Mostar

Mostar is a city and the administrative center of Herzegovina-Neretva Cantonof the Federation
of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Inhabited by 105,797 people, it
Mostar
Мостар
is the most important city in theHerzegovina region, serving as its cultural and economic capital.
City
Mostar is situated on the Neretva River and is the fifth-largest city in the country. Mostar was
Grad Mostar
named after the bridge keepers (mostari) who in the medieval times guarded the Stari Most (Old
City of Mostar
Bridge) over the Neretva. The Old Bridge, built by the Ottomans in the 16th century, is one of
Bosnia and Herzegovina's most visited landmarks, and is considered an exemplary piece of
Islamic architecture in theBalkans.[1][2][3][4]

Contents
History
Architecture
Reconstruction Mostar Old Town Panorama
Culture
Economy
Demographics
Ethnic groups
Subdivisions Flag
Climate
Coat of arms
City government
2008 constitutional crisis
Statute of the City of Mostar
Education
Sports
Tourism
Notable people
See also
References
Further reading
External links

Map of Bosnia and Herzegovina

(Mostar)
History Coordinates: 43°20′N 17°48′E
Human settlements on the river Neretva, between the Hum Hill and the Velež Mountain, have Country Bosnia and
existed since prehistory, as witnessed by discoveries of fortified enceintes and cemeteries. Herzegovina
[5]
Evidence of Roman occupation was discovered beneath the present town. Entity Federation of
Bosnia and
As far as medieval Mostar goes, although the Christian basilicas of late antiquity remained in use, Herzegovina
few historical sources were preserved and not much is known about this period. The name of Canton Herzegovina-
Neretva
Mostar was first mentioned in a document dating from 1474, taking its name from the bridge-
Geographical Herzegovina
keepers (mostari); this refers to the existence of a wooden bridge from the market on the left bank
region
of the river which was used by traders, soldiers, and other travelers. During this time it was also
Founded 1452
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 Government
right bank of the river.[5]
• Mayor Ljubo Bešlić (HDZ
BiH)
Area
• Total 1,175 km2
Prior to the 1474 the names of two towns appear in medieval historical sources, along with their (454 sq mi)
later medieval territories and properties – the towns of Nebojša and Cimski grad. In the early 15th Elevation 60 m (200 ft)
century the county (župa) of Večenike covered the site of the present-day Mostar along the right Population
bank of the Neretva, including the sites of Zahum, Cim, Ilići, Raštani and Vojno. It was at the • Total 105,797
center of this area, which in 1408 belonged to Radivojević, that Cim fort was built (prior to • Density 90/km2 (230/sq mi)
1443). Mostar is indirectly referred to in a 1454 charter of King Alfonso V of Aragon as Pons
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
("bridge"), for a bridge had already been built there. Prior to 1444, the Nebojša fort was built on
• Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
the left bank of the Neretva, which belonged to the late medieval county still known as Večenike
Area code(s) +387 (0) 36
or Večerić.[6] The earliest documentary reference to Mostar as a settlement dates from 3 April
1452, when Ragusans wrote to their fellow countrymen in the service of Serbian Despot Đorđe Website www.mostar.ba
Branković to say that Vladislav Hercegović had turned against his father Stjepan and occupied
the town of Blagaj and other places, including“Duo Castelli al ponte de Neretua.”.[7]

In 1468 the region came under Ottoman rule[7] 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. Following the unwritten oriental rule, the town was organized into two distinct areas: čaršija, the
crafts and commercial centre of the settlement, andmahala or a residential area.[8]

The town was fortified between the years 1520 and 1566, and the wooden bridge was rebuilt in stone.[5] The stone bridge, the Old Bridge (Stari Most),
was erected in 1566 on the orders of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.[9] 28 metres (92 feet) long and 20 metres (66 feet) high, quickly became a
wonder in its own time. Later becoming the city's symbol, the Old Bridge was designed by Mimar Hayruddin,[3] 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. The traveler Evliya Çelebi wrote in the
17th century that: the bridge is like a rainbow arch soaring up to the skies, extending from one cliff to the other. ...I, a poor and miserable slave 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.[10]

People of Mostar in 1890–1900

People gathered waiting forStjepan

Radić to arrive in Mostar in 1925

Austria-Hungary took control over Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1878 and ruled the country 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 recognized as the unofficial capital of
Herzegovina.[11] The first church in the city of Mostar, a Serbian Orthodox Church, was built in 1834 during Ottoman rule. In 1881 the town became
the seat of 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
also an important city in thefascist Independent State of Croatia.

