Franciscan church and monastery, Mostar, Guía del visitante y qué hacer cerca

The Franciscan church and monastery in Mostar, dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul, is the main Catholic church complex on the western side of the city, and it is home to a Franciscan community. Its tall bell tower is one of the most recognisable shapes on Mostar's skyline, rising among the rooftops and minarets. The complex was badly damaged in the war of the 1990s and has since been rebuilt, which is part of why it matters to the city today.

The story behind it

Franciscans have lived and worked in Bosnia and Herzegovina for centuries, and the order has long shaped the region's religious, educational and cultural life. In Mostar the Franciscan church and monastery grew into a centre of the city's Catholic community in the nineteenth century.

During the conflict of the early 1990s the complex was hit by shelling and suffered heavy damage. Rebuilding followed in the years after the war, and the church and its bell tower are now part of the wider effort to restore Mostar's landmarks. It is once again an active place of worship, so it feels like a living part of the city and not a museum.

What to look for

• The bell tower is the first thing to notice, because it stands out on the skyline from many points around the city.
• Compare the tower with the minarets elsewhere in Mostar, which shows in one glance how several faiths and traditions share the same city.
• Look at the scale of the church and monastery compared with the streets around them, and think about how much of this area had to be rebuilt.
• Notice the quiet around the entrance, which marks this as a working church and monastery and a place for prayer as well as sightseeing.

Tips for your visit

• Allow about 20 to 30 minutes for the church and the area around it, longer if you want to sit quietly or take photographs.
• Dress modestly and keep your voice low if you go inside, and check current opening hours and service times before you go, since access can change.
• Combine it with the Old Bridge and the old bazaar area, which are a short walk away, to see both sides of Mostar in one outing.
• Early morning or late afternoon gives softer light on the tower and fewer people in the streets.

Explore it on a quest

The best way to place this church within the city is to walk it as part of a route. Questo's self-guided quests take you on foot from stop to stop, tell you about each place as you arrive and set a puzzle in what is in front of you, with no guide and no group to join. Find a route that suits you among the quests in Mostar.