Old Bridge Area of The Old City of Mostar in Bosnia And Herzegovina

Old Bridge Area of The Old City of Mostar in Bosnia And Herzegovina

Short Report

The historical city of Mostar, crossing a deep vale of the River Neretva, developed in the 15th and 16th centuries as a city of border of Ottoman and during the Austro-Hungarian period in the 19th and 20th centuries. Mostar has been a lot of time known for his old Turkish houses and Old Bridge, Stari More, for which it is so-called. In the conflict of the year 1990, nevertheless, most of the historical city and the Old Bridge designed by the renowned architect Sinan, was destroyed. The Old Bridge was reconstructed recently and many of the buildings in the Old City have been restored or reconstructed by the contribution of a scientific international committee established by the UNESCO. The Old area of Bridge, with his preOttoman one, the Ottoman one of the East, Mediterranean and architectural features of the Western Europe, is an exceptional example of an urban multicultural establishment. The Old reconstructed Bridge and the Old City of Mostar are a symbol of conciliation, international cooperation and of the coexistence of diverse cultural, ethnic and religious communities.

Wide Report

The Old area of Bridge of the Old City of Mostar, with his multicultural exceptional one (preOttoman, Ottoman of the East, Mediterranean and inhabitant of the Western Europe) architectural features, and satisfactory interrelation with the scenery, is an exceptional example of an urban multicultural establishment. The qualities of the construction of the place, after the damage of war that it devastates extremely and the subsequent works of the renewal, have been confirmed by scientific detailed investigations. These have provided the test of the exceptionally high technical refinement in the skill and the quality of the ancient constructions, in particular of the Old Bridge. Of the special meaning it is the current Radoboija, which enters the Neretva his right bank. This one provided a source of watering for the increasing establishment, and of it it drives several small channels used for the irrigation and to lead the wheels of mills of watering. There was human establishment in the Neretva between the Hill of Buzz and the Mountain Velez from the prehistoric times, as testified by discoveries of fortified enceintes and cemeteries. Tests of the Roman occupation come from under the present city.

Little is known about Mostar in the medieval period, although the Christian basilicas of late antiquity remained in use. The name of Mostar is first mentioned in a document of 1474, taking into account the name of the bridge-holders (mostari ); this relates to the existence of a wooden bridge from the town on the left bank of the river was used by soldiers, traders and other travelers. At this time was the seat of a kadiluk (district with a regional court).  Because it was on the trade route between the Adriatic Sea and the mineral-rich regions in central Bosnia, the settlement spread on the right bank of the river. It was the most important city in the Sanjak of Herzegovina and, with the arrival of the Ottoman Turks from the east, the center of Turkish rule.

The town was increased between 1520 and 1566, and the bridge was rebuilt in stone. The second half of the 16th century and the first decades of the 17th century were the most important period in the development of Mostar. Religious and public buildings were built, concentrated on the left bank of the river, in a religious complex. While many private and commercial buildings, organized in different districts, known as mahalas (properties) and bazaar, were set up.

Of the thirteen original mosques dating back to the 16th and 17th century, seven are destroyed during the 20th century for ideological reasons or by bombing. One of the two 19th-century Orthodox churches has also disappeared, and the beginning of the 20th-century synagogue, after serious damage in the Second World War has been converted for use as a theater. Various Ottoman inns also survive, together with other buildings from this period of Mostar history, such as fountains and schools.

The administrative buildings are all from the austrian-hungarian period and neoclassical and Secessionist movements. A number of surviving late Ottoman houses show the overall characteristics of this form of domestic architecture - hall, first floor for residential use, cobbled courtyard and veranda on one or two levels. The subsequent 19th-century houses are in neoclassical style.

Some early trade and craft buildings still exist, in particular some cheap shops in wood or stone, stone warehouses and a group of former tanneries around an open courtyard. Once again, the 19th-century commercial buildings are predominantly neoclassical. A number of elements of the early forts are visible. The Hercegusa Tower dating from the medieval period, while the Ottoman defenses are represented by the Halebinovka and Tara Towers, the watchtowers along the ends of the Old Bridge and a stretch of the ramparts.

Historical Data

There are human settlement on the Neretva between the Hum Hill and the Velez mountain from prehistory, which manifests itself by discoveries of reinforced enceintes and cemeteries. Evidence of Roman occupation comes from beneath the present town.

Little is known about Mostar in the medieval period, although the Christian basilicas of late antiquity remained in use. The name of Mostar is first mentioned in a document of 1474, taking into account the name of the bridge-holders (mostari) refers to the existence of a wooden bridge from the town on the left bank of the river was used by soldiers, traders, and other travellers. At this time was the seat of a kadiluk (district with a regional court). Because it was on the trade route between the Adriatic Sea and the mineral-rich regions in central Bosnia, the settlement spread on the right bank of the river. It was the most important city in the Sanjak of Herzegovina and, with the arrival of the Ottoman Turks from the east, the center of Turkish rule.

The tow was increased between 1520 and 1566 and the bridge was rebuilt in stone. The second half of the 16th century and the first decades of the 17th century were the most important period in the development of Mostar. Religious and public buildings were built, such as mosques, madrasah (Islamic school), and a hammam (public bath); these were concentrated on the left bank of the river, in a religious complex (kullia). While many private and commercial buildings, organized in different districts, known as mahalas (properties) and bazaar, were set up.

Bosnia and Herzegovina was first occupied (1878) and then annexd (1908) by the Austrian-hungarian Empire, and it was in this period that a number of administrative, military, cultural and Christian religious buildings were established. These were mainly on the right bank of the river, where a new district was developed according to a strict 'Rondo' plan. This makes for a strong contrast with the left bank when there was a more organic growth on the steeper slopes, with winding narrow streets and public space for emissions trading (pazar), recreation (mejdan), and prayer (musallah).  The city was also connected to this moment by rail and new roads to Sarajevo and the Adriatic

Between 1992 and 1995 the city was badly damaged during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and many of the urban center of ruins and the Old Bridge destroyed. Since 1998, major restoration projects in the center of the Old Town, in particular the reconstruction of the Old Bridge.

Source:whc/unesco