Blagaj Fortress, better known to travelers as the old defensive complex Stipan-grad, stands just a few kilometers from the city of the same name, at an altitude of about 300 meters. The massive stone citadel was named after the Bosnian Count Stjepan Vukcic Kosaca, although the oldest ruins of the complex were built on the hill long before his birth.
The first settlements here existed even during the reign of the Roman Empire. Some ruins discovered during archaeological excavations dated back to the Prehistoric Period. However, most of the fortifications that have survived to this day appeared in the Middle Ages and were designed to protect the state from the attacks of the Ottoman Empire. On the one side, an ancient castle town with an area of more than 2 hectares was protected by a deep natural gorge, and on the other – by defensive walls. Despite the numerous battles of the 18th and 19th centuries, they have survived to this day. These massive fortress walls over 12 meters high and up to 2 meters thick are striking in their size.
To get inside the fortress, you will have to pass round an impressive hill from the north and spend an hour climbing up the serpentine. All the efforts of travelers will be compensated and generously rewarded not only by the beauty and grandeur of the ancient citadel but also by the fabulous view of Blagaj and its surroundings. Moreover, the trail itself will also give tourists a lot of pleasant impressions: each new turn shows a new unexpected side of Stipan-grad. Tourists pass a small narrow arch, enter a courtyard, then another one, and only then enter the fortress itself, surrounded by stone walls and the ruins of observation towers. Under the fortress, there are endless vineyards and fruit groves that stretch along the banks of the picturesque Buna River. By the way, there is a legend that Prince Stjepan, after leaving his citadel, hid countless treasures and riches in its grounds.