After World War II, Mostar developed a production of plastics, tobacco, bauxite, wine, aircraft and aluminium products. Several dams (Grabovica,
Salakovac, Mostar) were built in the region to harness the hydroelectric power of the Neretva. The city was a major industrial and tourist center and
prospered economically during the time of theSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

After Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence from Yugoslavia in April 1992, the town was besieged by the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA),
though clashes between the JNA and Croat forces started earlier. The Croats were organized into the Croatian Defence Council (HVO)[12] and were
joined by a sizable number of Bosniaks.[13] The JNA artillery periodically shelled neighbourhoods outside of their control from early April.
[14]
On 7 June the Croatian Army (HV) launched an offensive codenamed Operation Jackal, the
objective of which was to relieve Mostar and break the JNA siege of Dubrovnik. The offensive
was supported by the HVO that 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 the fighting.[14] 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. After the VRS was pushed from the city, the Serbian
Orthodox Žitomislić Monastery and the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity were demolished.[15]

Throughout late 1992, tensions between Croats and Bosniaks increased in Mostar. In early 1993 The Old Town Street
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 where the Army of the Republic
of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH) was largely concentrated. Fighting broke out in May when both sides of the city came under intense artillery
fire.[16] The city was divided along ethnic lines and both armies soon settled down. Future offensives usually resulted in a stalemate.[17][18] In
November, the Stari Most bridge was destroyed by HVO forces.[19] The Croat–Bosniak conflict ended with the signing of the Washington Agreement
.[20]
in 1994, and the Bosnian War ended with the Dayton Agreement in 1995. Around 2,000 people died in Mostar during the war

Architecture
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 DalmatianCorovic House and an Orthodox church which 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.[21]

Out of the thirteen original mosques dating from the 16th and 17th centuries, seven have been lost
Old Bridge Area of the Old
during the 20th century for ideological reasons or by bombardment. One of the two 19th-century
City of Mostar
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, UNESCO W orld Heritage
along with other buildings from this period of Mostar's history
, such as fountains and schools.[5] Site

The majority of administrative buildings are from 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 verandah on one or two storeys. The later 19th-century residential houses are
predominantly in neoclassical style.[5]

A number of early trading and craft buildings still exist, notably some low shops in wood or stone,
stone storehouses, and 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 Old Bridge in the heart of the Old
fortifications are visible. Namely the Hercegusa Tower dating from the medieval period, whereas the City of Mostar (Aerial photo)
Ottoman defence edifices are represented by the Halebinovka and Tara Towers – the watchtowers on Criteria Cultural: vi
the ends of the Old Bridge, and a stretch of the [5]
ramparts.
Reference 946
During the period of Austro-Hungarian rule (1878–1918), Mostar’s city council cooperated with the Inscription 2005 (29th Session)
Austro-Hungarians to implement sweeping reforms in city planning: broad avenues and an urban grid Area 7.6 ha
were imposed on the western bank of the Neretva, and significant investments were made in
Buffer zone 47.6 ha
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 the Municipality building, which was designed by the architect Josip Vancas from Sarajevo, Residential districts around
the Rondo, and Gimnazija Mostar from 1902 designed byFrantišek Blažek.

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 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 the historic eastern side of the city as
well, replacing more intimate timber constructions
Old Town of Mostar
that had survived since Ottoman times. In the 1970s
Gimnazija Mostar, designed by
and 1980s, a healthy local economy fueled by foreign
architect František Blažek
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 the Adriatic coast and invigorated the economy of the city. The results of
this ten-year project earned Mostar anAga Khan Award for Architecture in 1986.[21]

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 achievement in the Ottoman controlled Balkans. This single-arch stone bridge The Old Bridge
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 metres (94 feet) of the Neretva
river, 21 metres (69 feet) 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 is a perfect semicircle 8.56 metres (28.1 feet) in width and 4.15 metres (13.6
feet) 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 is the case
with the main roads in the town. Stone steps enable people to ascend to the bridge either side. During the armed conflict between Bosniaks and Bosnian
[22]
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 madrasah (Islamic
school) was built on the same compound. The Old Bazaar, Kujundziluk 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

Koski Mehmed pasa Mosque.
open to visitors. Visitors may enter the mosque and
take photos free of charge. The minaret 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.

