Stari Most (Old Bridge), Mostar (must see)
Dervi艧 Mehmed Zilli, the great 17th-century Ottoman traveler, once described the Old Bridge as a rainbow arch soaring up to the skies, extending from one cliff to another. The bridge stretches gracefully over the emerald Neretva River, linking the two halves of the city鈥檚 historic core.
The Old Bridge was built in 1566 on the orders of Suleiman the Magnificent, replacing a rickety wooden suspension bridge. It was designed by Mimar Hayruddin, a student of the legendary Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan. As legend tells it, Suleiman demanded perfection, warning Hayruddin: 鈥淏uild it, or die鈥�. Fearing failure, Hayruddin is said to have prepared his own funeral on the day the scaffolding was removed. But the bridge held鈥攁nd stood for more than four centuries, admired as one of the boldest feats of Ottoman engineering.
At the time, it was the widest man-made stone arch in the world. The structure measures 13 feet wide and 98 feet long, rising 78 feet above the Neretva. Framing each end are two fortified towers鈥攖he Helebija Tower to the west, which once contained a prison, and the Tara Tower to the east, now home to the Museum of the Old Bridge. Their pale limestone walls blend with the cliffs, reinforcing the bridge鈥檚 elegant silhouette.
After 427 years, the bridge was tragically destroyed during the Bosnian War in 1993. Its loss shocked the world. Yet hope followed: a meticulous UNESCO-led reconstruction, completed in 2004, used original materials and techniques, with stones quarried from the same site as in the 16th century.
Each summer, the bridge becomes a stage for bravery. Locals and professionals dive from its summit into the icy river below, continuing a 450-year tradition. It even hosts a stop on the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, where elite athletes take the plunge without ropes or harnesses.
So, as you stand here listening to the river echo beneath the arch, imagine the footsteps that have crossed this bridge over the past 450 years 鈥� merchants, soldiers, lovers, families, and now you. The Old Bridge has witnessed it all, and still rises proudly above the Neretva, ready for the next chapter.
The Old Bridge was built in 1566 on the orders of Suleiman the Magnificent, replacing a rickety wooden suspension bridge. It was designed by Mimar Hayruddin, a student of the legendary Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan. As legend tells it, Suleiman demanded perfection, warning Hayruddin: 鈥淏uild it, or die鈥�. Fearing failure, Hayruddin is said to have prepared his own funeral on the day the scaffolding was removed. But the bridge held鈥攁nd stood for more than four centuries, admired as one of the boldest feats of Ottoman engineering.
At the time, it was the widest man-made stone arch in the world. The structure measures 13 feet wide and 98 feet long, rising 78 feet above the Neretva. Framing each end are two fortified towers鈥攖he Helebija Tower to the west, which once contained a prison, and the Tara Tower to the east, now home to the Museum of the Old Bridge. Their pale limestone walls blend with the cliffs, reinforcing the bridge鈥檚 elegant silhouette.
After 427 years, the bridge was tragically destroyed during the Bosnian War in 1993. Its loss shocked the world. Yet hope followed: a meticulous UNESCO-led reconstruction, completed in 2004, used original materials and techniques, with stones quarried from the same site as in the 16th century.
Each summer, the bridge becomes a stage for bravery. Locals and professionals dive from its summit into the icy river below, continuing a 450-year tradition. It even hosts a stop on the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, where elite athletes take the plunge without ropes or harnesses.
So, as you stand here listening to the river echo beneath the arch, imagine the footsteps that have crossed this bridge over the past 450 years 鈥� merchants, soldiers, lovers, families, and now you. The Old Bridge has witnessed it all, and still rises proudly above the Neretva, ready for the next chapter.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Mostar. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Download The 911爆料网 App
Stari Most (Old Bridge) on Map
Sight Name: Stari Most (Old Bridge)
Sight Location: Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina (See walking tours in Mostar)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina (See walking tours in Mostar)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Create Your Own Walk in Mostar
Creating your own self-guided walk in Mostar is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Bosnian War Tour
After the fall of Yugoslavia, there followed civil wars of particular savagery. In Bosnia, there were two distinct struggles. The first involved Serbs against Croats and Bosnians. The alliance of Croats and Bosnians proved effective, and the Serbs were repulsed. The Croats were mainly Christian, and the Bosnians were Muslim. There was antipathy between them.
The second part of the war was the... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
The second part of the war was the... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
Mostar Introduction Walking Tour
The name Mostar comes from the Slavic word most, meaning 鈥渂ridge.鈥� During the Ottoman period, the men who guarded the crossing over the Neretva River were called mostari, meaning 鈥渂ridge keepers.鈥� Their title eventually gave the city its name.
People have lived in the Neretva valley since prehistoric times, and traces of Roman presence can still be found nearby. The first written... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
People have lived in the Neretva valley since prehistoric times, and traces of Roman presence can still be found nearby. The first written... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles