Stari Most

Stari Most (“The Old Bridge”) is a famous bridge crossing the river Neretva in the city of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It long stood as a symbol of the Ottoman Empire’s dominance in the region and features a significantly middle-eastern style of architecture.

Stari Most is a bridge that was originally designed in the early 16th century by Mimar Hayruddin, who was an Ottoman chief architect and engineer who served under the rule of Sultan Bayezid II. Construction began in 1557 and finished in 1566 and existed as a major trading passage for merchants, travelers, and a host of other types of people during this time period.

Sadly, during the Bosnian War in 1993, Croatian soldiers nearly entirely destroyed the historic bridge. But within a decade, work to restore the historic bridge to its former splendor had already begun.

The recently reconstructed Stari Most bridge was inaugurated in the summer of 2004, and hundreds of people continue to visit the location yearly. The young men of the community regularly dive into the Neretva from the bridge. Only the most experienced and well-trained divers will attempt this due to the extreme cold of the river.

Location: Mostar, Bosnia, and Herzegovina

Architect: Mimar Hayruddin