Publications
Geometric Authenticity in the Reconstruction of Architectural Heritage: A Methodological Approach
A high level of geometric fidelity was confirmed in the reconstruction of Mostar's Old Bridge, destroyed during the 1990s conflict and rebuilt in 2004. The study, leveraging high-precision geodetic measurements and archival photogrammetric drawings, demonstrated that average deviations from the original structure were minimal—just a few centimeters—with only localized discrepancies attributable to construction tolerances. This finding validates the reconstruction's authenticity and sets a precedent for transparent, evidence-based heritage conservation in post-conflict scenarios. The research also introduced a replicable methodological framework, combining non-destructive techniques with adaptive georeferencing models, to objectively assess geometric accuracy in architectural restorations worldwide.
The Bridge to Transition: Post-conflict Heritage as a Tool of Development in Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Despite the symbolic significance of Mostar's Old Bridge, reconstructed through international cooperation and later inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the project did not address the city's division or foster long-term reconciliation. This study reveals that while heritage reconstruction aimed for peace and development, it was instead instrumentalized by political elites to perpetuate social divisions, with economic neoliberal logics reshaping the historical landscape without resolving post-conflict challenges. Analyzing post-reconstruction practices in managing Mostar's Old City space, the research highlights the unintended consequences of using heritage as a tool for development, offering insights into the complexities of post-conflict reconstruction and urban governance.
Comparative Analysis of Selected Metadata Standards for the Processing of Intangible Cultural Heritage
A comparative analysis of metadata standards for processing intangible cultural heritage reveals that Dublin Core and MODS are the most suitable for digital preservation, offering detailed descriptions and high interoperability. These standards facilitate better organization, management, and global accessibility of digital objects, as demonstrated through their application to the Jumps from the Old Bridge in Mostar—a UNESCO-listed intangible heritage element. Unlike other standards, Dublin Core and MODS include elements that enable rich XML-based descriptions while maintaining simplicity and broad acceptance. This research represents the first comparative analysis of its kind, underscoring the critical role of metadata standards in preserving Bosnia and Herzegovina's intangible cultural heritage for future generations.
Sedad Bešlija. Hercegovački Sandžak u 17. stoljeću
Dr. Sedad Bešlija's study, 'Hercegovački Sandžak u 17. stoljeću,' offers the first comprehensive analysis of the Bosnian Eyalet during the 17th century, addressing a significant gap in Ottoman historiography due to limited sources. The research reveals critical insights into the administrative, economic, and cultural dynamics of the Herzegovina Sanjak, highlighting its role during the Cretan War (1645–1669) and the Great Turkish War (1683/84–1699). It also provides a detailed account of everyday life, including social engagement and architectural contributions, particularly through waqf institutions. The study is based on extensive archival research from multiple locations, including Istanbul, Dubrovnik, Mostar, Sarajevo, and Zaostrog, alongside published sources and travelogues. This work not only enriches the understanding of the Ottoman period in Bosnia and Herzegovina but also suggests a new approach to Bosnian historiography by focusing on micro-themes and administrative units.
Structural Integrity – Historical developments through millennia
A groundbreaking analysis reveals how structural integrity of bridges, from ancient stone to modern concrete, has evolved over millennia. The study highlights the significance of preservation and retrofitting techniques for UNESCO World Heritage Sites, using two case studies: the iconic Old Stone Bridge in Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and a historical riveted steel bridge in Transylvania (Romania). For the latter, an Engineering Critical Assessment provided solutions for retrofitting, ensuring structural stability without compromising historical integrity. This research builds on the foundational work of Prof. Stojan Sedmak, a pioneer in fracture mechanics, and underscores the applicability of structural integrity assessment in heritage conservation.
Architecture of Destruction and Healing
Architectural destruction can be a deliberate tool for dislocating human relationships and environments, perpetuating cycles of violence and exclusion. Slobodan Praljak, a former cultural manager turned war criminal, exemplifies this through his role in the systematic demolition of Bosnia-Herzegovina's cultural landmarks, including the iconic Old Bridge in Mostar—a symbol of multi-ethnicity. His actions highlight how architecture, when weaponized, erases shared histories and deepens societal fractures. The study argues that true recovery requires addressing these structural disruptions rather than treating destruction as isolated incidents. It calls for approaches that reconnect communities and provide victims with a path to healing, breaking the cycle of violence and segregation.
