BVA

Old Bridge

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 used the construction details originally present using a number of the original stones and new stones from the original quarry. In addition to the two towers, the bridge includes a large gate that is crowned with a chardak constructed of heavy timber and lighter materials. The chardak served as place to observe those crossing the bridge. (photo taken 1988)