'' means Good, fine;
''(see also'' ''

Latin names of rivers __NOTOC__ Following is a list of rivers of classical antiquity stating the Latin name, the equivalent English name, and also, in some cases, Greek and local name. The scope is intended to include, at least, rivers named and known widely in the R ...

)'' , location =

Blagaj Blagaj is a village in the south-eastern region of the Mostar basin, in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It stands at the edge of Bišće plain and is one of the most valuable mixed urban and rural built environments in ...

Herzegovina-Neretva Canton The Herzegovina-Neretva Canton ( hr, Hercegovačko-neretvanska županija; bs, Hercegovačko-neretvanski kanton) is one of 10 cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The canton mainly comprises the Neretva ...

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and ...

, spring_source = , elevation = 140 , coordinates = , coords_ref = , hot_spring_type = , type =

Karst spring A karst spring or karstic spring is a spring (outflow of groundwater) that is part of a karst hydrological system. Description Because of their often conical or inverted bowl shape, karst springs are also known in German-speaking lands as a ''To ...

, provides = Buna river , magnitude = , height = , duration = , frequency = , discharge = 30 , temperature = , depth = , child = , embedded= Footnotes UNESCO WHC
Tentative List Since 11/12/2007 ''Ref.'': 5280 ''Region'': Europe and North America ''Criteria'': ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii ''iucn Category'': Mixed - natural and architectural ensembl
Bosnia and Herzegovina - UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Website
Commission to Preserve National Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Vrelo Bune (

Serbian Cyrillic The Serbian Cyrillic alphabet ( sr, / , ) is a variation of the Cyrillic script used to write the Serbian language, updated in 1818 by Serbian linguist Vuk Karadžić. It is one of the two alphabets used to write standard modern Serbian, th ...

: Врело Буне; ) is the natural and architectural ensemble at the Buna river spring near

''kasaba'' (village-town) and a part of the wider ''"Townscape ensemble of the town of Blagaj — Historical and Natural Heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina"'' ( Ottoman Mediterranean architecture, 1520), southeast of

Mostar , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = Mostar (collage image).jpg , image_caption = From top, left to right: A panoramic view of the heritage town site and the Neretva river from Lučki Bridge, Koski Mehmed Pasha ...

. It is impossible to separate the natural values from the cultural and historical heritage of

, since its distinctive quality is in the coexistence of the natural and the man-made, in the integration of the physical structure into the

landscape A landscape is the visible features of an area of land, its landforms, and how they integrate with natural or man-made features, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.''New Oxford American Dictionary''. A landscape includes the ...

Vrelo Bune

The Buna river is a short river in

and it is a left bank tributary of the

Neretva The Neretva ( sr-cyrl, Неретва, ), also known as Narenta, is one of the largest rivers of the eastern part of the Adriatic basin. Four HE power-plants with large dams (higher than 150,5 metres) provide flood protection, power and water s ...

river. Its source ('' Bosnian'': ''Vrelo Bune'') is a strong

karst Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, Dolomite (rock), dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathe ...

ic spring, emerging from a huge

karstic Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...

cavern beneath a high vertical cliff. This region is specific for the diversity of its above-ground and underground

hydrography Hydrography is the branch of applied sciences which deals with the measurement and description of the physical features of oceans, seas, coastal areas, lakes and rivers, as well as with the prediction of their change over time, for the prima ...

. The source of the Buna river is the finest example of an underground

river. It's one of the largest and most beautiful springs in Europe, producing approx. 30 m³/s with extremely cold and clean water.

Historical and Natural Heritage

is one of the most valuable urban-cum-rural structures in

reached its peak of development in the 15th and 16th centuries, building in stone also reached its greatest extent. The first stone-built houses were the privilege of the wealthier class, but later, and lower-class families are also built sizeable stone houses and summer residences in large numbers. The natural and architectural ensemble of

forms a spatially and topographically self-contained ensemble. The region is also known for the diversity of its flora and a number of endemic species. At lower altitudes there are many evergreen plant and deciduous thicket species, while at higher altitudes in the hills there is sparse forest. Fertile cultivable land is suitable for the agriculture typical of the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on ...

climate.

Blagaj Tekke

The architectural ensemble of the

Tekke (a

Sufi Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, r ...

lodge) stands by the source of the Buna river, not far from the centre of

. The musafirhana (guest house) and

türbe ''Türbe'' is the Turkish word for "tomb". In Istanbul it is often used to refer to the mausolea of the Ottoman sultans and other nobles and notables. The word is derived from the Arabic ''turbah'' (meaning ''"soil/ground/earth"''), which ...

(mausoleum) are tucked into the natural surroundings, constituting a single entity with the cliffs, source of the Buna river and mills. The musafirhana of the

tekke and the türbe have been preserved to this day. The musafirhana was built before 1664, and rebuilt in 1851 - its original appearance is not known. The building was subsequently repaired on several occasions. The ensemble of the Blagaj Tekke was presumably built very soon after Ottoman rule was established in

Herzegovina Herzegovina ( or ; sh-Latn-Cyrl, Hercegovina, separator=" / ", Херцеговина, ) is the southern and smaller of two main geographical region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being Bosnia. It has never had strictly defined geogra ...

