The Mostar Bridge is located over the Neretva River in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The historical bridge, one of the most important Ottoman monuments in the country, is one of the symbolic structures of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This bridge connects the Bosnian and Croat sections within the city of Mostar and is seen as a symbol of tolerance and peace. The beautiful scenery and history of the bridge have made it an important center for tourism. Mostar Bridge was destroyed by Croatian troops during the war but was rebuilt after the war. Today, the bridge continues its mission of “unifying civilizations” that it has undertaken for centuries.
The original Mostar Bridge was built in 1566 by Mimar Hayreddin, a student of Mimar Sinan. The bridge was used for 427 years and was destroyed on 9 November 1993 during the Bosnian-Croatian War. A project to rebuild the bridge was prepared and put into service on 23 July 2004. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2005. Mostar is the main city of the Herzegovina region and the bridge was named after the city. The city of Mostar is still governed by a multinational government and wartime divisions still persist. Croats live to the west of the river, while Muslims live to the east. The Serbs, on the other hand, left the city during the war and did not return.
Features of Mostar Bridge
The Mostar Bridge is located over the Neretva River, 30 meters long, 4 meters wide and 24 meters high. The bridge was built in 1566 by Architect Hayreddin using 456 blocks of stone and the technology in its construction was quite advanced for that period. The bridge, which was designed in the shape of a crescent, was built with 99 steps to evoke the names of Allah. Mostar Bridge and Malabadi Bridge are similar in engineering and architecture. The bridge added wealth to the city of Mostar by stimulating trade and thus became an important city of the Herzegovina region. The bridge was used as a jumping platform for brave athletes. According to tradition, men would jump off a bridge to prove their mettle to their fiancees.
The Mostar Bridge, called “Stari Most” in Bosnian, is considered one of the most important structures in Islamic architecture. The bridge, which has been connecting the Croatian and Muslim people between the two sides of the river for centuries, is one of the most important symbols of the Balkans. The Mostar Bridge was not accepted as a Turkish work by foreign authors for a long time. However, by Architect Hayreddin XVI. It was built in the 19th century Ottoman Classical period and is considered a work of Ottoman Architecture. The Mostar Bridge, built in 1566, was highly appreciated and the region was named after the same. The capital of the Ottoman Empire in the Herzegovina Region was accepted as Mostar. The bridge was built masterfully and was accepted as the work of a hand trained by Mimar Sinan.
Demolition and Reconstruction of Mostar Bridge
Mostar Bridge was built in 1566 by the Ottoman sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. It was attacked for the first time by the Bosnian Serbs in 1992, during the Bosnia and Herzegovina civil war. More damaging attacks began on 9 November 1993 by Croatian tanks, and by the end of November the bridge was completely destroyed. The Mostar Bridge, a symbol of tolerance and cultural diversity in Bosnia for centuries, stood for 427 years and connected the Muslim and Croatian parts of the city. The destruction of the bridge meant the rejection of Mostar’s multinational heritage. After the war, British forces built a temporary iron bridge to replace the destroyed bridge. Due to the destruction of other bridges, this bridge, which connects the two sides of the river as a single structure, remained.
The reconstruction works of the Mostar Bridge in accordance with its former state started in 1997 with the support of UNESCO and the World Bank. Yapı Merkezi and ER-BU companies undertook the reinforcement, foundation, body wall and floor works. Divers from the Hungarian army found the original stones and removed them with cranes. Since the stones that had deteriorated in it could not be used, the stones extracted from the same quarry were used in the construction of the bridge. The company has stayed true to the original model and solidified the foundations. Arch work began in June 2002 and the keystone was put in place in August 2003. The Mostar Bridge was inaugurated on 23 July 2004 by Prince Charles of Galle, and a large number of state representatives attended the ceremony. The Mostar Bridge was added to the World Heritage List together with the old city of Mostar in 2005. Today, a special ceremony is still held by the people of Mostar to commemorate its destruction on 9 November.