ECMI Minorities Blog. Ethnic Identity and Football in Mostar – A Clear Divide along the Old Front Line
Ethnic identities and societal divisions in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, are prominently expressed through football, particularly along the lines of its two main clubs, FK Velež Mostar and HŠK Zrinjski Mostar. This division mirrors the geographical fault lines of the ethnic conflict from the early 1990s, with street murals and graffiti serving as visible markers of this split. The study integrates insights from sociolinguistics and sports identity literature to analyze how linguistic landscapes and territorial divisions intersect in post-conflict urban spaces. By examining the spatial distribution of football-related symbolism, the research highlights the enduring impact of historical conflicts on contemporary social dynamics.
Post-reconstruction enclosures: an infrastructural perspective on the post-conflict landscape of the Old City (Mostar)
Neoliberal peacebuilding through heritage reconstruction can inadvertently limit public space and community participation, as demonstrated by the post-conflict landscape of Mostar's Old City. Eighteen years after the reconstruction of its iconic Old Bridge—a project symbolizing multicultural reconciliation—the site has become a commodified landscape, restricting local engagement and shared future negotiations. The study employs an infrastructural perspective to analyze how such projects condition public space dynamics, highlighting risks to heritage sites as communal arenas.
The Destruction of the Old Bridge in Mostar: A Rupture in Collective Urban Space and Life
The destruction of the Old Bridge in Mostar during the Bosnia and Herzegovina conflict (1992–95) fundamentally disrupted the city's urban identity, symbolizing a rupture in collective space that no reconstruction could mend. This 16th-century landmark, a unifying force linking riverbanks into an integral urban unit, became a contested symbol of ethno-nationalism and trauma. Despite efforts to rebuild it, social divisions persisted, revealing how material destruction reshapes urban identity and interethnic relations in post-conflict settings.
Destruction, heritage and memory: post-conflict memorialisation for recovery and reconciliation
Memorialisation of conflict-affected sites holds significant potential for post-trauma recovery and reconciliation, serving as a catalyst for healing or further division depending on stakeholder dynamics, interpretation, symbolic meanings, and spatial-temporal context. The study critically examines these processes through case analyses of Hiroshima, Beirut, Sarajevo's Vijecnica, and Mostar Bridge, revealing that effective memorialisation requires inclusive engagement with all involved parties and careful consideration of pre/post-conflict relationships. This research contributes to the broader discourse on difficult heritage by offering frameworks for addressing sites emerging from crises, emphasizing its role in fostering unity and resilience.
Experimental and numerical analysis of the global behaviour of the 1:9 scale model of the Old Bridge in Mostar
A 1:9 scale model of the UNESCO-listed Old Bridge in Mostar revealed critical insights into the seismic behavior of reinforced stone arch masonry structures. Experimental shaking table tests and non-linear mathematical modeling using a combined finite-discrete element method (FDEM) demonstrated that such bridges exhibit complex, non-linear responses to intense vibrations due to their composite materials and structural elements. The study highlighted horizontal displacement patterns and failure mechanisms, providing valuable data for preserving culturally significant heritage sites. This research underscores the importance of integrating experimental and numerical approaches to analyze and safeguard vulnerable masonry structures.
Public Spaces and Conflict Transformation: From Mostar’s Old Bridge to Its United World College
Post-war public spaces, when designed with community engagement and inclusion, can serve as powerful tools for conflict transformation and reconciliation. This study highlights the contrasting outcomes of Mostar's Old Bridge reconstruction and the United World College (UWC) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. While the bridge's reconstruction, despite its symbolic significance, failed to foster lasting reconciliation among ethnic groups, the UWC's emphasis on community participation and inclusion has shown promise in promoting healing and democratization. The research employs comparative political anthropology, incorporating interviews and ethnographic observations to evaluate processes, agency, structures, and emotional aspects of identity and politics. It concludes that community engagement in public space reconstruction facilitates reconciliation more effectively than top-down approaches, which can be perceived as coercive.
Urbanization Models of Mostar in the Period of Austro-Hungarian Rule
Four distinct urbanization models were identified as the foundation for transforming Mostar from an Ottoman provincial town into a Central European city during Austro-Hungarian rule (1878–1918). These models—integrating new development within the existing structure, creating a new urban center in vacant spaces, expanding orthogonally across the river, and constructing Neo-Baroque villas with radial streets—were systematically analyzed. The study also uncovered the identity of key engineers behind regulatory plans and the legal frameworks governing these transformations. This research provides a novel framework for understanding urban planning under colonial influence, blending historical analysis with spatial urbanism.
