- Address: Old Bridge, Mostar 88000, Bosnia and Herzegovina;
- Overall length: 30 m;
- Height: 24 m;
- Width: 4 m.
The old bridge Mostar is in the center of the city with the same name and is its main attraction and pride of the country Bosnia and Herzegovina . It has a rich history and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The old bridge Mostar as a tourist site
Every guest of the city of Mostar first of all seeks to visit his main attraction . Already in the early morning the bridge is filled with tourists, each dealing with its own business. And on the bridge you can find the following kinds of entertainment:
- To get acquainted with the history of its creation, destruction and restoration, visiting both the object itself and the museum dedicated to it.
- Admire the bridge with beautiful views of the Neretva river with its emerald-blue water and the city itself, its houses, streets, mosques and churches that are viewed from afar.
- Make memorable photos from a variety of angles.
- Feel a splash of adrenaline, watching the jumps from a height of 20 meters, which are dexterously demonstrated by local boys. This is a traditional local entertainment.
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A bit of history
The history of the bridge goes back to the 15th century. It was in 1957, at the request of local residents and with the permission of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, its construction began. It was driven by the best architect Mimar Hayruddin and lasted for 9 years. As a result, the bridge was 21 meters high, which is 28.7 m long and 4.49 m wide. Thanks to the width of the arch, this bridge was glorified to the whole world, because there are no equals. Modern scientists still can not figure out how in the 16th century the workers managed to build such a strong and high bridge. The design of the bridge consisted of 456 limestone blocks, carved by hand so that they fit each other closely. At that time, the bridge that was built played a large commercial and strategic role, because heavy stones were transported through it from one part of the city to another, and also served as a ferry for other traders and workers (for which the local collected a certain tribute).
In the 17th century, it was decided to build two towers to facilitate the control of the bridge and movements on it. On the left side, the Tara tower was erected, which in its time served as an ammunition depot. Now there is a museum in several floors, where you can see the history of the bridge. It is open for tourists from April to November. Visiting the expositions in this museum usually ends with an ascent to the very last floor, from where stunning views of the city open.
On the right side was built the tower of Halebia, and it was a prison. From the upper floors, the guards followed the order and watched the bridge.
Destruction and restoration of the bridge
The bridge, which can now be seen on Neretva, is an accurate restored copy of the old stone bridge Mostar. The original, unfortunately, was destroyed during the Croatian-Bosnian war in 1993. The enemy fired a bridge from Mount Hum for two days with tanks, which is about 2 kilometers away. As a result of 60 hits, the object eventually fell along with the adjacent towers and part of the rock on which it leaned. To date, off the coast of Neretva can only see the wreckage of the original bridge.
Specialists of UNESCO started to work on the issues of restoration already in 1994. But the collection of money and architectural research took several years. The bridge was rebuilt by donations from countries such as Turkey, the Netherlands, France, Italy and Croatia. Also, financial support was provided by the Development Bank of the European Council. The total budget was about 15 million euros. The works were started in 2003, and in 2004 Mostar was solemnly opened.
Jumping from the bridge
The old bridge Mostar is famous not only for its history and unique architecture, but also for the special entertainment that tourists can see here. Jumping into the water from the bridge is an entertainment that was founded in 1664. Initially, young boys, thus, proved their courage and courage. Today it is an entertaining show for tourists for money. Several local guys collect the audience and money as a fee for presentation (usually give, who, how much can), then show this dangerous stunt. A jump into the water can be called a really extreme sport, since it takes place from a height of 20 meters into a river, whose depth is only 3-5 m. In addition, Neretva is famous for its low water temperature, which is maintained in it all year round. It is not difficult to imagine how dangerous such a jump in the heat of 40 degrees and in water with a temperature of 15 degrees. Techniques of such a jump young men are trained from a small age and trained for years. Towards the right tower of Halabia, a room was specially built for the Mostari club, where boys are trained. Since 1968, international jumping competitions have been held here. Show their dexterity and courage here come boys from all over the world.
How to find?
The old Mostar bridge is the first object and sight that visitors of the city want to see. He is in the center, and finding it is not difficult. You can get there by car, by public transport or by taxi. Mostar was named the most beautiful bridge in Europe. He devoted poems and compositions of poets, notes of geographers and essays of travelers who truly admired the beauty and grandeur of this medieval elegant structure.