Bihac · BA

Djevojka sa Une

On a green fingertip of land where the Una River forks around the heart of Bihać, a bronze woman stands with her arms lifted and spread wide, facing the water and the old city bridge. This is Djevojka sa Une — "The Girl from the Una" — a stylised sculpture by the academic artist Vladimir Herljević that has become the unofficial emblem of Bosnia's north-western river town. She is at once a piece of public art and a small mystery: the city's beloved mermaid, cast in metal and set above one of Europe's clearest rivers. For more than three decades the Girl has watched the emerald currents pass beneath the city bridge, greeting travellers, joggers and families strolling the island. Locals treat her the way other cities treat their famous statues — as a meeting point, a photo subject and a point of civic pride — while the crystal-green Una and the park-like paths of Gradska Otoka (the City Island) give her an unusually scenic stage. The appeal here is small-scale and easy to love: a short riverside walk, a striking sculpture, and a legend you can ask your guide about.