On this day 29 years ago, the landmark Old Bridge in Mostar, a symbol of the city on the Neretva river and the most valuable cultural and historical heritage in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was destroyed after it was repeatedly shelled by the Croatian Defense Council (HVO).

The destruction of the Old Bridge in Mostar on November 9, 1993, shocked the world, and even after 29 years it is a topic that opens old wounds and awakens painful memories for Mostar residents.

The demolition of the Old Bridge began twenty days earlier, from the nearby mountains of Planinica and Stotina with shells of great destructive power.

The restoration of the Old Bridge was financed by Turkey, Croatia, Italy, the Netherlands, the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and the City of Mostar, and began in 2003.

The renovation was completed in July 2004, and the grand opening ceremony was held on July 23, 2004. The work on the restoration of the bridge was successfully carried out by the Turkish company ER-BU.

In July 2005, at a meeting in the Republic of South Africa, the Old Bridge on the Neretva was included in the list of protected monuments by UNESCO, as a monument of culture and reconciliation.

Stari most je izgrađen prema nacrtima turskog arhitekte Mimara Hajrudina između 1557. i 1566. godine. On je, prema legendi, prije skidanja skele u strahu od tadašnjih vlasti pobjegao u Bijelo Polje, sjeverno od Mostara, gdje je čekajući na vijest da most “nauzgor” u velikoj stijeni uklesao kamenicu koja je danas jedna od turističkih atrakcija u ovom dijelu Mostara.

The Old Bridge was built according to the designs of the Turkish architect Mimar Hajrudin between 1557 and 1566.