Stari Most: Visitor Guide, Mostar

Stari Most — “Old Bridge” — is a single-arch stone bridge spanning the Neretva River in Mostar’s old town. It was originally built between 1557 and 1566 under Suleiman the Magnificent and was considered an engineering marvel of its time. The bridge stood for 427 years until it was destroyed by Croatian artillery on 9 November 1993 during the Bosnian War.

After the war, it was painstakingly reconstructed using original building techniques and stone recovered from the river. It reopened in 2004 and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.

What to expect

The bridge is 30 metres long, 4 metres wide, and rises 24 metres above the Neretva. The stone surface is polished smooth and genuinely slippery — don’t attempt it in flip-flops. The crossing takes a minute but you’ll spend far longer on either side taking photos and watching the divers.

Best photo spots

The most popular angle is from the rocky bank below the east side of the bridge, looking up at the arch. For the iconic overhead shot, climb the minaret of the Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque (€6 entry) — the spiral staircase is tight but the view is Mostar’s best. Evening photos work well when the bridge is floodlit and reflected in the river.

Bridge diving

Local divers have been jumping from Stari Most since the 16th century. The Mostari Diving Club collects around €25 in donations from the crowd before each jump. Divers leap from the bridge’s highest point into the cold Neretva below. You’ll see jumps most afternoons from April through October. Tourists can arrange a jump through the diving club — a practice jump from a lower height is required first.

The “Don’t Forget ‘93” stone

On the west approach to the bridge sits a small stone memorial with the words “Don’t Forget ‘93.” It’s a reminder of the bridge’s destruction and the wider devastation Mostar suffered during the war. Worth a quiet moment.

Old Bridge Museum

In the Tara Tower at the bridge’s west end, the museum covers the bridge’s construction, destruction, and rebuilding. Small but well done, with video footage of the 1993 collapse and photos of the reconstruction. The underground section is atmospheric. Allow 30 minutes.

Nearby

Kujundžiluk Bazaar — copper shops and souvenirs line the cobblestone streets on both sides of the bridge.

Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque — best viewpoint, plus a beautiful Ottoman-era interior. €6 entry.

Kriva Ćuprija (Crooked Bridge) — a smaller, older Ottoman bridge hidden in the back streets. Fewer tourists, equally charming.

Getting there

Mostar is 2.5 hours from Dubrovnik, 2.5 hours from Split, and 2 hours from Sarajevo by private transfer. The bridge is in the centre of Mostar’s old town — a 10-minute walk from any accommodation in the area.