|
| The famous Stari Most (Old Bridge) of Mostar, dating from the 1500s, was destroyed in 1993 during the Croat-Bosniak War, but rebuilt in 2004. |
The Dayton Accords ended the Bosnian War in 1995 by creating a complex configuration of two mostly autonomous entities within the country called Bosnia and Herzegovina ("Bosnia" for short).
To make it even more confusing: The name of the nonSerbian part is basically the name of the whole country.
The two sections of the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina are:
I spent a more time in the Federation area (mainly in Mostar and Sarajevo), but I did get to visit Republika Srpska with a day trip to Višegrad.
- Republika Srpska (Serbs) and
- the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosniaks and Croats).
Mostar
|
| Mostar is still divided between Bosniaks (Muslim) and Croats (Catholic), although I was told they are not totally divided by the river as often claimed. |
|
| A mosque on the largely Bosniak side of Mostar. |
|
| Many building have been rebuilt but scars remain. |
Sarajevo
|
|
The corner in Sarajevo where Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated, triggering World War I. |
|
| Sarajevo is the capitol and largest city of the country of "Bosnia and Herzegovina," and also capitol of the (nonSerbian) "Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina." |
|
| Sarajevo today is predominantly Bosniak (Moslem), as was my guide above. |
|
| White is under attack. |
Republika Srpska
My time in Republika Srpska was in Višegrad.
Višegrad was the scene of brutal events of the Bosnian War too horrible to recount here. Today its famous Ottoman bridge dating from the 1500s is still standing.
This was the setting for Nobelist Ivo Andrić's famous older historical novel Bridge on the Drina. And here it is above — the bridge over the Drina.
