Stari Most

Stari Most (English: Old Bridge) is a 16th-century Ottoman bridge in the city of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina that crosses the river Neretva. The bridge is considered an exemplary piece of Balkan Islamic architecture. It was designed by Mimar Hayruddin, a student and apprentice of the famous architect Mimar Sinan.

History

Stari Most was commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent, the tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. The construction of the bridge began in 1557 and took nine years to complete. It was made of local stone known as tenelija. The shape of the bridge is a pointed arch and it was the widest man-made arch in the world when it was completed.

The bridge stood for 427 years, until it was destroyed in 1993 during the Bosnian War. A project was set in motion to reconstruct it, and the rebuilt bridge opened on 23 July 2004.

Architecture

The bridge is a single-arch stone bridge and its arch is a perfect semicircle 8.56 m in width and 4.15 m in height. The frontage and vault are made of regular stone cubes incorporated into the horizontal layers all along the vault. The space between vault, frontal walls and footpath is filled with cracked stone.

The bridge has a pair of fortified towers protecting it: the Halebija tower on the northeast and the Tara tower on the southwest, called "the bridge keepers" (mostari).

Cultural Significance

Stari Most is more than just a bridge to the people of Mostar. It is a symbol of unity and resilience, having endured and been rebuilt after the ravages of war. It is also a popular site for the traditional sport of bridge diving. The annual competition in diving or jumping from the bridge into the Neretva river has been held for over 450 years.

In 2005, UNESCO recognized the Old Bridge and its closest vicinity, including the two towers, as a World Heritage Site.

See Also

• Architecture of Bosnia and Herzegovina
• List of World Heritage Sites in Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina