Mostar: 10 facts about the jewel of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The pearl of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mostar, is not only known for its famous Stari Most bridge, but also has many fascinating stories to tell.

In this blog post, you will discover 10 fascinating facts about Mostar that will immerse you even more in the magic of this city. And if you end up being as enthusiastic as we are, we will be happy to help you plan your unforgettable trip to Mostar.

1. Where is Mostar?

The city of Mostar is located in the south of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the banks of the emerald-green Neretva. It has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Its location in a basin between the mountain massifs of Velež (1968 m) and Čabulja (1776 m) at an altitude of just 60 m above sea level makes for a hot microclimate.

2. Is Mostar named after “Stari Most”, the famous bridge?

Most is Bosnian for bridge. So you might think that the city of Mostar was named after its most famous landmark. But that is wrong!

In 1466, the region around Mostar was conquered by the Ottomans, developed into an administrative seat and trading centre and finally the old bridge, today’s symbol of the city, was built. Almost 10 years later, the Ottomans appointed a bridge keeper, a Mostar, who demanded a fee for crossing the bridge. The current name of the city in Bosnia is derived from this.

3. Is Mostar the hottest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

With an average of 2291 hours of sunshine per year, Mostar is the sunniest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. But that’s not all: due to its basin location nestled in the mountains of the Dinaric Alps, temperatures there often climb to over 40 °C in summer. This makes Mostar one of the hottest cities in Europe – even cooling off in the Neretva won’t help much!

4. Is the Neretva the coldest river in the world?

The 225-kilometre-long Neretva, which flows into the Adriatic Sea in the Croatian town of Ploče, is considered the coldest river in the world. At its source at 1,227 metres above sea level, it has a temperature of around 7 degrees and even in hot Mostar, the water temperature rarely rises above 10 degrees. Measured by the average outside temperature, this makes it the coldest river in the world.

Incidentally, the river Neretva takes its name from the Illyrian and means ‘goddess of water’.

5. Where does the bridge jumping tradition of Mostar come from?

It is not clear exactly where the tradition of cliff jumping in Bosnia and Herzegovina comes from. But it is certain that people all over the country dare to plunge into the depths: from the bridge in Mostar, the Pliva waterfall in Jajce, Strbački Buk in Una National Park…

In Mostar, however, jumping from the old bridge has been a tradition for over 450 years. Legend has it that the jump turns a boy into a man – definitely an initiation ritual with a difference!

Today, the jumpers also attract many tourists. And daring visitors can even take the plunge themselves from the UNESCO-protected sight – after intensive training, of course.