When you think of beautiful bridges, it’s probably the world-famous ones that spring to mind. Marvels of engineering like San Francisco’s Golden Gate, or the rich history of London Bridge. However, according to Time Out magazine, the ‘most beautiful’ bridge in the world is a small stone arch tucked away in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Stari Most, which translates to ‘Old Bridge’, is located in Mostar, a city that lies on the banks of the Neretva River.
Commissioned by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in 1557 and completed in 1566, the bridge is made of local limestone and spans the river without using any central pillars.
In 1993, the original bridge was destroyed by shelling in the Bosnian War.
However, UNESCO aided its reconstruction, with divers recovering the original stones from the river and masons using the same 16th-century tools to re-create the structure as closely as possible.
It’s now a UNESCO World Heritage site, and has recently been named as the ‘most beautiful’ bridge in the world by Time Out.
UNESCO describes Stari Most as “a symbol of reconciliation, international co-operation and of the coexistence of diverse cultural, ethnic and religious communities.”
The bridge is visually stunning, standing 27 metres above the emerald green river below.
There is also a long history of daredevils and athletes jumping from the bridge into the water.
The first recorded leap dates back to 1664, according to Bosnian Voyager.
By the 19th century, it was a tourist attraction, with people from all over the continent flocking to the bridge to watch adrenaline seekers hurl themselves into the river.
Since 2016, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series has transformed Mostar’s bridge into an elite global sporting stage that keeps the tradition alive.
The competition takes place in late July, and spectators line the river to watch world-class divers jump from the bridge.