Vrelo Bune

The architectural ensemble of the Blagaj tekija, also known as takiyya, a Sufi lodge, stands by the source of the Buna river, not far from the centre of Blagaj. The musafirhana (guest house) and türbe (mausoleum) are tucked into the natural surroundings, constituting a single entity with the cliffs, Buna source and mills. The musafirhana of the Blagaj tekke and the türbe have been preserved to this day. The musafirhana was built before 1664, and rebuilt in 1851 – its original appearance is not known. The building was subsequently repaired on several occasions. The ensemble of the Blagaj Tekke was presumably built very soon after Ottoman rule was established in Herzegovina, around 1520 at the latest.[1]

There were four bridges over the 9 km of the Buna river, two in Blagaj, one in Kosor and one in the village of Buna. Blagaj's bridges, the Karađoz-beg bridge and Leho bridge, differ in certain features from the typological form of 16th-century Ottoman architecture.[1]

• The Karađoz-beg bridge was endowed by Zaim hajji Mehmed-beg, known as Karađoz, and was built before 1570, on the road to town of Stolac. The bridge has five arches, of increasing span towards the centre.
• The Leho bridge or Lehina ćuprija in Donja Mahala was built before 1664. It is assumed to have been commission by Haseći Ali-aga Kolaković. It had three arches, considerably wider than those of the Karađoz-beg bridge.

Mill buildings on the Buna river are simple stone-built structures with gabled roofs clad with stone slabs, and with one or more millstones.[1]

• The mills by the Tekke. Very close to the source of the Buna, channels branch off leading water to power the mills. Several mills, one stamping and two fulling mills were built. There was one on each bank of the river. Part of the mill on the right bank of the river has been converted into a souvenir shop. All that remains of the rest of the structure is the stone walls.
• The mills in the Velagić residential complex. Part of the mill is on the bank and the greater part on the branch of the Buna that flows beneath the Velagić residential complex. The mill building consists of two parts, one built on dry land with a ground and an upper story, and the other a single-story structure built over the river spanning the two banks by means of a system of arches. The first part was the miller's living quarters, and the other contained seven mills arranged at regular intervals. Stamping mills were used for washing wool and fulling cloth.

Residential complexes were entirely isolated in relationship with the outside world, so that the courtyard became the most important area of the house. These complexes consisted of several different buildings serving different purposes, standing on a plot that was entirely open to the natural surroundings and forming a single unit with the architecture of the buildings.[1]

• The Kolaković house is one of the most striking examples of residential architecture in Mediterranean Herzegovina, and illustrates the evolution of the "Ottoman Bosnian" house.
• The Velagić residential complex, built sometime before 1776, is a unique complex of the residential architecture of that time, with a large number of the functional components required for life. Although separated from the outside world, with a high wall enclosure, the interior of the complex is open to the natural environment and the Buna river. All the courtyards are interconnected and paved with river pebbles. The complex of the Velagić house is the most complete example of a family house complex with outbuildings, where the full scope of the residential lifestyle of Mediterranean Herzegovina in the past is revealed.[3]
• The Kosić tower, as an offshoot of mediaeval residential architecture, is a typical fortified house. It is stone-built and stands at the edge of the town, so it probably served as a defensive outpost, given that the Blagaj Fortress was on the other side.