Appraisal of Heritage Buildings in the Post-War Period in Bosnia
Post-war recovery efforts for heritage buildings in Bosnia and Herzegovina often face challenges due to improper interventions, leading to additional damage or loss of authenticity. A key finding is that the effectiveness of rehabilitation methods varies significantly based on the typology of the building, its importance (including intangible values), and the level of destruction. The study highlights cases like the total reconstruction of the Ferhadija/Ferhat Pasha Mosque in Banja Luka and the Old Bridge in Mostar, while also noting successful examples such as the preservation of Počitelj's Old Town. However, even with correct diagnostic approaches, improper conclusions can arise, as seen with the Handanija Mosque in Prusac. The research emphasizes the importance of using traditional crafts, techniques, and materials to preserve authenticity and structural integrity. It also introduces the 'Index of shifts of minaret' as a tool for analyzing potential weaknesses in damaged structures.
Die Partisanennekropole in Mostar
The Partisan Necropolis in Mostar, designed by architect Bogdan Bogdanović and established in 1959, stands as a significant urbanistic, historical, and artistic landmark. This memorial park, integrated into the city's structure with axes oriented toward key urban spots like the old town, reflects the communist party's reinterpretation of World War II as the People's Revolution and their influence on war graves and memorials in post-war Yugoslavia. Despite its cultural value, the necropolis has recently faced politically motivated attacks, highlighting its vulnerability to contemporary political tensions.
Improving Accessibility to Intangible Cultural Heritage Preservation Using Virtual Reality
Virtual reality (VR) significantly enhances user immersion and performance expectancy when preserving intangible cultural heritage, as demonstrated by a case study on bridge diving at Stari Most in Mostar, Bosnia. The research found that 360° videos in VR improved user engagement compared to conventional desktop media, while not affecting effort expectancy for web applications. By integrating interactive digital storytelling with 3D virtual reconstructions, the study successfully preserved and communicated intangible heritage, providing a framework for future preservation efforts. This approach combines edutainment value with subjective evaluations to assess its effectiveness in cultural heritage conservation.
Metrics for Bridge Resilience Indicators
A new set of metrics for resilience indicators has been proposed to enhance the practical implementation of a decision-making framework for infrastructure service life management. This framework, developed by Turksezer et al., enables stakeholders to estimate system resilience through observable characteristics and evaluate the effectiveness of design or intervention measures. The study builds on previous research that links safe, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure systems to societal resilience, highlighting the importance of such systems in mitigating losses from natural and anthropogenic hazards. By providing quantifiable metrics for resilience indicators, this work aims to support more informed decision-making in managing vulnerable infrastructure, such as bridges, against potential disruptions or damages.
Quasi-static tests on 1:3 scaled arch segments of the Old Bridge in Mostar
Quasi-static tests on scaled-down arch segments of the Old Bridge in Mostar reveal critical insights into the load-bearing behavior and durability of historic masonry structures. The study, conducted using 1:3 scale models, demonstrates how connection elements such as wrought iron clamps, dowels, liquid lead, and mortar contribute to structural stability and resistance against external forces. These findings are particularly relevant for understanding the resilience of the original bridge, constructed in 1566 and reconstructed in 2004, providing valuable data for validating and refining existing mathematical models. The research highlights the ingenuity of historical construction techniques and their enduring effectiveness, offering a foundation for future numerical analyses.
The evaluation of the surrogate safety measures along a pedestrian confined ramp of an old bridge
A study on the Old Bridge of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, reveals critical insights into pedestrian safety on confined ramps. Using surrogate safety measures—such as relative speed (Delta-V), Time-To-Collision (TTC), Time Advantage (TAdv), and T2—researchers analyzed pedestrian trajectories under varying flow conditions, derived from video monitoring and geometric assessments of the bridge's infrastructure. The findings highlight potential risks in narrow, high-traffic areas like Mostar’s Ottoman bridge, particularly for vulnerable users such as the elderly or disabled, where reduced mobility and increased congestion could compromise safety and comfort. This work underscores the need to evaluate pedestrian mobility dynamics in UNESCO World Heritage Sites to prevent negative infrastructural outcomes, balancing tourism growth with sustainable urban planning.
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