Sightseeing in Pocitelj - what to see. Complete travel guide

Tourists will find many interesting landmarks in Bosnia and Herzegovina including not only natural attractions but also manmade architectural masterpieces. The fortress town of Pocitelj is one of these amazing places. It is situated in the southern region of the country. The gorgeous historic settlement is built at some elevation in a picturesque valley near the bank of the Neretva River. A high wall separates Pocitelj from the rest of the world. The historic town has retained its East Mediterranean architectural look. Time didn’t change the look of the historic settlement, turning into an open-air museum.

The first mentions of Pocitelj date back to 1444, the time when King Alfonso V was the ruler. Initially, the village was a part of the nearby Župa Dubrava. In the second part of the 15th century, people started building protective facilities in order to save the settlement from the Ottomans. There was a military garrison in Pocitelj for eight years starting from 1463. The army was successful in countering the attacks of the Turks for five years, but the fortress town eventually had to capitulate. Starting from that time and until 1878, the country was in the hands of the Ottoman rulers.

After the Ottomans, the territory of Pocitelj became a part of the Austrian Empire. The new rulers maintained their authority in the region until the beginning of World War I. The town lost its former importance during the war years, and this fact has saved the original, authentic look of the settlement. In 1993, the Croatians captured the town. They destroyed much of the town’s Islamic art and displaced many people. Many buildings were heavily damaged. The Yugoslavian army also inflicted much damage to the town, causing many problems for citizens. It took ten years to rebuild Pocitelj. The town has recovered but its population is still not growing. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The Gavrankapetan’s Tower dominates the town’s skyline. This is one of the major attractions of the fortress town. The tower was built by the order of King Stephen Tvrtko I of the House of Kotromanić at the end of the 14th century. The main purpose of the tower was to protect the main road leading from the river to the sea. The tower is built on an almost vertical rock. To make the watchtower more durable, the builders decided to add a small fortress nearby. In 1465, the tower and fortress were rebuilt and significantly expanded. The tower was seriously damaged during the Ottoman invasion. However, it was reconstructed and rebuilt once again at the edge of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Nowadays, guests of Pocitelj can explore an interesting construction that has five floors. Stone arches separate the first and last floors of the tower. Other floors had a wooden layout that hasn’t survived to this day. Nowadays, the tower is mostly a giant space with chaotically made loophole windows. Some windows are very small. They were big enough to shoot an arrow, after which the windows were closed with stone slabs. The enemy couldn’t even understand where the arrows were shot from. A steep staircase connects all floors of the tower. Visitors can get to the top of the building using this staircase.

Would you like to visit a Muslim school? In Pocitelj, tourists can attend the Šišman-Ibrahim Pasha Madrasah that opened in 1664. At that time, the Ottomans, who had captured the town, tried to convert all local people to Islam. The building has several halls where people were gathering to listen about Islamic laws and traditions. A charming courtyard surrounds the madrasah building. Students were walking or relaxing here between the lessons. The madrasah was partially destroyed during the war in 1993. The Croatians, who had invaded the town at that time, planted bombs in the territory near the school and almost destroyed it.

In modern days, the Šišman-Ibrahim Pasha Madrasah is protected on the governmental level. This is a national landmark of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The madrasah was completely restored thanks to the funding from the town’s budget. Today, the magnificent building still welcomes students who come to this place to get knowledge and wisdom. Local people and citizens from the nearby villages and towns arrive in Pocitelj to study Arabian. Guests of the town can also visit the madrasah to learn more about the history of Islam and its spread around the world. The Ibrahim Pasha Madrasah provides the Quran studies – the most respected activity that is a must for Muslims.

The town of Pocitelj is situated thirty kilometers from Mostar. Road E73 connects these two settlements. It takes only thirty minutes by car to reach the fortress town. If you choose to travel on a bus, the ride will be ten to fifteen minutes longer. Finally, there are daily buses and tourist tours from Metkovic to Pocitelj. The journey time is thirty to forty minutes in this case.