Mostar and the Old Bridge

Mostar's Old Bridge

Mostar’s Old Bridge

Mostar, the unofficial capital of Herzegovina, is home to the iconic “Stari Most” or Old Bridge.  The bridge, which was built by the Ottomans in the 16th century, crosses the river Neretva and connects the two sides to the city.  Without question, the Old Bridge is one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s most identifiable attractions and is currently on the UNESCO World Heritage List.  When researching  the trip to the Balkans, Mostar was readily accessible as we traveled from Dubrovnik to Sarajevo so we decided to spend a few hours there which was just about the right amount of time.

Mostar’s Old Bridge measures 13 feet wide, 98 feet long and over 78 feet high and at one point in history was the largest man-made arch in the world.  The original bridge stood for 427 years before it was destroyed during the war in 1993.  Since that time, the bridge was rebuilt in 2004 and today, serves as the main tourist attraction in Mostar.

A view from below the Old Bridge

A view from below the Old Bridge

One of the more interesting parts of visiting Mostar is the bridge jumping tradition that occurs on a daily basis in the summer time.  It is considered a right of passage for young men to jump off the bridge.

Diver preparing to jump

Diver preparing to jump

Today, as tourists flock to Mostar, locals will have the courage to jump from the bridge into the freezing cold river below assuming there is some economic incentive from the onlookers.  The divers work in pairs collecting as much money as possible prior to actually making the dive.

 

Divers collecting money prior to making a dive

Divers collecting money prior to making a dive

The divers usually appear in the afternoon as it is warmer during that portion of the day and makes the dive into the cold river below more tolerable.

Diver in mid-air

Diver in mid-air

The river below is so cold, at 12 degrees Celcius, that it is not recommended for tourists to participate in this tradition.  Prior to jumping, the divers will hose themselves down with cold water to lower their body temperature.  The divers are usually members of the local diving club so they are experienced with the jump.

Ice cold water of the river awaits the diver.  12 degrees C year round

Ice cold water of the river awaits the diver. 12 degrees C year round

There is no doubt that the centerpiece of Mostar is the Old Bridge.  It was certainly worth spending a few hours walking around the old town and witnessing the bridge jumping tradition.  However, I would not recommend spending an overnight here as there are so many other interesting places to visit in the Balkans.

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