Magnificent Počitelj Citadel: A centuries-old jewel guarding the Neretva River

Defiantly and at a dominant height above the road from Mostar to the sea in Počitelj, only a few minutes away from Čapljina, stands the centuries-old Počitelj Citadel. Who knows how many different armies have come and gone there, creating or disrupting peace and natural harmony, just as the Neretva river flows harmoniously at the foot of the fort and its water at certain times of the day reflects the silhouette of this medieval citadel.

The Neretva River at the foot of the citadel, Photo: Adria.fun

The Počitelj citadel was built between the 15th and 18th centuries, somewhat in stages, and around it are other important sights such as the mosques of Šišman Ibrahim-immersed Mosque or Hadži Aliji, Islamic school, imaret, madrasa, hamam, han, clock tower and house of Gavran Kapetanović, creating a unique and rare combination of the oriental East and the medieval West in Europe.

Počitelj Citadel, Photo: Adria.fun

For centuries, the fortress has guarded the narrow passage next to the Neretva River on the way from the sea to the interior, and by all accounts, it will remain so for a long time to come. Numerous travelers often stop at its foot in search of refreshment and rest, just as military hordes once did.

Restaurant Staklo – Počitelj, Photo: Adria.fun

The historic city area of Počitelj has been declared a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is included in the UNESCO list of world heritage sites in Europe, and my suggestion is that you stop and look at it when you are passing through these parts.