Mostar Old Bridge

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Mostar Old Bridge over the River Neretva, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was the largest arched structure in the world at the time of its construction in 1566 during the Suleiman the Magnificent and it was Mimar Hajrudin who was behind the idea. The bridge stood firmly for 427 years until it was destroyed during the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1993. It was restored after the war and re-opened to the public on the July 23rd, 2004.

There are many mysteries about its construction, like how the stone was transported to the site, and how the wooden struts endured the nine-year build. Hence, it is considered one of the greatest architectural achievements of its time.

The old bridge is 4 meters wide and 30 meters long with the height of 24 meters at the highest point. Each of its edges end with a defensive tower – Hellebija in the northeast and Tara in the southwest – the pair of towers is called “Mostar” (the name of the customs officers on the bridge). The bow is made up of a local stone called “tenelija”, and its shape is the product of many irregularities that have occurred by the deformation of the intrados (the inner line of the arch).