Ljubuški lies on the left side of the Trebižat river, which forms one of the most beautiful waterfalls that can be seen in all of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the most famous being Kravica and Koćuša.
In addition to its natural beauties, which give Ljubuški the epithet of a healthy gastronomic oasis, Ljubuški is also known for its significant cultural and historical heritage - in various localities you can find remains from almost all periods of human history, which are worth mentioning: the ancient Roman camp in Gračina, Humačka ploča, the Old Town of Ljubuški, and stećci at the necropolises in Studenci, Bijača and Zvirići.
The story of Ljubuško
According to folklore, herceg (duke) Stjepan Vukčić of Kosač started building the city of Ljubuški in honor of his wife Ljubuša, after whom, as legend has it, the city was named. In written sources, the name of the town was mentioned for the first time in 1435 under the name "Lubussa". Only in the second half of the 19th century was Ljubuški recorded on maps and plans under its current name. More recently, older documents were found in the Dubrovnik archives that mention the church and monastery in Ljubuški on February 15, 1435.
The area of Ljubuški, as evidenced by numerous historical remains, has been a very desirable place for settlement since ancient times. The first inhabitants of the Ljubus region were the Iliri-Daorsons who settled in the valley of Trebižat. The Daorsone were later expelled by the enemy tribe Ardiaei and Delmati, who soon settled in the western part of Ljubuški. Numerous remains show us how turbulent and active life took place in the Illyrian era. More than 1,000 burial mounds served mainly as tombstones for prominent members of the Illyrian clans. The collapse of the Illyrian tribes and the arrival of the Romans in the area of Ljubuški radically changed the ethnological, topographical and economic picture. Two Roman settlements testify to this change: Bigeste (in Radišići and Humac) and Pagus Scunasticus (probably at the Mostar gate). The settlement of Bigeste was originally a road station, and then a Roman military camp, the remains of which were excavated at the site of Gračine on Humac. Pagus Scunasticus, as shown by two stone tablets with an inscription, was a veteran settlement (discharged Roman soldiers) found at the site of Zorbinovac. In the Franciscan Museum in Humac, there are numerous stone inscriptions, mostly tombstones, which bear witness to the military units in which active and former soldiers served. After the Romans in the 7th century, the Croats penetrated the area of Ljubuški. Because of the scarce remains from that period, it can be said that the Ljubuški region began to decline economically and culturally.
One of the rare remains and certainly one of the most significant is the famous Humač stone tablet, an inscription in the old Croatian Cyrillic script with the addition of a few Glagolitic letters from the 12th century. The inscription tells us about the construction of the church of St. Mihovila parish with an unknown name. One of the many medieval monuments in Ljubuški is certainly the stećci. About 600 stećaks were recorded in 45 localities in Ljubuški. The well-known archaeologist Radoslav Dodig cites a figure of 617 stećaks. However, what Ljubuški is most famous for is the medieval tower on top of Butorovica hill above Ljubuški, which was declared a national cultural monument in 2004. Folk tradition links its construction to Prince Stjepan Vukčić Kosača, although it is older than him. When the Turks conquered Ljubuški in 1472, they built ramparts around the tower, built houses and, in 1558, a mosque.
After the Ottoman rule, the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy came to power. The Congress of Berlin gave Austria consent to occupy Bosnia and Herzegovina. The army of the Austrian general Jovanović entered Ljubuški on August 2, 1878 from the direction of Vrgorac. The period of Austrian administration (1878-1918) meant the revival of Ljubuška in terms of infrastructure, agriculture, industry, culture and administration. In 1884, culturally aware Franciscans led by Fr. Anđelo Nuić, following the example of numerous European museums, founded his museum on Humac near Ljubuški. The museum on Humac is also the oldest museum in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Also, it is important to note that in addition to the museum in the monastery on Humac, there is also a rich library that today has over 20,000 titles from the 16th to the 19th century and covers almost all areas of natural and social sciences.
The First World War (1914-1918) brought Ljubuška: hunger, poverty, Spanish fever and other troubles. A similar situation lasted during the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1918-1941). The period from 1945 to 1990 is related to the communist and socialist system of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY). During that period, many Croats emigrated. Nevertheless, Ljubuški developed in an industrial and agricultural sense, although it was not fast. After the Dayton Peace Agreement, Ljubuški became part of County no. 8 together with Grude, Posušje and Široki Brijeg.
One of the most beautiful travertine charms in Europe, hidden 7 km from Ljubuški. The nine-named river Trebižat creates scenes that take your breath away. One of them is the 28 m high and 120 m wide Nature Monument, which will provide you with an unforgettable concert on the water.
2. KOČUŠA WATERFALL
The Koćuša waterfall is located 18 km upstream from Kravica, with its 5 meters high and 50 meters wide. The water falls over the sedimentary and travertine rocks that nature has created for centuries, and the idyllic atmosphere of greenery, rocks and water is also contributed by buildings from another time that are still working unhindered on Trebižat today - mills and pillars.
3. HUMAC MUSEUM
Between two natural pearls, founded in 1884, is the oldest museum in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which preserves the oldest monument written in the Croatian language in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the 12th century Humač stone tablet. Visiting the museum, the Franciscan monastery of St. Anthony of Padua on Humac, every visitor will enjoy a prehistoric journey that lasts an incredible 16,000 years.
4. HERCEG STJEPAN LJUBUŠKI FORTRESS
Built on a solid, rocky position, at an altitude of 396 meters above sea level, on Butorovići hill, there are the imposing walls of the Herceg Stjepan fortress. According to written sources, it was first mentioned in 1444 under the name Lubussa.
5. ROMAN MILITARY CAMP IN GRACINE LJUBUŠKI
Descending down the marvelous bed of the Trebižat river on the left side of the coast, southwest of Ljubuški, we find the Roman military camp of Gračine, which will provide you with another incredible journey into antiquity.
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