1088-420: Is an exact replica of the original bridge that stood for over 400 years and that was designed by Hajrudin, a student of the great Ottoman architect Sinan. It spans 28.7 m (94 ft) of the Neretva river, 21 m (69 ft) above the summer water level. The Halebija and Tara towers have always housed the guardians of the bridge and during Ottoman times were also used as storehouses for ammunition. The arch

1156-410: Is named after the goldsmiths who traditionally created and sold their wares on this street, and still sells authentic paintings and copper or bronze carvings of the Stari Most, pomegranates (the natural symbol of Herzegovina), or the stećaks (medieval tombstones). The Koski Mehmed Paša Mosque, built in 1617, is open to visitors. Visitors may enter the mosque and take photos free of charge. The minaret

1224-403: Is the largest financial center in Bosnia and Herzegovina. One of three largest banks in the country has its headquarters in Mostar. Bosnia and Herzegovina has three national electric, postal and telecommunication service corporations; the seat of one per each group is placed in Mostar (electric utility provider Elektroprivreda HZHB , postal service company Hrvatska pošta Mostar and HT Eronet ,

1292-505: Is the measurement of altitude or elevation above sea level. Common techniques are: Accurate measurement of historical mean sea levels is complex. Land mass subsidence (as occurs naturally in some regions) can give the appearance of rising sea levels . Conversely, markings on land masses that are uplifted (due to geological processes) can suggest a relative lowering of mean sea level. Mostar Mostar ( Serbian Cyrillic : Мостар , pronounced [mǒstaːr] )

1360-606: The Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia . By the Dayton Agreement in 1995, Medjugorje was incorporated into the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina , populated mostly by Bosniaks and Croats . It lies within the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton , one of ten autonomous regions established so that no ethnic group could dominate the Federation. On 2 April 1995, at the high point of conflict within

1428-632: The Croat–Bosniak War escalated and by mid-April 1993 Mostar had become a divided city with the western part dominated by HVO forces and the eastern part controlled by the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH). Fighting broke out in May when both sides of the city came under intense artillery fire. The city was divided along ethnic lines, with a number of offensives taking place, resulting in

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1496-723: The Netherlands , and Croatia . A grand opening was held on 23 July 2004 under heavy security. In parallel, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and the World Monuments Fund , with funding provided by the World Bank , undertook a five-year-long restoration and rehabilitation effort to regenerate the most significant areas of historic Mostar, and particularly the urban tissue around the Old Bridge. Also in July 2004,

1564-717: The Ottoman era. The Old Bridge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site , commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th century, is one of Bosnia and Herzegovina's most visited landmarks, and is considered an exemplary piece of Islamic architecture in the Balkans . Human settlements on the river Neretva, between Mount Hum and the Velež Mountain , have existed since prehistory, as witnessed by discoveries of fortified enceintes and cemeteries. Evidence of Roman occupation

1632-782: The Roman Catholic Diocese of Mostar-Duvno and, in 1939, it became a part of the Banovina of Croatia . During World War II , Mostar was annexed into the Nazi German fascist puppet state , the Independent State of Croatia . During the period of Austro-Hungarian rule (1878–1918), Mostar's city council cooperated with the Austro-Hungarian administration to implement sweeping reforms in city planning: broad avenues and an urban grid were imposed on

1700-650: The Vatican as long as there is no assumption the events are confirmed to have a supernatural origin. In September 2024, the Vatican formally endorsed "prudent devotion" to Mary at Medjugorje but made no declaration that the purported apparitions actually took place. To the east of Međugorje in the Neretva valley, the Serbian Orthodox Žitomislić Monastery has stood since 1566. After being destroyed in 1992 by

1768-511: The railway line between Mostar and the Adriatic coast of Dalmatia was built, with a station in the hamlet of Šurmanci, through which the village gained access to the railway network. The Catholic parish of Sveti Jakov ("Saint James") was erected in 1892 by the Bishop of Mostar Paškal Buconjić . The twelve-metre tall crucifix on the mountain called Križevac (Cross Mountain), completing

1836-400: The 17th century, Turkish traveler and author Evliya Çelebi wrote of the bridge thus: the bridge is like a rainbow arch soaring up to the skies, extending from one cliff to the other... I, a poor and miserable servant of Allah, have passed through 16 countries, but I have never seen such a high bridge. It is thrown from rock to rock as high as the sky. The first church in the city of Mostar,

1904-502: The 20th century for ideological reasons or by bombardment. One of the two 19th-century Orthodox churches has also disappeared, while the early 20th-century synagogue , after suffering severe damage in the World War II , has been converted into a theatre. Several Ottoman inns also survived, along with other buildings from this period of Mostar's history, such as fountains and schools. The majority of administrative buildings are from

1972-569: The Adriatic coast and invigorated the economy of the city. The results of this ten-year project earned Mostar an Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1986. According to the 1991 census , Mostar had 127,000 inhabitants with roughly an equal number of Bosniaks (34.6%) and Croats (34%), 18.8% Serbs , and 13.6% of those who declared themselves Yugoslavs or Others. After Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence from Yugoslavia in April 1992,

2040-505: The Austro-Hungarian period and have neoclassical and Secessionist characteristics. A number of surviving late Ottoman houses demonstrate the component features of this form of domestic architecture – upper storey for residential use, hall, paved courtyard, and veranda on one or two storeys. The later 19th-century residential houses are predominantly in neoclassical style. A number of early trading and craft buildings still exist, notably some low shops in wood or stone, stone storehouses, and

2108-490: The Neretva. The city was a major industrial and tourist center and prospered economically during the time of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia . Between 1948 and 1974 the industrial base was expanded with construction of a metal-working factory, cotton textile mills , and an aluminum plant. Skilled workers, both men and women, entered the work force and the social and demographic profile of

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2176-481: The Old Bridge, which was destroyed during the Bosnian War by HVO, to the original design, and restore surrounding structures and historic neighbourhoods was initiated in 1999 and mostly completed by spring 2004. The money for this reconstruction was donated by Spain (who had a sizable contingent of peacekeeping troops stationed in the surrounding area during the conflict), the United States , Turkey , Italy ,

2244-564: The Queen of Peace, or in other words Vatican City offers its approval for devotion of Queen of Peace and Medjugorje. The Vatican's document stated that the ruling was made because “many positive fruits have been noted in the midst of a spiritual experience, while negative and dangerous effects have not spread among the People of God.” According to the 2013 census, its population was 2,265. Above mean sea level Height above mean sea level

2312-554: The Stari Grad Agency was launched to operate and maintain the restored buildings, including the Old Bridge complex, and promote Mostar as a cultural and tourist destination. In July 2005, UNESCO inscribed the Old Bridge and its closest vicinity onto the World Heritage List . International reconstruction efforts also aimed at the reunification of the divided city. The February 1996 Mostar Agreement led to

2380-546: The Vatican officially authorized pilgrimages to Medjugorje as long as there is no assumption the events are confirmed to have a supernatural origin. The first Vatican-sanctioned pilgrimage then took place for five days from 2-6 August 2019. During the pilgrimage, approximately 60,000 young Catholics from 97 countries took part in the Medjugorje International Youth Festival . Fourteen archbishops and bishops and about 700 Catholic priests joined

2448-545: The Vatican's position was in favor of organizing pilgrimages. In 2018, the Pope named Hoser as an apostolic visitor to Medjugorje, for "an undefined period and at nutum Sanctae Sedis " (at the disposal of the Holy See). The aim of this mission is "ensuring a stable and continuous accompaniment to the parish community of Medjugorje and to the faithful who go there as pilgrims, and whose needs require particular attention." In 2019,