Reconstruction
Since the end of the wider war in 1995, great progress has been made in the reconstruction of the city
of Mostar. The city was under direct monitoring from a European Union envoy, several elections were Catholic church and Franciscan
held and each nation was accommodated with regard to political control over the city. Over 15 million monastery of St. Peter and Paul
dollars has been spent on restoration.

A monumental project to rebuild the Old Bridge, which was destroyed during the
Bosnian War, 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, the Netherlands,
and Croatia. A grand opening was held on 23 July 2004 under heavy security
.
In parallel with the restoration of the Old Bridge, 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 in historic Mostar. Realizing early on that the reconstruction of the bridge
without an in-depth rehabilitation of the surrounding historic neighbourhoods would be devoid of
context and meaning, they shaped the programme in such a way as to establish a framework of urban
conservation schemes and individual restoration projects that would help regenerate the most
significant areas of historic Mostar, and particularly the urban tissue around the Old Bridge. The
project also resulted in the establishment of the Stari Grad Agency which has an important role in
overseeing the ongoing implementation of the conservation plan, as well as operating and maintaining
The Old Bridge undergoing
a series of restored historic buildings (including the Old Bridge complex) and promoting Mostar as a
reconstruction in June 2003.
cultural and tourist destination. The official inauguration of the Stari grad Agency coincided with the
opening ceremony of the Bridge.[23] In July 2005, UNESCO inscribed the Old Bridge and its closest
vicinity onto the World Heritage List.

Culture
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 is a home of
music festival called 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).[24][25]

Mostar Art institutions include:

First Croatian printing office in Mostar,
Croatian Lodge "Herceg Stjepan Kosaca" 1920
Cultural Center Mostar
OKC Abrašević (English: Abrašević Youth Center)
Pavarotti Music Centre
Croatian National Theatre Mostar(HNK)
National Theatre Mostar
Museum of the Old Bridge
Herzegovina Museum
Mostar Youth Theatre
Aluminij Gallery
Birthplace of Svetozar Ćorović(Aleksa Šantić House)
Muslibegović House
World Music Centre
Puppet Theatre Mostar
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 also many culinary influences from Central Europe.[26][27]
Some of the dishes include ćevapčići, burek, sarma, japrak, musaka, dolma, sujuk, sač, đuveč, and sataraš. Local desserts include baklava, hurmašice,
sutlijaš, tulumbe, tufahije, and šampita.

Economy
Mostar's economy relies heavily on the aluminum and metal industry
, banking services and telecommunication sector
. The city is the seat of some of the
country's largest corporations.

Along with Sarajevo and Banja Luka, it is the largest financial center in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with two out of three largest banks in the country
having their headquarters in Mostar.[28][29] Bosnia and Herzegovina has three national electric, postal and telecommunication service corporations; one
of them in each group has its seat in Mostar (electric utility provider Elektroprivreda HZHB, postal service company Hrvatska Pošta Mostar and HT
Mostar, 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 1992–1995Bosnian 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 was 103% of the
Yugoslav average.[30]
Aluminum manufacturing companyAluminij Mostar 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 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 the annualInternational Economic Fair Mostar("Međunarodni sajam gospodarstva Mostar")[31] which was first held in 1997.

