The Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina is good in every way. Firstly, this region is famous for its pleasant climate and it is comfortable to relax in the Balkans at any time of the year. Secondly, the country has access to the Adriatic, and tourists bring Mediterranean tan from their holidays. A visa is not required for Russian travelers, the cuisine is simple and straightforward, the language is not too complicated, and the hospitality of the Balkans has long become a hallmark of the region. Interested in what to see in Bosnia and Herzegovina? Rest assured, your vacation will be eventful and informative.
Top 15 attractions in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Essence
The oldest national park presents its visitors with a section of prehistoric forest, the likes of which cannot be found in Europe. The Sutjeski area also includes a part of the Dinaric Highlands and Mount Maglich.
About 2500 species of plants grow on the territory of the park, and the fauna is represented by bears, wild boars, foxes and other classic forest animals. Almost 300 bird species delight birdwatchers and scientists, and the park's picturesque valleys and mountain lakes give many pleasant moments to photographers.
Recreation area "Suha" on the territory of "Sutjeski" includes a chalet, a restaurant in the national style and areas for organizing picnics.
Find: 25 km south of the city of Fochi.
Valley of Heroes
The memorial complex on the territory of the Sutjeska National Park is dedicated to the battle that took place here during the Second World War. The main objects worthy of the attention of tourists:
- The central monument and mass grave of the defenders of Foča.
- Museum of the battle, the exposition of which tells about the course of the battle. The halls display personal belongings of soldiers and officers, weapons from the Second World War and original photographic documents.
- Signs-pointers on the places of especially important points of the battle that took place in 1943.
In the Valley of Heroes, the Yugoslav partisans, at the cost of huge losses, defeated the combined German-Italian army and deprived the fascists of the opportunity to control the territory of Bosnia. In the republic, this battle is given the same importance as in Russia - the battle for Stalingrad.
National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The main museum of the country is located in a mansion built at the beginning of the 20th century. It features a variety of exhibits that tell about the history, culture and traditions of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The oldest exhibits are Roman inscriptions and the spiritual book of the Jews of the XIV century, called the Sarajevo Haggadah.
In the museum you will find three main collections: ethnic, archaeological and natural history of the Balkans. In the courtyard of the museum, the Botanical Garden is laid out, and at the facade are exhibited stechak - carved tombstones, similar to Armenian khachkars.
Military tunnel
Residents of Sarajevo call it the "Tunnel of Life", because during the recent war in Bosnia, food was delivered through this underground to the besieged city, and people were evacuated from Sarajevo.
The tunnel had been dug for several months. Trolleys were moving along the 700-meter underground, for which a narrow-gauge railway was laid in the tunnel.
Over the two years of existence of the "Tunnel of Life" tens of thousands of people have been evacuated along it.
In the small museum in the War Tunnel, you can see exhibits that accurately convey the atmosphere of the time when the civil war was raging in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Find: Near the international airport.
Latin bridge
This sad place for the whole world is one of the famous landmarks of Sarajevo. It was here that Archduke Ferdinand was killed, and this event was the reason for the outbreak of the First World War.
A wooden ferry across the Bosna River appeared in Sarajevo as early as the 16th century, but 200 years later the flood swept it away, and the townspeople built a stone bridge.
Near the Latin Bridge, a museum is open, which tells in detail about the events of August 28, 1914 - one of the most tragic dates in the history of mankind.
Medjugorje
An important center of Christian pilgrimage in the Balkans, Medjugorje became known in 1981, when the Mother of God began to appear to a flock of local children.
Pilgrims and tourists come to look at the Apparition Hill - a place known to all believers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. To the top of the hill, where the statue of the Virgin Mary is located, there is a staircase, along which pilgrims climb.
The White Cross Hill and the Church of St. James are no less famous sights of Medjugorje. In the Candle Park it is customary to light candles and pray for the health of loved ones.
How to get there: from the nearest town Mostar 25 km by taxi or bus N48 from the northern bus station.
Fortress Vranduk
The first mentions of the fortress in the town of Vranduk are found in the documents of the 15th century. It appeared in the Middle Ages, and its walls protected city buildings from enemy raids.
