BVA

Old Bridge (Stari Most)

Mostar, Herzegovina

The Old Bridge (Stari Most) stands as the symbol of the town and an icon of the Ottoman architecture in the Balkans. The bridge, built across the Neretva River in 1566, has been attributed to the architect Hajrudin. The bridge span was destroyed in 1993, during the Bosnian war, but rebuilt following original construction details, and reusing some of the original stones. New stones came from the original quarry. In addition to the two towers, the bridge includes a large gate crowned with a čardak constructed of heavy timber and lighter materials. The čardak served as a place to observe those crossing the bridge. (photo 1988)