Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Ambuluwawa Tower
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
Hesperus Mountain.
Hesperus Mountain
Miniature Collection at Museo del Pueblo de Guanajuato
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
U.S. Air Force Capt. Samuel “RaZZ” Larson, F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team commander, passes over the flight line at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, July 9, 2024
Who Swarmed Langley Air Force Base With Drones?
about 14 hours ago
Our producer Manolo Morales would spend his final days perusing the shelves at Book Off.
Where Would You Go to Wait for the Apocalypse?
1 day ago
This event showcasing the bounty of the Traverse City region’s amazing agriculture, craft, and creativity culminates with a Grand Tasting on August 23.
The Atlas Obscura Guide to Traverse City’s Event Season
2 days ago
She’ll get you and your little dog too.
Dear Atlas: Where Can I Explore Witch History Without the Kitsch?
3 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Bosnia and Herzegovina Mostar Mostar Sniper Tower
Mostar Sniper Tower is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

Mostar Sniper Tower

A former bank seized as a sniper vantage point during the Bosnian War is now a secret graffiti art gallery.

Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Added By
Savager
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Graffiti at the base.   Savager / Atlas Obscura User
Graffiti at the base.   Savager / Atlas Obscura User
The sniper tower of Mostar.   Savager / Atlas Obscura User
The view from the tower.   Martijn Munneke/CC BY 2.0
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
September 2021   Michael Busch / Atlas Obscura User
September 2021   Michael Busch / Atlas Obscura User
  tlacs151 / Atlas Obscura User
Internal graffiti.   Savager / Atlas Obscura User
Graffiti at the base.   Savager / Atlas Obscura User
Internal graffiti.   Savager / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The towering concrete shell of a building in Bosnia and Herzegovina offers an unmatched view of the surrounding area. Those brave enough to enter the derelict structure are in store for more than just a prime vantage point.

The battered building just outside of Mostar served as a bank during the country’s days in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. There’s no plaque or official acknowledgement of the tower’s infamous history, but its appearance is certainly a reminder of the city’s turmoil in the ‘90s.

Mostar has no shortage of abandoned, bullet-riddled buildings, but the old bank, one of the tallest in the area, is haunted by its especially incendiary role in the Bosnian War. Thanks to its height and impressive view, it had a long tenure as a sniper tower during the siege of Mostar.

The main entrance has been bricked up, but that hasn't stopped graffiti artists from sneaking in. It’s a popular site for urban exploration and art. Each of the 10 floors has been decorated by the many artists who’ve made their way inside. The artworks are various levels of disturbing, inspirational, and downright bizarre.

Besides a sea of torn ledgers and invoices on the third floor, little remains of the bank itself. The roof is still accessible from a ladder on the 10th floor. It offers an exclusive view of Mostar and the surrounding hills. Those who don’t want to enter can enjoy the graffiti around the base of the tower.

Related Tags

War Art Graffiti Abandoned Banks Outsider Art Military

Know Before You Go

Entry is not encouraged by the city of Mostar, but if you are planning to enter, you can hop in around the back. Wear good shoes as there is broken glass everywhere, and take care not to fall off the stairwell or down the elevator shaft. The basement is completely flooded, so rubber boots, a torch, and a mask would be advisable.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina

Traverse the beauty and history of the Balkans through locals' stories.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Savager

Edited By

hrnick, Michael Inscoe, Collector of Experiences, Michael Busch...

  • hrnick
  • Michael Inscoe
  • Collector of Experiences
  • Michael Busch
  • tlacs151

Published

December 4, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Mostar Sniper Tower
12 Kneza Domagoja
Mostar, 88000
Bosnia and Herzegovina
43.344104, 17.80663
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Bruce Lee Sculpture of Mostar

Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

miles away

Partisan Memorial Cemetery

Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

miles away

Stari Most

Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Mostar

Mostar

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Places 5

Nearby Places

Bruce Lee Sculpture of Mostar

Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

miles away

Partisan Memorial Cemetery

Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

miles away

Stari Most

Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Mostar

Mostar

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Places 5

Related Stories and Lists

25 Places Reborn Through Graffiti and Street Art

List

By Jonathan Carey

Related Places

  • Inside one of the buildings.

    Borås SV, Sweden

    Bockaby Urban Warfare Facility

    This abandoned urban warfare facility is a dream come true for airsoft and paintball enthusiasts.

  • Pembroke, Malta

    White Rocks Abandoned Complex

    These sprawling military housing quarters from the 1960s are now defunct and hidden in plain sight on Malta’s Mediterranean coast.

  • Leuven Mini City

    Leuven, Belgium

    Leuven Mini City

    A tiny metropolis resides inside this student housing complex.

  • 34th Street Graffiti Wall

    Gainesville, Florida

    34th Street Graffiti Wall

    Though illegal, city officials have made an exception for this work of art.

  • Artist’s Lane

    Windsor, Australia

    Artist's Lane

    This previously dilapidated alleyway has been transformed into one of Melbourne's finest hidden art locations.

  • Hello Peoria collaborative mural painting.

    Peoria, Illinois

    Hello Peoria Building

    Tiny treasures, giant murals, and strange sculptures decorate the windows and doors of this abandoned building.

  • Sunshine Lane

    Brunswick, Australia

    Sunshine Lane

    A hidden lane full of top-quality street art.

  • Ammunition storage

    Auckland, New Zealand

    Abandoned WWII Structures of Motutapu Island

    A network of fortifications that never saw conflict.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.