Demographics
Nowadays, the city of Mostar with a total population of 105,797 according to the 2013 census results.
Historical population
Year Pop. ±% p.a.
Ethnic groups 1948 45,419 —
Its population consists of the following ethnic groups: Croats (48.4%); Bosniaks (44.1%) and Serbs 1953 40,559 −2.24%
(4.1%). The city of Mostar has the largest population of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. As in many 1961 72,453 +7.52%
other cities, its demographic profile was significantly altered after the Bosnian War; in case of Mostar, 1971 89,580 +2.14%
most of the Serbs left the city. 1981 110,371 +2.11%
1991 126,628 +1.38%
According to the official data of the local elections of 2008, among 6 city election districts, three 2013 105,797 −0.81%
western ones (Croat-majority) had 53,917 registered voters, and those three on the east (Bosniak-
majority) had 34,712 voters.[32]

The ethnic composition of the city of Mostar:

Population Population Population Population Population

Ethnic group
1961[33] 1971[34] 1981[35] 1991 2013[36]
Croats 27,265 32,782 36,927 43,037 51,216
Bosniaks/Muslims 10,513 33,645 34,247 43,856 46,752
Serbs 21,220 19,076 20,271 23,846 4,421
Yugoslavs 12,181 2,329 17,143 12,768 -
Others 1,274 1,748 1,789 3,121 3,408
Total 72,453 89,580 110,377 126,628 105,797

Subdivisions
Mostar municipality is composed by the town itself and 56 villages and suburbs. They are:

Baćevići, Banjdol, Blagaj, Bogodol, Buna, Cim, Čule, Dobrč, Donja Drežnica, Donji Jasenjani, Dračevice, Gnojnice, Goranci, Gornja Drežnica, Gornje
Gnojnice, Gornji Jasenjani, Gubavica, Hodbina, Humilišani, Ilići, Jasenica, Kosor, Kremenac, Krivodol, Kružanj, Kutilivač, Lakševine, Malo Polje,
Miljkovići, Orlac, Ortiješ, Pijesci, Podgorani, Podgorje, Podvelež, Polog, Potoci, Prigrađani, Rabina, Raška Gora, Raštani, Ravni, Rodoč, Selište,
Slipčići, Sovići, Sretnice, Striževo, Vihovići, Vojno, Vranjevići, Vrapčići, Vrdi, Željuša, Žitomislići and Žulja.

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 the Republika Srpska.

Climate
Mostar, and Herzegovina area in general, enjoy a modified Mediterranean climate, with cool, humid winters and hot, drier summers. In the summer
months, occasional temperatures above 40 °C (104 °F) are not uncommon, with a record temperature of 46.2 °C (115.2 °F).[37] The coldest month is
January, averaging about 5 °C (41 °F), and the warmest month is July, averaging about 26 °C (78 °F). Mostar experiences a relatively dry season from
June to September. The remainder of the year is wet and mild.[38] The Köppen Climate Classificationsubtype for this climate is Cfa, which in this case
is an "Humid subtropical climate with hot summers and Mediterranean tendency" (close to Csa subtype).[39] Mostar is the sunniest city in the country
with an average of 2291 solar hours a year.[40] Snow is relatively rare and it usually melts within a few hours or days.
During the 2012 European cold wave, Mostar experienced unusually cold weather with freezing temperatures lasting for days and a record snow depth
of 82.5 cm (32 in).[41]

Climate data for Mostar (1961–1990, extremes 1949–present)

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year

Record high 18.2 25.0 27.6 31.5 35.6 41.2 43.0 43.1 38.8 32.5 25.5 19.4 43.1
°C (°F) (64.8) (77.0) (81.7) (88.7) (96.1) (106.2) (109.4) (109.6) (101.8) (90.5) (77.9) (66.9) (109.6)

Average 8.3 10.8 14.6 19.0 24.0 27.6 31.1 31.2 26.9 21.0 14.5 9.7 19.9
high °C (°F) (46.9) (51.4) (58.3) (66.2) (75.2) (81.7) (88.0) (88.2) (80.4) (69.8) (58.1) (49.5) (67.8)

Daily mean 4.8 6.6 9.7 13.3 18.0 21.5 24.7 24.2 20.4 15.3 10.1 6.2 14.6
°C (°F) (40.6) (43.9) (49.5) (55.9) (64.4) (70.7) (76.5) (75.6) (68.7) (59.5) (50.2) (43.2) (58.3)

