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Bosnia-Herzegovina

Today we cross the border from Dubrovnik, Croatia into Bosnia & Herzegovina after stopping at the Oyster farms. We then drive on for 4 hours or more when we stop for lunch at the town of Mostar. Here we are walking the narrow streets on our way to lunch.

Mostar was established by the Ottoman Turks in the late 15th Century. The town became a place where the cultures of the Middle East and Europe met bringing influences from the mainland and the Adriatic Sea.

Mostar was famous for its 400-year-old, Turkish-style stone bridge. Its elegant, single-pointed arch was a symbol of Muslim society here, and of the town's status as the place where East met West in Europe spanning the Neretva River. .

Looking down the river from the bridge. During the conflict that tore apart the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, the beautiful Old Bridge in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, was completely destroyed. On 9 November 1993, after relentless shelling, the elegant structure disintegrated and fell into the Neretva River.

Looking up the river from the bridge. The bridge and Mostar's historic city center were restored in 2004. Today it is a UNEXCO HERITAGE Site and represents a symbol of reconciliation and continued peace for the region. The Old Bridge at Mostar was not exclusively a bridge for Protestants and Muslims; it was a symbol of coexistence and a link between the Muslim and Christian communities of the city.

This morning we take a walking tour of Sarajevo. Sarajevo is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is the political, financial, social, and cultural center of Bosnia and Herzegovina and a prominent center of culture in the Balkans. This is the actual corner where World War I in 1914 started.

The main river that runs through Sarajevo is the Miljacka River. Where the Latin Bridge crosses this river is the point where World War I started.

This marks the spot where the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie of Austria were murdered in a car just like this replica in the photo. World War I lasted until November 11, 1918. The total number of military and civilian casualties was approximately 40 million, with estimates of 15 to 22 million deaths among military personnel.

World War I started. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was one of the key events that led to World War I. Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, were assassinated on 28 June 1914 by Bosnian Serb student Gavrilo Princip. They were shot at close range while being driven through Sarajevo, This is a replica of the car they were riding in and at the exact location.

All but one were Bosnian Serbs and members of a student revolutionary group that later became known as Young Bosnia. The assassination team was helped by the Black Hand, a Serbian secret nationalist group.

The assassination precipitated the July Crisis, which led to Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia and the start of World War I in November 1914.

There is a statue of Nikola Tesla in Sarajevo, located in front of the Tesla Pub in the historic Stari Grad, Old Town, area. The natural-sized sculpture depicts Tesla sitting in thought, with a light bulb in his lap.

The Sacred Heart Cathedral is a Catholic church in Sarajevo, in the center of the city. It is the largest cathedral in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was completed in 1887.

The Statue to the right is dedicated to Pope John Paul II when he visited Sarajevo in April 1997.

We stopped for a coffee while walking around the center of Sarajevo. The red is a soft piece of candy, home made, delicious to go with the coffee.

The Sarajevo line of culture refers to a brass line embedded in the pavement of Ferhadija Street, known as the Sarajevo Meeting of Cultures.

This symbolic marker denotes the physical meeting point of the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian historical eras that shaped the city, signifying the distinct cultural influences of the Old Town, East, and the more modern areas West. Walking along this line allows you to experience the transition between these two influential periods in Sarajevo's history.

Sarajevo, connecting the city's Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian quarters. Walking its length is a journey through the city's history and diverse culture. Located in this area are many restaurants and bars busy both day and night.

Inside the mosque located on and named after the street is the Ferhadija Mosque itself, a beautiful and historically significant Ottoman-era mosque situated on the main pedestrian street,

The ceiling art inside the Mosque

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