LIVNO city guide — John W Bills

Livno is a top-five town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Take that to the bank and cash it because this four-eyed hack has never spoken more accurate words. It remains surprisingly underrated by visitors, although that isn’t going to last forever. Come for the wild horses, stay for the fabulous landmarks, gorgeous surroundings and excellent beer. As you’d expect, people have been living here for millennia, making the most of the fertile plains that surround the town. The town was technically founded on September 28, 892, residing under Croatian rule before the Bosnian Kingdom took over in the 14th century, just in time for the Ottomans to arrive in the 15th century. Beloved 20th-century painter Gabrijel Jurkić was born in Livno, and the area inspired much of his work. If I was a 20th-century painter, I’d wish to be working and living in Livno.

TRANSPORT

Livno has an excellent bus station (Splitska, +387 63 202 169). In fact, Livno is a great town, and not just because of the horses. The bus station is large, with a couple of cafes, a kiosk, a friendly ticket office (two, if you include the Livno Bus office) and plenty of information. It is smack bang in the town centre too. Livno has daily buses to Sarajevo and Mostar and connections to Croatia. For the record, Livno Bus (+387 34 206 501) has the best customer service of any bus company in the country by far.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO

Hajji Ahmed the Ducat Minter’s Mosque

Who was Hajji Ahmed? He was a ducat minter, clearly, but there must be more to this story than initially meets the eye. Also called the Glavica Mosque (or Topovi), Livno’s most picturesque Islamic building sits on a hill in town, a hop, skip and jump from the spring of the Bistrica River. There are a few mosques up here, but Hajji Ahmed’s is the most notable. The mosque was constructed in the late 16th century and has a short, stumpy dome, with an instantly recognisable blue-faced clock tower next door. According to legend, cannons were initially placed around the mosque in case Venice attacked, which never happened. It didn’t function as a mosque for much of the 20th century, instead being a place for artists and poets, where poetry was recited and creatives congregated. The walk to the mosque is a little arduous, although maybe I am just out of shape. Stara Čaršija

Franciscan Monastery and Gorica Gallery

On the outskirts of town (a 20-minute walk from the bus station) is the Franciscan Monastery, attached to the delightful Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, surrounded by peaceful greens that create an audio distance between the complex and the nearby road. There are many moving parts here, but everything comes together with a singular aim, namely to preserve the cultural heritage of Livno. What a magnificent heritage, best exemplified in the extensive gallery, a showcase that displays some of the most intricate creations of Gabrijel Jurkić along with books, photos, medical artefacts, and much more. There is also an ethnographic review of Livno’s history. It is a marvellous place, an all-sensory experience that paints Livno is a gorgeously dazzling light. Gorička cesta bb, +387 34 200 923, Mon-Fri 09:00 - 15:00

Duman River Spring

Livno, how did you get away with hiding this? Okay, it isn’t exactly hidden, but the Duman River Spring (a spring of the Bistrica River) gets overlooked in the annals of Livno tourism. Why? Wild horses are fantastic, but come on, this marriage of nature’s power and tranquillity is hard to beat. The spring is located in the northeast of town at the foot of Bašajković Hill and is surrounded by old houses that range from neglected to endearing, but you aren’t here to look at buildings. The trickle quickly blossoms into an array of cascades, not as powerful as waterfalls but quietly confident nonetheless. Duman is the Turkish word for ‘smoke’, if you were wondering, although I’m guessing it has nothing to do with the full packet of Marlboro Reds on a rock there when I last visited. The nearby Bridge over the Duman is also picturesque as heck, but getting a good view of it is frustratingly difficult. Only for photo purposes, of course, as the overgrown nature is having a marvellous time. Very little is known about the bridge historically, but most assume it was constructed in the late 17th or early 18th century. This area is the most beautiful section of town, a gorgeous place to while away a sunny afternoon in the company of water and wilds.

