THERE IS A BLUE RIVER

Just as Bihać and Mostar have the Una and the Neretva rivers, Stolac has the Bregava River. Adorned with bridges and mills, it meanders through this charming Herzegovinian town, even flowing through the yards of some houses. Within the town itself, it’s spanned by the Inat ćuprija (Spiteful Bridge) and forms two low waterfalls, Provalije and Pjene, where you can go for a swim. Beyond the waterfalls, there are caves worth exploring.

“For there is a dark blue river

It is broad and it is deep

It is broad one hundred years

A thousand summers is its depth

And its length not to be thought”

Translated by Wayles Browne

Should you come across these verses or hear them transformed into a song by the rock band Indexi, you should know that they were dedicated to the Bregava River by the poet, a Stolac native, Mehmedalija Mak Dizdar.

Samir Zahirović

Traces of history can be found in every corner of this town and its surroundings. If you’re coming from the direction of Mostar or Čapljina, your gaze will be captivated by Radimlja on the right, a stećci necropolis that stretches alongside the road, containing 135 tombstones, with 63 of them adorned with ornamental motifs. Naturally, this historical area was also declared a national monument.

Since 2016, Radimlja has been one of the 28 medieval stećci necropolises listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The distinctive feature of this necropolis is the stećak with a male figure raising its hand with a large palm and fingers as if signaling travelers to expect welcoming locals in this area.

Stolac received its name late, in the 15th century. The oldest known name is Daorson, the title of the Illyrian megalithic city situated in Ošanjići, above the town, where its remains can still be seen today.

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