, around 1520 at the latest.

Bridges

There were four bridges over the 9 km of the Buna river, two in

, one in Kosor and one in

Buna village Buna (Serbian Cyrillic: Буна) is a populated settlement at the confluence of the Buna river and Neretva river some 10 km downstream the Neretva and south of Mostar, Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The famous source of th ...

. Blagaj's bridges, the Karađoz-beg bridge and Leho bridge, differ in certain features from the typological form of 16th century

Ottoman architecture Ottoman architecture is the architectural style that developed under the Ottoman Empire. It first emerged in northwestern Anatolia in the late 13th century and developed from earlier Seljuk Turkish architecture, with influences from Byzantine ...

. * The Karađoz-beg bridge was endowed by ''Zaim hajji Mehmed-beg'', known as Karađoz, and was built before 1570, on the road to town of

Stolac Stolac is an ancient city located in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the region of Herzegovina. Stolac is one of the oldest cities in Bosnia and Herzego ...

. The bridge has five arches, of increasing span towards the centre. * The Leho bridge or Lehina ćuprija in Donja Mahala was built before 1664 It is assumed to have been commission by ''Haseći Ali-aga Kolaković''. It had three arches, considerably wider than those of the Karađoz-beg bridge.

Mills

Mill Mill may refer to: Science and technology * * Mill (grinding) * Milling (machining) * Millwork * Textile mill * Steel mill, a factory for the manufacture of steel * List of types of mill * Mill, the arithmetic unit of the Analytical Engine early ...

buildings on the Buna river are simple stone-built structures with gabled roofs clad with stone slabs, and with one or more

mill Mill may refer to: Science and technology * * Mill (grinding) * Milling (machining) * Millwork * Textile mill * Steel mill, a factory for the manufacture of steel * List of types of mill * Mill, the arithmetic unit of the Analytical Engine early ...

s. * The ''mills by the Tekke''. Very close to the source of the Buna river, channels branch off leading water to power the

s. Several mills, one stamping and two fulling mills were built. There was one on each bank of the river. Part of the mill on the right bank of the river has been converted into a souvenir shop. All that remains of the rest of the structure is the stone walls. * The mills in the ''Velagić residential complex''. Part of the mill is on the bank and the greater part on the branch of the Buna river that flows beneath the ''Velagić residential complex''. The mill building consists of two parts, one built on dry land with a ground and an upper storey, and the other a single-storey structure built over the river spanning the two banks by means of a system of arches. The first part was the miller's living quarters, and the other contained seven mills arranged at regular intervals. Stamping

s were used for washing wool and fulling cloth.

Residential quarters

Residential complexes were entirely isolated in relationship with the outside world, so that the

courtyard A courtyard or court is a circumscribed area, often surrounded by a building or complex, that is open to the sky. Courtyards are common elements in both Western and Eastern building patterns and have been used by both ancient and contemporary ...

became the most important area of the house. These complexes consisted of several different buildings serving different purposes, standing on a plot that was entirely open to the natural surroundings and forming a single unit with the

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings ...

of the buildings. * The ''Kolaković house'' is one of the most striking examples of residential

, and illustrates the evolution of the " Ottoman Bosnian" house. * The ''Velagić residential complex'', built sometime before 1776, is a unique complex of the residential

of that time, with a large number of the functional components required for life. Although separated from the outside world, with a high wall enclosure, the interior of the complex is open to the natural environment and the Buna river. All the courtyards are interconnected and paved with river pebbles. The ''complex of the Velagić house'' is the most complete example of a family house complex with outbuildings, where the full scope of the residential lifestyle of

in the past is revealed.Velagic House
TripAdvisor * The ''Kosić tower'', as an offshoot of mediaeval residential

, is a typical fortified house. It is stone-built and stands at the edge of the town, so it probably served some defence purpose, given that the

fort was on the other side.

UNESCO WHS Nomination

According to the nomination for the list of national monuments in

with the title "''Townscape ensemble of the town of Blagaj''", drawn up by the ''Institute for the Protection of the Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina'', the source of the Buna river with its cliffs constitutes a geomorphological natural monument, and the source of the Buna river a hydrological natural monument.

's architectural heritage and old urban quarters (''mahalas'') indicates that buildings of major monumental and townscape value occupy a relatively confined area along the Buna river. Urban structures, spatial physiognomy and organization can be traced from the

mediaeval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

outskirts of the fort, which were transformed in the

Ottoman period The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

into a ''kasaba'' (village-town). Both

Oriental The Orient is a term for the East in relation to Europe, traditionally comprising anything belonging to the Eastern world. It is the antonym of '' Occident'', the Western World. In English, it is largely a metonym for, and coterminous with, the ...

and

features are to be seen in

's urban layout, while the settlement itself was the outcome of the influence of the natural phenomenons and configuration of the

terrain Terrain or relief (also topographical relief) involves the vertical and horizontal dimensions of land surface. The term bathymetry is used to describe underwater relief, while hypsometry studies terrain relative to sea level. The Latin word ...

, as well as socio-economic relations. A perfect harmony between each buildings and its environs was achieved.

References

External links