Počitelj

UNESCO heritage site in Herzegovina

This quaint oriental-style town is located about half an hour’s drive from Mostar, on the road towards the Adriatic. Pocilelj is a unique settlement, listed as a UNESCO heritage site it was badly damaged and looted during the war of the 1990’s , however recent reconstruction has returned the town to its original form and it is one of the best preserved medieval towns in the country.

Besides its stunning oriental architecture and Ottoman feel, Pocitelj hosts the longest operating art colony in southeast Europe. Artists from around the world gather here to paint, among other things but importantly, the shiny red pomegranates, lemons, grapes and figs that grow in abundance on the hills of Počitelj. The Hadzi-Alija Mosque has been reconstructed as well as the Sisman-Ibrahimpasina medresa and the Gavran Kapetanovic house, all of which are open to visitors. The most striking object in Počitelj is the Sahat-kula, a silo-shaped fort that towers from the top of the hill above the town. It housed watchmen and military to guard against possible invasion from the Neretva Valley.