Description of the attraction
The old bridge is the pride and symbol of the city, in honor of this bridge and named. It was founded at the beginning of the 15th century on the left bank of the Neretva River, but gradually expanded along both banks.
Soon a wooden bridge was built here, over the river it hung on huge chains. The guards who guarded this strategic facility were called "bridge". The city founded on the left bank is Mostar. The chained bridge swayed so that the residents tried not to walk on it once again. In the middle of the 15th century, towers were built along the banks, between which they pulled a rope and made a ferry crossing. But crossing the wayward Neretva was also not an occupation for the faint of heart.
When Mostar came under Ottoman rule, the matter was resolved quickly: by order of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, the construction of the bridge began. The history of construction is full of legends. The bridge was designed by a disciple of Sinan, the great Turkish architect, a certain Hayruddin. The first two versions of the bridge did not survive the tests and collapsed into the river. The enraged sultan issued an ultimatum: if the third bridge falls, the architect will be executed. Khairuddin was building a bridge, and a scaffold was being built for him nearby. One way or another, in 1566 this piece of engineering genius was built and for many years has been an architectural and technical masterpiece. In the 16th century, it was the widest man-made arch in the world - 20 meters high and 28 meters long.
Officially he was named Suleimanov, but the townspeople began to call him New Bridge. A hundred years later it was renamed Bolshoi. Over time, other bridges across the Neretva appeared in the city, and the bridge received its final name - Old.
At the age of 427, the Old Bridge collapsed into the water as a result of barbaric shelling during the Balkan War. It was restored 11 years later, completely recreating its original appearance, using the same building materials. The construction was carried out with funds raised in all countries, with the assistance of UNESCO and the World Bank. The inauguration of the bridge in July 2004 was attended by many dignitaries, including Prince Charles. In 2005, the architectural complex of the Old Bridge was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
