Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina – Stari Most (Old Bridge)

1 von 10

Mostar

Mostar is the major city in the Herzegovina region of the country. It is situated on the Neretva river and has about 129.000 citizens. The city is named after its Old Bridge (Stari Most), which was built in the Ottoman era.

Mostar, old town

Stari Most (Old Bridge)

The Old Bridge is a symbol of Mostar. Its history is very interesting. The bridge was built in the 16th century and stood over the Neretva river for 427 years as it was destroyed during the Bosnian war in 1993 just in minutes.

Stari Most (Old bridge) - view from the mosque

Close to the bridge there is a small museum, where you could see a video with pictures before its destruction, how it collapsed during the war and how it was rebuilt later on.

Neretva river in Mostar

The project to restore the bridge after its original design started in 1999 with donations from many countries. Construction works were completed some five years later in 2004. The pictures of people jumping into the Neretva river from the bridge as it was rebuilt are very impressive.

Traditional handcraft in textiles, Mostar

The old city of Mostar is very charming with small handcraft shops, cafes and restaurants with traditional cuisine. You can sit in a cafe with a view to the river and enjoy the splendid view. The Neretva river is really beautiful. The clarity and turquoise color of water make it very special.

Traditional restaurant in Mostar

Signs of the war in Mostar

During the war in 1992 Mostar was about 18 months under the siege of the Yugoslav People’s Army. In June 1992 the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina together with the Croatian Defense Force managed to push the Yugoslav People’s Army (YPA) out of Mostar. YPA responded with shelling and a lot of buildings, monuments and infrastructure were destroyed.

Destroyed building in Mostar during the Bosnian war

Destroyed architecture from the shelling in Mostar

A ruined building from the war next to a new building in Mostar

A ruined building during the Bosnian war in Mostar

During the Croat-Bosnian conflict in 1993 Mostar was divided into two parts: a Croatian part on the west bank of the river Neretva and a Bosnian part on the east bank of the river. This status was repealed in 2004, whereby the city has been organised in six municipalities, constituing together one unit.