2516-603: The adoption of the Interim Statute of the city the same month, and to a 1-year period of EUAM, headed by former Bremen mayor Hans Koschnick , until early 1997. After six years of implementation, in 2003 OHR Paddy Ashdown established an "international commission for reforming Mostar", whose final report noted how the HDZ/SDA power-sharing in Mostar had entrenched division and corruption, with "rampant parallelism" in administrative structures and usurpation of power by

2584-400: The annual International Economic Fair Mostar ("Međunarodni sajam gospodarstva Mostar") which was first held in 1997. In 2013 the municipality had a total population of 105,797 according to the census results and the city itself had a population of 60,195. Its population consists of the following ethnic groups: Croats (48.4%); Bosniaks (44.1%) and Serbs (4.1%). The city of Mostar has

2652-432: The city was broadened dramatically; between 1945 and 1980, Mostar's population grew from 18,000 to 100,000. Because Mostar's eastern bank was burdened by inadequate infrastructure, the city expanded on the western bank with the construction of large residential blocks. Local architects favored an austere modernist aesthetic, prefabrication and repetitive modules. Commercial buildings in the functionalist style appeared on

2720-634: The conduct of the vote in Mostar on 20 December 2020. Mostar has architecturally noteworthy buildings in a wide range of styles. Historicist architectural styles reflected cosmopolitan interest and exposure to foreign aesthetic trends and were artfully merged with indigenous styles. Examples include the Italianate Franciscan church, the Ottoman Muslibegovića house , the Dalmatian Ćorović House and an Orthodox church which

2788-452: The dishes include ćevapčići , burek , sarma , japrak , musaka , dolma , sujuk , sač , đuveč , and sataraš . Local desserts include baklava , hurmašice , sutlijaš , tulumbe , tufahije , and šampita . Mostar's economy relies heavily on the aluminium and metal industry, banking services and the telecommunication sector. The city is home of some of the country's largest corporations. Along with Sarajevo and Banja Luka , it

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2856-412: The east (Bosniak-majority) had 34,712 voters. The ethnic composition of the city of Mostar, per indicated census years: The City of Mostar (aside from city proper) includes the following settlements: After the Bosnian War , following the Dayton Agreement , the villages of Kamena , Kokorina and Zijemlje were separated from Mostar to form the new municipality of Istočni Mostar (East Mostar), in

2924-410: The fact that three dams are situated on the city of Mostar's territory, the city has a solid base for further development of production. There is also an ongoing project for the possible use of wind power and building of windmills. The private sector has seen a notable increase in small and medium enterprises over the past couple of years contributing to the positive business climate. Mostar also hosts

2992-401: The festivities as well. On September 19 2024, Vatican City , with the blessing of Pope Francis , granted Medjugorje the status of ' Nulla Osta ' ( Nihil Obstat ). This means that they encourage the departure of believers and church pilgrimages to Medjugorje, but do not enter into the question of alleged Marian apparitions, and warn believers not to go to Medjugorje for 'alleged seers', but for

3060-845: The fighting. Among them were the Catholic Cathedral of Mary, Mother of the Church , the Franciscan Church and Monastery, the Bishop's Palace and 12 out of 14 mosques in the city. After the VRS was pushed from the city, the Serbian Orthodox Žitomislić Monastery and the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity were demolished. Throughout late 1992, tensions between Croats and Bosniaks increased in Mostar. In early 1993

3128-420: The historic eastern side of the city as well, replacing more intimate timber constructions that had survived since Ottoman times. In the 1970s and 1980s, a healthy local economy fueled by foreign investment spurred recognition and conservation of the city's cultural heritage. An economically sustainable plan to preserve the old town of Mostar was implemented by the municipality, which drew thousands of tourists from

3196-473: The largest population of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. As in many other cities, its demographic profile was significantly altered after the Bosnian War; in the case of Mostar, most of the Serbs left or were forced out of the city . According to the official data of the local elections of 2008, among six city election districts, three western ones (Croat-majority) had 53,917 registered voters, and those three on

