Pocitelj

This unique medieval town is situated in the valley of the Neretva River, some twenty five kilometres from Mostar, on the route to the Adriatic Sea.

The town was constructed right into a rocky mountainside overlooking a bend in the Neretva river, and giving it the aspect of a natural amphitheatre.

In the middle ages, Pocitelj was the administrative centre and centre of governance of Dubrava zupa (county), and its westernmost point with strategic importance.

It is supposed that the fortified town and its attendant settlements were built by Bosnia 's King Stjepan Tvrtko I in 1383.

The walled town of Pocitelj evolved over the period from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries under the Ottoman rule.

At the time, there was in the town an elementary school (mekteb), a secondary theological school (medresa), public baths (hammam) and an inn for travellers (han).

Its most prominent buildings are in Ottoman style, the Hadzi-Alija Mosque, Clock Tower (Sahat-Kula) and the Gavrankapetanovic House. The stone houses along stone pathways are unique, hidden behind high walls surrounding peaceful, inner courtyards.

With the establishment of Austro-Hungarian rule in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1878, Pocitelj lost its strategic importance and declined. Only in the 1960s it began to grow again, as a tourist centre. In 1964 an artist's colony was opened in the Gavrankapetanovic House, over the years, many artists, writers and poets came from around the world.

The entire historic urban site of Pocitelj and all its various buildings suffered extensive damage during the war, but recent reconstruction has returned the town to its original form.

The Hadzic-Alija mosque and the Gavrankapetanovic House were rebuilt, and the art colony was reopened in 1999.