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.

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

History

See also

References

External links