Average low 1.9 3.2 5.4 8.4 12.5 15.8 18.6 18.4 15.3 11.2 6.7 3.3 10.1
°C (°F) (35.4) (37.8) (41.7) (47.1) (54.5) (60.4) (65.5) (65.1) (59.5) (52.2) (44.1) (37.9) (50.2)

Record low −10.9 −9.6 −6.5 −1.2 3.3 8.0 8.4 9.6 6.4 −0.1 −4.8 −7.8 −10.9
°C (°F) (12.4) (14.7) (20.3) (29.8) (37.9) (46.4) (47.1) (49.3) (43.5) (31.8) (23.4) (18.0) (12.4)

Average
164.7 153.2 150.0 127.3 102.1 77.9 44.8 73.7 96.3 153.5 199.9 178.9 1,522.5
precipitation
(6.48) (6.03) (5.91) (5.01) (4.02) (3.07) (1.76) (2.90) (3.79) (6.04) (7.87) (7.04) (59.94)
mm (inches)

Average
precipitation
12.5 12.1 12.4 13.0 12.3 11.6 7.4 7.4 8.2 10.3 13.4 13.1 133.8
days
(≥ 0.1 mm)

Average
snowy days 2.9 1.5 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 1.2 6.3
(≥ 1.0 cm)

Average
relative 65.9 63.3 61.0 61.8 62.7 61.2 52.7 53.7 60.1 65.2 69.3 67.4 62.0
humidity (%)

Mean
monthly
109.3 117.5 155.3 173.9 222.7 252.1 322.8 296.2 230.7 186.8 116.6 102.8 2,286.5
sunshine
hours

Source: Meteorological Institute of Bosnia and Herzegovina [42][43]

City government
The City of Mostar has the status of a municipality. The city government is led by the Mayor.
The current Mayor of Mostar is Ljubo Bešlić (HDZ). The City Council is composed of 35
representatives, coming from the following political parties:

Croatian Coalition 13:

Croatian Democratic Union(HDZ)

United Croatian Party of Rights(UHSP)
Croatian Party of Rights(HSP)
Croatian Christian Democratic Union(HKDU)
Party of Democratic Action(SDA) 10
Social Democratic Party(SDP) 4 Panoramic view of Mostar
Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina4
People's Party Work for Betterment 1
Croatian Coalition 1

Croatian Party of Rights(HSP)

Croatian Pure Party of Rights(HČSP)
Independent 2

2008 constitutional crisis

According to the constitution, imposed byHigh Representative Paddy Ashdown on January 28, 2004 after local politicians failed to reach an agreement,
the mayor of Mostar has to be elected by the city council with a two-thirds majority.[44][45] Ashdown abolished the six municipalities that were divided
equally among Bosniaks and Croats and replaced them with six electoral units,[46] ridding Mostar of duplicate institutions and costs.[47] In the process
Ashdown also reduced the number of elected officials from 194 to 35.[46] According to the constitution the constitutive nations of Bosnia and
Herzegovina (Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs) are guaranteed a minimum of four seats and a maximum of 15 seats.[46] 18 deputies are elected by the
election units: 3 deputies from each district and 15 deputies are elected at the level of entire city.[45] This move was opposed by theParty of Democratic
Action (SDA) and the Croatian Democratic Union(HDZ).[46]

In October 2008, there were elections for the city council. Relative winners were HDZ BiH with the greatest number of votes. However, neither party
had enough votes to ensure election of the mayor from their party. The city council met 16 times without success. Eventually OHR was involved and
High Representative made some minor changes to city's Statute. After that Ljubo Bešlić, running as a candidate of Croatian Democratic Union, was
reelected as a mayor.

.[46]
In a January 26 poll organized by the international community, 75 percent of Mostar’s citizens said that they supported the idea of a unified city

Statute of the City of Mostar

In 2011 the constitutional court declared current Statute as unconstitutional, because the numbers of deputies from city districts did not match the
number of voters in each district. The City is waiting for the new Statute to be created, and many believe that such a thing will need to be carried by
OHR. In November 2011 Roderick W. Moore, the Principal Deputy High Representative, emphasized the importance of the urgent acts towards
adoption of the new, constitutional Statute.

