A place of importance since long before the advent of definition and description, Blagaj’s Stjepan Grad really began to cement its legacy in the 10th century as a regional centre of power, a place from which territory was claimed and territory was defended. It isn’t difficult to see why this place was chosen, what with the horizon views and incredible vantage point, but what remains today is little more than a shell of that past. A negative? Not in the slightest, this a millennia-old piece of architecture, anything more than this would scream inauthenticity. The fortress was eventually home to Stjepan Vukčić Kosača, after whom it is named. Herzegovina? Named after him too. Blagaj’s fortress lost its importance in the 18th century, allowing nostalgia and memory to replace practicality and dependence. The more adventurous (and athletic) can access the fortress by foot, a hike that will take an hour or so, depending on how often you stop to admire the views and make plans to conquer 15th century territory.