3264-551: The local diocese, Bishop Ratko Perić was kidnapped by Croat militiamen, beaten, and taken to a chapel run by one of the Franciscans associated with Međugorje, where he was held hostage for ten hours. At the initiative of the mayor of Mostar , he was freed without bloodshed, with the help of the United Nations Protection Force . The town and its environs boomed economically after the war. Over

3332-497: The market on the left bank of the river which was used by traders, soldiers, and other travelers. During this time it was also the seat of a kadiluk (district with a regional judge). Since Mostar was on the trade route between the Adriatic and the mineral-rich regions of central Bosnia , the settlement began to spread to the right bank of the river. Prior to 1474 the names of two towns appear in medieval historical sources, along with their later medieval territories and properties –

3400-614: The municipalities over the City. A new Statute was negotiated, and finally imposed in February 2004 by OHR Paddy Ashdown . In November 2010, the Constitutional Court struck down as discriminatory the electoral framework for Mostar. The Bosniak and Croat ruling parties were unable, however, to reach a new compromise. Lacking a legal basis, local elections could not take place in Mostar in 2012 and 2016 , and outgoing mayor Ljubo Bešlić (HDZ BiH) remained in office as

3468-529: The objective of which was to relieve Mostar and break the JNA siege of Dubrovnik . The offensive was supported by the HVO, which attacked the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) positions around Mostar. By 12 June the HVO secured the western part of the city and by 21 June the VRS was completely pushed out from the eastern part. Numerous religious buildings and most of the city's bridges were destroyed or severely damaged during

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3536-574: The only person authorised to allocate the city budget on an emergency basis. Almost a decade without administration led to a decline in service provision, including trash collection. In October 2019 Irma Baralija won a case against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the European Court of Human Rights for the lack of elections in Mostar. Finally, a political deal, agreed under international mediation in June 2020, enabled legislative amendments in July 2020 and

3604-781: The parish's Stations of the Cross (križni put) , was completed in 1934. Our Lady of Medjugorje is the title given to the apparition by those who believe that the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus , has been appearing from 24 June 1981 until today to six children, now adults, in Medjugorje (then part of communist Yugoslavia ). The Marian shrine of Medjugorje has become a popular pilgrimage site for Catholics, and has turned into Europe's third most important apparition site, where each year more than 1 million people visit. It has been estimated that 30 million pilgrims have come to Međugorje since

3672-592: The reputed apparitions began in 1981. In 1981 as soon as reports began of the Marian apparitions on Crnica hill in the Bijakovići hamlet, confrontations with Yugoslav state authorities began. Pilgrims were forbidden from coming, the pilgrim's donations were seized by the police and access to what was called the Apparition Hill was largely blocked. The parish priest of Medjugorje at that time, Father Jozo Zovko ,

3740-469: The settlement, and mahala or a residential area. The town was fortified between the years 1520 and 1566, and the wooden bridge rebuilt in stone. In 1519 ( Hijri 925) the settlement was recorded as a castle and both as Mostar and as Köprühisar and it was inhabited by Muslims and Christians. It had four Muslim households and 85 Christian households. The stone bridge, the Old Bridge ( Stari most ),

3808-469: The third largest telecommunication company in the country). These three companies (along with banks and aluminium factory) make a vast portion of overall economic activity in the city. Prior to the 1992–1995 Bosnian War , Mostar relied on other important companies which had been closed, damaged or downsized. They included SOKO (military aircraft factory), Fabrika duhana Mostar (tobacco industry), and Hepok (food industry). In 1981, Mostar's GDP per capita

3876-472: The town of Blagaj and other places, including “Duo Castelli al ponte de Neretua.” . In 1468 the region came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire and the urbanization of the settlement began. It was named Köprühisar , meaning fortress at the bridge, at the centre of which was a cluster of 15 houses. The town was organized into two distinct areas: čaršija , the crafts and commercial centre of

3944-421: The town was besieged by the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), following clashes between the JNA and Croat forces. The Croats were organized into the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) and were joined by a sizable number of Bosniaks. The JNA artillery periodically shelled neighbourhoods outside of their control from early April. On 7 June the Croatian Army (HV) launched an offensive code named Operation Jackal ,

4012-409: The town. Stone steps enable people to ascend to the bridge from either side. During the armed conflict between Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats in the Bosnian War in the 1990s, the bridge was destroyed by the HVO (Croatian Defence Council). The Cejvan Cehaj Mosque, built in 1552, is the oldest mosque in Mostar. Later a madrasa (Islamic school) was built on the same compound. The Old Bazaar, Kujundziluk,

4080-465: The towns of Nebojša and Cimski grad. In the early 15th century the county ( župa ) of Večenike covered the site of the present-day Mostar along the right bank of the Neretva, including the sites of Zahum, Cim , Ilići , Raštani and Vojno . It was at the center of this area, which in 1408 belonged to Radivojević , who built Cim Fort (prior to 1443). Mostar is indirectly referred to in a 1454 charter of King Alfonso V of Aragon as Pons ("bridge"), for

4148-405: The western bank of the Neretva, and significant investments were made in infrastructure, communications and housing. City administrators like Mustafa Mujaga Komadina were central players in these transformations, which facilitated growth and linked the eastern and western banks of the city. Noteworthy examples of Austro-Hungarian architecture include Hotel Neretva , the Municipality building, which

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4216-439: Was 103% of the Yugoslav average. Aluminum manufacturing company Aluminij Industries is the sole remaining large company that was prominent during the former Yugoslavia. It is one of the country's largest exporter companies and it has a number of international partners. It is one of the most influential companies in the region as well. The city of Mostar alone has direct income of €40 million annually from Aluminij. Considering

4284-432: Was arrested and convicted of sedition. He refused to follow the orders from the Communist Party headquarters in Mostar: to stop the people from meeting on Podrodo and to stop the evening Mass. In the last years before the 1992 breakup of Yugoslavia , travel of pilgrims was no longer hindered by the state. During the Bosnian War , Medjugorje remained in the hands of the Croatian Defence Council and in 1993 became part of

4352-451: Was built as gift from the Sultan. The Ottomans used monumental architecture to affirm, extend and consolidate their colonial holdings. Administrators and bureaucrats – many of them indigenous people who converted from Christianity to Islam – founded mosque complexes that generally included Koranic schools, soup kitchens or markets. Out of the thirteen original mosques dating from the 16th and 17th centuries, seven have been lost during

4420-413: Was designed by the architect Josip Vancaš from Sarajevo , residential districts around the Rondo, and Gimnazija Mostar from 1902 designed by František Blažek . After World War II, Mostar developed industries producing plastics , tobacco , bauxite , wine , aircraft and aluminium . Several dams ( Grabovica , Salakovac , Mostar ) were built in the region to harness the hydroelectric power of

4488-399: Was discovered beneath the present town. As far as medieval Mostar goes, although the Christian basilicas of late antiquity remained in use, few historical sources were preserved and not much is known about this period. The name of Mostar was first mentioned in a document dating from 1474, taking its name from the bridge-keepers ( mostari ); this refers to the existence of a wooden bridge from

4556-419: Was erected in 1566 on the orders of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and at 28 m (92 ft) long and 20 m (66 ft) high, quickly became a wonder in its own time. Later becoming the city's symbol, the Old Bridge was designed by Mimar Hayruddin , a student and apprentice of Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan . In the late 16th century, Köprühisar was one of the towns of the Sanjak of Herzegovina . In

4624-496: Was most important outlet for cultural and artistic production in the city and the region, offering space for upstart poets and writers. Dani Matice Hrvatske is one of city's significant cultural events and it is commonly sponsored by the Croatian Government and the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina . Mostar Summer is another umbrella event which includes Šantić Poetry Evenings, Mostar Summer Festival and Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina choirs/ensembles. The city

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