Education
Mostar has a number of various educational institutions. These include University of Mostar, University "Džemal Bijedić"
of Mostar, United World College in Mostar, nineteen high-schools and twenty four elementary schools.[48] High-schools
[49]
include sixteen vocational schools and three gymnasiums.

All public schools in Mostar, both elementary and secondary education, are divided between Croatcurriculum and Federal
(unofficially Bosniak) curriculum schools. This ethnic division of schools was emplaced during the very first year of the
Bosnian war and it continues, with some modifications, to this day. Today, the schools in Mostar and throughout Bosnia
and Herzegovina are a site of struggle between ethno-national political elites[50] in ways that reveals the precarious University of Mostar
Seal
position of youth in the volatile nation building processes[51] A partial exception to divided education is Gimnazija
Mostar (also known as "Stara gimnazija") that implemented joint school administration and some joint student courses.
However, Croat and Bosniak students in Gimanzija Mostar continue to have most courses according to the “national” curriculum, among them the so-
called national subjects – history, literature, geography, and religion.[52]

The country's higher education reform and the signing of the Bologna Process have forced both universities to put aside their rivalry to some extent and
try to make themselves more competitive on a regional level.

University of Mostar is the second largest university in the country and the only Croatian language university in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was
founded in 1977 as the University "Džemal Bijedić" of Mostar, but changed name in 1992. The origin of the university can be traced back to the
Herzegovina Franciscan Theological School, which was founded in 1895 and closed in 1945, was the first higher education institution in Mostar.[53]
Today's University seal shows the building of the Franciscan Monastery
.

University Džemal Bijedić of Mostar was founded in 1993. It employs around 250 professors and staff members. According to the Federal Office of
.[54]
Statistics, Džemal Bijedić University had 2,522 students enrolled during the 2012/2013 academic year

As of 2015 school year, the University of Mostar had 10,712 students enrolled at eleven faculties making it the largest university in the city.[54]
Cumulatively, it has been attended by more than 40,000 students since the start of the Bologna process of education.

Sports
One of the most popular sports in Mostar is football. The two most successful teams are HŠK Zrinjski and FK Velež. FK Velež won the Yugoslav Cup
in 1981 and 1986 which was one of the most significant accomplishments this club has achieved. Zrinjski is most successful team in Premier League of
Bosnia and Herzegovina and actual champion. Velež is in 2nd division since 2016. Since the Bosnian War each club has generally been supported by a
particular ethnic group (Velež for the Bosniaks and Zrinjski for the Croats). The matches between the two clubs are some of the country's most intense
matches.
Bijeli Brijeg Stadium (Zrinjski stadium) is main stadium in city. Vrapčići Stadium (Velež stadium) is not in city.

In basketball, HKK Zrinjski Mostar competes at the nation's highest level while the Zrinjski banner also represents the city in the top handball league.
Vahid Halilhodžić, a former Bosnian football player who last managed the Japan national football team, started his professional career in FK Velež
Mostar.[55]

In 2011 rugby union football club RK Herceg was founded. It competes in national leagues of
Bosnia & Herzegovina and in regional league Adria Sevens.

Another popular sport in Mostar is swimming. There are three swimming teams in Mostar and
those are PK Velež, KVS Orka and APK Zrinjski. Best Bosnian swimmer Amina Kajtaz is from
Mostar. Mostar has plenty talented swimmers but city only have one 25 meters pool and one 12.5
meters pool.

Tourism
Mostar is an important tourist destination in Springtime in Mostar byTivadar Kosztka
Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mostar International Csontváry (1853–1919)
Airport serves the city as well as the railway and
bus stations which connect it to a number of
national and international destinations. Mostar's old town is an important tourist destination with the
Stari Most being its most recognizable feature.

