It may come as surprise that a Balkan country with summer day temeperatures around 30 degrees can be so refreshingly abundant in rivers. Thanks to the limestone riverbed the water is clear and turquise. The Una river.
Life revolves around those rivers, which is clearly visible near the city of Jajce. A line of cute small watermills looking like dwarfs’ houses is a popular attraction. They were once (it is said that more than 400 years ago) a source of wealth and flour of course. Mlinčići.
Even some of the biggest architectural monuments in the country are connected with water. The Arslanagić Bridge over the Trebišnjica river is one of the most famous…
…although giving the priority to The Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge – a 16. century, a UNESCO listed 180m bridge in eastern BiH.
The Una River, in western parts of the country, marks the border between Croatia and BiH. Although less known than Plitvicke Jezera it gives a similar impression. The experience however is much wilder.
Being a balkan country – BiH is extremely prone to wildfires during the summer months. We experienced it near Lake Blidnije, which became a water reservoir for aerial firefighters.
The Trebišnjica river seems to be one of the most interesting rivers. It has the title of one of the longest „sinking rivers” in the world, i.e. roughly half of its length of 180 km runs under the ground. It is shockingly cold given the heat of Herzegovina. But the most amazing fact is that 67 kilometers of the river course is concreted in order to prevent the water from sinking through smaller sinking holes in the Popovo Polje! This huge job was done in 1979.
High up in the mountains, BiH surprises once again. In an area of arid white rocks you can see a few beautiful lakes. Kotlaničko jezero, Zelenogora mountains, around 1520 m.a.s.l.
Skakavac, 98m tall waterfall in primeval forest is simply magnificent. Maglić massif.
The spring water is really cold…
Verdant landscapes of Kupres plateau.
Fresh water is abundant along the roads of BiH
Blidnije lake.
Strbacki Buk waterfall on the Una river.
River apartaments in Bosanska Krupa
The Plivski vodopad in Jajce
Bridge in Kulen Vakuf
Stari grad Zrinski, Croatian castle on the border.
Under the bridge, Visegrad.
The importance of water cannot be overstated. The Muslim Holy Site of Ajvatovica is set in a rock ravine, which miracously appeared after Ajvaz Dede’s prayers, following a prolonged period of drought. A newly formed canyon allowed water transportation to the village of Prusac.
Concrete bed of Trebjisnica river.
Trebinje from the surroundng hill.
Even the most dramatic episodes of European history were set near the water. Just off this bridge over the Milijacka river, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assasinated, the event which symbolically marked the start of WWI….