Firduz Cemetery

A small and somewhat unassuming cemetery on the side of the road, there is little to shout about here at first glance. Look closer, however, and the curious architectural intricacies of Ottoman wealth reveal themselves in the remaining tombstones. These are considered some of the most beautiful Ottoman-era tombstones in the region, with vaulted inscriptions talking of the nectar of the gardens of the sublime paradise and whatnot. This isn’t your standard graveyard.

Wild Horses

Wild horses couldn’t keep me away! In this instance, wild horses are keeping me away because I haven’t actually been to say hello to these chargers yet, but it is essential to leave reasons to return. Livno is best known for the harras of wild horses that roam the Kruzi plateau on Cincar mountain, hundreds of the things, doing whatever it is they do. The story begins with working animals, beasts set free instead of being used for glue once the motor made them obsolete on the farm. The numbers are constantly growing, with around 750 now trotting around. The best way to see the buggers is to organise a tour, so give the Livno Wild Horses Adventure Tours (Gabrijela Jurkića bb, +387 63 255 582, livnowildhorses@gmail.com) people a call and see what you can do.

Čuvari Starina Museum

The name loosely means ‘Guards of the Antiques Museum’, and that is pretty much what you get here. Bits and pieces of daily Livno life from its many different historical periods, lovingly arranged for the investigation of curious visitors. There are thousands of items here, a rather dizzying range of things from town gates to sewing machines with old photos everywhere. Mejtefska, +387 63 482 118

King Tomislav Square

Livno’s main square traces its history to the 19th century and has seen many a significant moment in the long story that is Livno. The King Tomislav obelisk is its most noticeable landmark (too tall to make a good photo), erected in 1926 to celebrate the thousandth anniversary of the man’s birth. The square has many cafes, shops and restaurants, with markets during major events.

Balagija Mosque

Hajji Ahmed and his ducats might be the main event of Livno mosques, but the domed glory of the Balagija Mosque isn’t far behind. It isn’t far away either, sitting peacefully in the same part of town, built at some point in the middle of the 16th century. Also known as the Balaguša Mosque, it was one of 14 mosques built early in Livno by the Ottomans and follows familiar architectural roads, being a single-spaced domed mosque with a portico and three small domes and a charmingly short minaret. The interior is supposedly gorgeous, but I haven’t yet been lucky enough to step inside. Right foot first, remember. Stara Čaršija

BREWS, BOOZE AND BITES

Pivnica Livanjska (Kneza Mutimira, +387 63 666 707) in the centre of town is a tremendous option, brewing its own beer and dishing out some quality eats along the way. I’m not entirely sure what Black Fried Chicken is, but tasty is tasty. The main square is ringed with cafes that all tick much the same boxes, so make your own mind up there. Luxe (Kneza Mutimira 29, +387 63 550 501), there we go, done. Black and White (Splitska, +387 63 837 014) is popular with locals, and Bacchus (Splitska, +387 34 204 088) is a decent restaurant nearby. Pizza lovers should head to Metropolis (Trg Kralja Tomislava bb, +387 63 822 800), close to Hotel Novitas. Also, make sure you try some Livno Cheese (Livanjski sir) or even head out to the Puđa Eko Sir HQ (Golinjevo, +387 34 245 744) to buy some. One day, someone will open a gorgeous restaurant by the Duman Spring, but that day isn’t quite here.

SLEEPING

There are a handful of sleeping options in Livno, with Hotel Novitas (Gospodarska zona Jug bb, +387 34 205 410) taking care of the more formal side of the ledger. It used to be called something different, and I can’t for the life of me remember what, but there is little point in worrying about that now. If you are looking for a more personable experience (not to mention a more economical one), head to Apartman Bor (27 Fra Eugena Matića), on the outskirts of town close to Gorica. You get a whole apartment floor with a balcony, memory foam pillows and slippers. Livno also has excellent agro-tourism options, with Crna Stina Ranč (Put Stupa 23, +387 63 676 835) coming highly recommended. Recommended by a young martial arts-enthusiast taxi driver, just so you know.

LIVNO