Stari Most Bridge

Address: Stari Most, Old Town, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Admission: Free to view (no general admission to the bridge)

Stari Most is the historic Ottoman-era stone bridge that spans the Neretva River in the center of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina; the original structure dated from 1566. The bridge is a single-arch stone span that became an emblem of the city’s historic Ottoman architecture.

The bridge’s elegant stone arch measures roughly 29 meters across and rises about 20 meters above the river, linking the two halves of the old town. The location includes the restored riverside bazaar, fortified towers at each end and riverside terraces that provide close viewing points and cafés.

Originally built in 1566 by an Ottoman architect, the bridge was destroyed during the 1990s conflict in 1993 and was reconstructed using original design and local stone, reopening in 2004. The restored Old Bridge Area was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its cultural significance and restoration.

Stari Most sits in the historic center of Mostar, carrying pedestrian traffic across the Neretva River and anchoring the city’s Old Town. The bridge is a central landmark easily reached from Mostar’s town center and markets.

• Reconstruction and UNESCO status: Rebuilt and reopened in 2004 following destruction in 1993; the reconstructed bridge and surrounding old town are inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the Old Bridge Area of the Old City of Mostar.
• Diving tradition and viewpoints: Bridge diving is a long-standing local tradition and competitions continue seasonally; the best close-up views are from riverbank cafés and the mosque minaret viewpoint.

What to See#

• Old Bridge (Stari Most): The single-span stone arch that crossed the Neretva River at the heart of Mostar; reconstructed using traditional techniques and reopened in 2004.
• Bridge towers and riverbank fortifications: The cluster of Ottoman-era towers and fortified structures at each riverbank that originally guarded the bridge and now contain small museums and viewing terraces.
• Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque: The nearby Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque and its minaret which provides one of the most popular elevated viewpoints over the bridge and river.

Stari Most (the Old Bridge) is in Mostar’s Ottoman‑era Old Town on the Neretva River and is reached on foot from Mostar city centre. Mostar is served by intercity buses and regional trains; buses from Sarajevo and coastal Croatian cities (e.g., Dubrovnik) arrive at Mostar’s main bus station.

From the bus or train station the Old Bridge area is a 10-20 minute walk into the old town (follow signs to Stari Most/Old Bridge).

• Visit Stari Most at first light or around sunset to avoid the large midday tour‑bus crowds and to get the best light for photos of the bridge and Neretva River.
• Climb the minaret of the Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque (paid entry) for one of the best panoramic views over the Old Bridge and Old Town-many tourists miss this vantage point.
• If you want to see traditional bridge diving, ask locally about the midday jump times; otherwise schedule your visit outside those hours to avoid the biggest crowds around the bridge.