Old City of Mostar and the Old
Bridge over the Neretva River
Some noteworthy sites includeBishop’s Ordinariate building, the remains of an early Christian basilica
at Cim, a hamam (Ottoman public bath), clock tower (sahat-kula), Synagogue (1889) and Jewish
Memorial Cemetery, Nesuh-aga Vučjaković Mosque, Hadži-Kurt Mosque or Tabačica, Metropolitan's
Palace (1908), Karagöz Bey Mosque (1557), Orthodox Church, Catholic Church and Franciscan
Monastery,[56] Ottoman Residences (16th–19th century), Crooked Bridge, Tara and Halebija
Towers.[57]

The World War II Partisan cemetery in Mostar, designed by the architect Bogdan Bogdanović, is another important symbol of the city. Its sacrosanct
quality is derived from the unity of nature (water and greenery) with the architectural expression of the designer; the monument was inscribed on the list
of National Monuments in 2006.[58]

The Catholic pilgrimage site of Međugorje is also nearby as well as the Tekija Dervish Monastery in Blagaj, 13th-century town of Počitelj, Blagaj Fort
(Stjepan-grad), Kravice Falls, seaside town of Neum, Roman villa rustica from the early fourth century Mogorjelo, Stolac with its stećak necropolis and
the remains of an ancient Greek town of Daorson. Nearby sites also include the nature park called Hutovo Blato, archeological site Desilo, Lake
Boračko as well as Vjetrenica cave, the largest and most important cave in Bosnia and Herzegovina.[59]

Notable people
Dušan Bajević, footballer
Franjo Džidić, footballer
Enver Marić, footballer
Saša Papac, footballer
Nino Raspudić, philosopher
Franjo Vladić, footballer
Blaž Slišković, footballer
Muhamed Mujić, footballer, Olympic and European championship silver medalist
Ivan Ćurković, footballer and President of theOlympic Committee of Serbia
Marino Marić, Croatian handball player
Aleksa Šantić, writer
Predrag Matvejević, writer
Dražen Dalipagić, basketball, Olympic, World and European champion
Bojan Bogdanović, Croatian basketball player
Vladimir Ćorović, historian
Svetozar Ćorović, writer
Amina Kajtaz, swimmer
Željko Samardžić, singer
Zoran Mandlbaum, leader of the Jewish Community of Mostar
 Florijan Mićković, sculptor
Marin Šego, Croatian handball player

See also
Herzegovinian Radiotelevision
List of twin towns and sister cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina

References
Notes

Citations

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Literature

Christia, Fotini (2012).Alliance Formation in Civil Wars. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.ISBN 978-1-13985-175-6.
CIA (2002). Balkan battlegrounds: a military history of the Y
ugoslav conflict, 1990-1995. 2. Office of Russian and European Analysis.
Goldstein, Ivo (1999). Croatia: A History. London: C. Hurst & Co.ISBN 978-1-85065-525-1.
Ramet, Sabrina P. (2010). "Politics in Croatia since 1990".In Ramet, Sabrina P. (ed.). Central and Southeast European Politics Since
1989. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 258–285.ISBN 978-1-139-48750-4.
Sells, Michael Anthony(1998). The Bridge Betrayed: Religion and Genocide in Bosnia . Berkeley: University of California Press.
ISBN 978-0-520-92209-9.
Tanner, Marcus (2001). Croatia: A Nation Forged in War. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-09125-0.
Toal, Gerard; Dahlman, Carl T. (2011). Bosnia Remade: Ethnic Cleansing and Its Reversal . New York: Oxford University Press.
ISBN 978-0-19-973036-0.
Udovički, Jasminka; Štitkovac, Ejub (2000). "Bosnia and Hercegovina: The Second a Wr". In Udovički, Jasminka; Ridgeway, James
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2590-1.
Yarwood, John R.; Seebacher, Andreas; Strufe, Niels; Wolfram, Hedwig (1999).Rebuilding Mostar: Urban Reconstruction in a W ar
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Further reading
"Mostar", Bradshaw's Hand-Book to the Turkish Empire, 1: Turkey in Europe, London: W.J. Adams, c. 1872
"Mostar", Austria-Hungary, Including Dalmatia and Bosnia, Leipzig: Karl Baedeker, 1905, OCLC 344268
F. K. Hutchinson (1909),"Mostar", Motoring in the Balkans, Chicago: McClurg & Co.,OCLC 8647011
"Mostar". Encyclopaedia of Islam. E.J. Brill. 1934. p. 608+.

External links
Visit Mostar
City of Mostar

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