Architecture

Motif: The building of the Episcopal Ordinariate and the Cathedral of Mary, Mother of the Church in Mostar Design: Ivana Vučina The western part of Mostar is adorned with two buildings which give a special mark to the city on the Neretva River. One of them is the Episcopal residence, i.e. the building of the Episcopal Ordinariate, and the other is the Cathedral of Mary Mother of the Church. The building of the Episcopal Ordinariate is a Neo-Renaissance palace designed in 1902 by Maximilian David and completed in 1906. The one-story residence is located on a hill; it is distinguished by a front porch supported by Tuscan columns and a series of decorative façade elements. Across from it is the Cathedral of Mary Queen of Heaven and Mother Church, the Episcopal Church and the mother of all churches in the Mostar-Duvno diocese. The road to its construction was very long. The first Mostar Cathedral was dedicated to St. Peter and Paul, was blessed in 1872, and in 1890 it was annexed to the Franciscan monastery in Mostar. Since every diocese must have a mother church, Bishop Paškal Buconjić acquired land for a new episcopal church. But construction plans were thwarted by World War II and difficult post-war circumstances. Bishop Petar Čulu had been persecuted by the communist authorities, but he hadn’t given up on the construction. After many years and negotiations, a cathedral church was finally built on the new location, which was blessed in 1980. It was built in a postmodern style in the shape of a tent of God, designed by architects Hildegrade Auf-Franić, Ivan Franić and Teodor Kupčevski. Both buildings were destroyed in the Homeland War. The building of the Episcopal Ordinariate was completely reconstructed, and the cathedral was thoroughly restored. In 2005, a bell tower was built next to the cathedral, which did not exist until then. The bell tower is a combination of modern architecture and tradition, and is a gift from canon Milan Balenović. (Željka Šaravanja) Croatian Post Ltd. Mostar issued 2 commemorative postage stamps in sheet of 8 stamps, a postmark and First Day Cover (FDC). The stamps along with its accompanying material may be purchased online at www.epostshop.ba Size: 35.50 x 25.56 mm Paper: white, 102 g, rubberized Comb perforation: 14 Print: AKD d.o.o. Zagreb Date of issue: 1. 7. 2021. Value: 2.70 BAM Quantity: 5,000 series Sheet: 8 stamps