Stari Most (Old Bridge)

Stari Most, the Old Bridge, spans the emerald Neretva River in the heart of Mostar, in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The single-arch stone bridge was completed by the Ottomans in 1566, destroyed by shelling in November 1993 and rebuilt with original techniques and local stone, reopening in 2004. It is the centrepiece of the UNESCO-listed Old Bridge Area of the Old City of Mostar. The span rises steeply to a crown about 20 metres above the water, and its polished limestone paving is slippery, with worn transverse ribs that provide footing. Two fortified towers, Halebija on the left bank and Tara on the right, guard the ends. Visitors typically cross several times to see the river gorge from the apex, then descend to the riverside terraces on either bank for the classic view of the arch. The Old Bridge Museum inside the towers displays the reconstruction story, with archive photographs and a small exhibition of the bridge's engineering. Members of the Mostar Diving Club perform the traditional jump in July and August, usually collecting tips from the crowd before leaping; a formal diving competition is held each summer. The cobbled Kujundžiluk bazaar street on the eastern side sells copperware, coffee sets and souvenirs, and restaurants with terraces along the river offer Bosnian grilled dishes. A visit takes one to two hours, longer if combined with the Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque and the Kriva Ćuprija. Crowds peak between 10:00 and 16:00 when day-trip coaches from Dubrovnik, Split and Sarajevo arrive, and the bridge is far quieter at dawn and in the evening, when warm light falls on the stone. Good photo positions are the Lučki Most downstream, the riverside steps near Tara Tower and the minaret of the Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque. Evening lighting after dark gives a calm, atmospheric second visit.