The fort is located on the top of a high hill, at the foot of which the Bosnia River flows. For fans of history, the exposition of the local history museum, opened in the fortress, will be of interest. The tower houses a collection of ancient utensils, national clothes, and in the courtyard of the fortress there is an old artillery gun.
Moricha Khan
Inns during the heyday of Sarajevo were built literally on every corner, because in the 16th century the city was a crossroads of trade routes in the Balkans. They were called caravanserais and the most famous in the Bosnian capital is Moricha Khan.
A special role in the history of the country fell to the inn in 1878, when the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina was formed in the local coffee house. His goal was to organize resistance to the occupation by the Austro-Hungarian conquerors.
In the coffee house of Moricha Khan, you can still drink a cup of aromatic Turkish coffee today.
Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
The main temple of the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina was designed and built by I. Vantsas, who is the author of the project of Notre Dame Cathedral. The temple in Sarajevo is distinguished by no less grace of lines and elegance of decoration. Clock towers, square at the base, soar up to a height of 43 meters, and the central façade is decorated with a classic Gothic rose-shaped window.
The interior is impressive with six colored stained glass windows made by Austrian glass blowers and an altar carved from magnificent white marble.
Old orthodox church
Each inhabitant of Sarajevo will show a tourist the old city temple, erected in the XIV century and rebuilt in the XVIII after a fire. The architecture of the Church of St. Archangels Michael and Gabriel is somewhat unusual, and the structure is more like an ordinary stone house. Historians believe that this was done so that the temple did not plague the eyes of the Ottoman conquerors. For the same reason, the floor of the church is made below ground level in order to increase its internal space, not allowing the temple to rise too high.
The main treasures of the church are the carved oak iconostasis with images of the 17th-18th centuries and the right hand of St. Tekla.
Sahat-Kula
The Clock Tower in Sarajevo is a local celebrity and the point is not in its 30-meter height or even in the fact that the tower is the architectural dominant of the old center. The clock on it shows the time, according to the rule adopted in the Ottoman Empire: they strike midnight with the onset of sunset and help believing Muslims correctly determine the time for the next prayer.
Sahat-Kula was built, according to historians, in the first half of the 16th century, but there is no exact confirmation of this. The watch mechanism was installed in 1874 and since then the watch is re-adjusted twice a week. It receives data on the time of sunset-sunrise from the Greenwich Observatory via the Internet.
Bashcharshi mosque
The mosque in the historic center of the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina was built in 1528. The money for it was donated by Khoja Khawaja Fool, and this is a classic example of the fact that one should not judge a person by his last name.
The mosque is active and from the height of its minaret several times a day the call to prayer sounds. The building is surrounded by a picturesque rose garden.
Gazi Khusrev Bega Mosque
The most outstanding architectural monument of the Ottoman period was built in the 16th century at the expense of the governor of the Sultan in Bosnia. It was then that the city of Sarajevo reached its peak. The architect was the author of the Istanbul mosque Ali Pasha, invited from Turkey.
The walls of the Gazi Khusrev-bega mosque are two meters thick and, as the legend says, a treasure is hidden in one of them. It is intended for the restoration of an architectural monument if it is suddenly destroyed due to any disaster.
The entrance is decorated with ornaments and stone designs. The height of the minaret is 45 meters and before the appearance of high-rise buildings it was the tallest structure in the capital.
Vrelo Bosne
The public park on the outskirts of the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina is very popular with both tourists and locals. Vrelo Bosne is located in the foothills of Mount Igman. The Bosna River flows through its territory, the water of which is so clean that you can drink it.
The main alley of the park stretches for 3 km. In the era of Austria-Hungary, pavilions were built on its sides. Today, old carriages ride tourists along the alley, and adherents of a healthy lifestyle use bicycles for rent.
In the park you can see the most beautiful waterfalls in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Sebil
The drinking fountain in the center of Sarajevo is called the symbol of the Bosnian capital. Sebil is the name of the stalls where people could get drinking water. There are many such fountains built in the city, but the one on the Bascarshi square became famous. Excursion routes begin and end in this place, and in the old days all trade routes converged.
The practice of building sebiles appeared in the Balkans during the Ottoman period. The fountains were intended so that merchants arriving in the city could get drunk. Today's Sebil was built later to replace the burnt one. It is designed in neo-Moorish style and made of wood. Sarajevo people consider it a symbol of their hospitality.
