Stara Ćuprija ''( bs, The Old Bridge)'' is a
bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
spanning the
Neretva River
The Neretva ( sr-cyrl, Неретва, ), also known as Narenta, is one of the largest rivers of the eastern part of the Adriatic basin. Four HE power-plants with large dams (higher than 150,5 metres) provide flood protection, power and water s ...
in the town of
Konjic
Konjic ( sr-Cyrl, Коњиц) is a city and municipality located in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in northern Herzegovina, around southwest of Saraje ...
,
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
. It is a significant example of
Ottoman bridge architecture in the
Balkans
The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
, and is a listed
National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The National Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina include:
* sites, places, immovable and movable heritage of historical and cultural importance, as designated by the Commission to preserve national monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the basis ...
.
History
The bridge was built between 1682 and 1683 by Ali-aga Hasečić (as commemorated by a stone plaque at the center span) atop six slightly-pointed stone arches. In March 1945, the bridge's deck was destroyed by explosive charges laid by the retreating German army. While the arches suffered heavy damage, all five piers survived, preserving the bridge's basic structural integrity and permitting eventual reconstruction.
After
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, the
Yugoslav government decided to temporarily repair the bridge for basic use, with a makeshift deck made of iron beams laid across the still-intact masonry piers supporting a one-lane tarmac for motorized vehicle traffic. This temporarily solution lasted for more than five decades, until after the
Yugoslav Wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of separate but related Naimark (2003), p. xvii. ethnic conflicts, wars of independence, and insurgencies that took place in the SFR Yugoslavia from 1991 to 2001. The conflicts both led up to and resulted from ...
. The bridge was restored to its original appearance with European financial assistance between 2003 and 2009, and is once again a landmark of Ottoman architecture in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The bridge is reopened on 16 June 2009.
See also
*
List of bridges in Bosnia and Herzegovina
This list of bridges in Bosnia and Herzegovina lists bridges of particular historical, scenic, architectural or engineering interest. Road and railway bridges, viaducts, aqueducts and footbridges are included.
Historical and architectural interes ...
*
Konjic
Konjic ( sr-Cyrl, Коњиц) is a city and municipality located in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in northern Herzegovina, around southwest of Saraje ...
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stara Ćuprija
Ottoman bridges in Bosnia and Herzegovina
National Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Demolished bridges
Bridges completed in 1683
Rebuilt buildings and structures in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bridges completed in 2009
Stone arch bridges in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Stone arch bridges
Buildings and structures in Konjic