Marvel at Stari Most Old Bridge 2. Home Blog Adventures Mostar Bridge Jump: Read This Before Jumping Off Mostar Bridge! Stari Most was constructed by the Ottomans under the commission of Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16 th century. Your email address will not be published. The bridge was originally a wooden bridge but around 1557 Suleiman the Magnificent ordered constructions so the old bridge would be replaced with a stone bridge by the architectural work of Mimar Hayruddin. Its easy to forget you are in Bosnia and Herzegovina. His students later designed the Blue Mosque in Istanbul and helped to create Taj Mahal. 37.76. The answer to this question will never be, yes, it is 100% safe!. Bravely jumping off the bridge, they draw large crowds who want to see them perform their death-defying leaps into the Neretva river below. Narrow alleys of El Carmen host a weird mix: subcultures and street art, orange gardens, old mansions, and the most iconic sights of the city. Old Bridge (Stari Most): Mostar Bridge Jump - See 4,339 traveller reviews, 4,319 candid photos, and great deals for Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, at Tripadvisor. Expect craggy peaks, turquoise rivers, dark tunnels, and ancient viaducts. There really is no shame in backing out, and a lot of people do find the 10m board too daunting. 2,310 reviews. Most tourists prefer to jump feet first, which is safer if youre not super confident in diving head first. In Summer, the water is at its lowest and so the distance is highest. We blog about the best travel destinations in the Balkans. I dont think wearing a wetsuit is essential, but I would 100% recommend it. Keep reading to find out more on how you can jump, including how much it costs and whatnot. Id say wear it as the water really is cold! Many restaurants offer million-dollar views to the Old Bridge of Mostar, which alone qualifies for a romantic dinner. Yeah, it can be really bad. Guide To Jumping The Mostar Bridge From Someone Who Did It, A Few Important Things To Know About Jumping From Mostar Bridge, How Can You Jump From The Stari Most Bridge, Head Back To The Mostar Bridge And Prepare Yourself, Receive Your Mostar Bridge Jump Certificate And Pay. Good question! What does this mean? It's a postcard in reality. Once done, you are more than welcome to jump in again. Keep your form: be careful not to lean backward or forward. The white-marbled Mostars Old Bridge arches upon rapidly flowing Neretva River, as a symbol of peace and hope. A man is free fall after jumping off the old bridge in Mostar. The surrounding Stari Grad, the Old City of Mostar, is a perfect example of a historically important multicultural town with pre-Ottoman, eastern Ottoman, and Mediterranean architecture. You will receive a unique code. If you want to jump from the Stari Most bridge, then you need to do it with the dive school. This bridge, just like the Old Town, is under the protection of UNESCO, and is often cited as one of the most beautiful bridges in the world. The original stone bridge across the Neretva was constructed by the Ottoman rulers of Bosnia-Herzegovina nearly 500 years ago - and brutally demolished by Bosnian-Croat forces in 1993. But it is now time for the actual jump! The original bridge stood for 427 years before it was destroyed in 1993 during the Croat-Bosniak War. A memorial stone located near the Old Bridge in Mostar's Old Town; the stone is one of the original pieces of the Old Bridge, destroyed in 1993. Divers jumped from the Bosnia and Herzegovina's historic Mostar Bridge on Sunday, in a tradition dating back to the 17th century. Then you can keep going discovering this stunning and undiscovered country. When driving through Bosnia Herzegovina, one of the best things you can do is the Mostar Bridge jump! The series' seventh visit to Stari Most bridge marks the start of the second half of the season, and divers will compete from a new platform design inspired by local building tradition. Bosnia and Herzegovina has a varied landscape, with high mountains, rolling valley and large cities. Medieval torture equipment exhibition in Toledo, Spain, peeks into the Middle Ages a time of the Inquisition and a system of extreme cruelty. You can look down off the railings from the top and get a feel for how high it is. It is the story of the Old Bridge, an elegant single span arch built over the river Neretva by the Ottoman Turks. But lets dig deeper into the history and tragic legends of Stari Most! As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Diving contest After settling a deal with Mostar diving club, the bridge jumping candidate is given a short briefing and a wetsuit to fight the coldness of Neretva. A few years earlier, Hamish and Andy (Australian radio personalities) jumped from the bridge, and a few days after them, our son also jumped (successfully) from the bridge. If you are enthusiastic to jump from the Old bridge in Mostar, the local divers will teach you how to do it for 25 EUR. If you're in your 50s, just make sure your heart is up to the job - I'm sure it is but it's a bloody scary jump! Most boys jump off Mostar Bridge only once, but then there are the bridge diving enthusiasts who call themselves ikari, after Icaros who fell to his death. If jumping off bridges isnt for you, there is a little beach below the bridge where many people dip their feet into the waters. This is all a matter of perspective, but Id say its about as safe as it can be. That was about 5 years ago. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. They say that only the most skilled and best trained should jump, and that certainly wasnt me. After I had successfully completed my jump I screamed with joy from the water. Legends tell that the architect, Mimar Hajruddin, had to make it or break it. [wzslider autoplay="true"]When I visited Mostar in 2003, it was still a city reeling from the effects of the 1990s war that had left such unmistaken traces of its destruction, and wounds that are still healing to this day. A Bosnian highdiver hurls himself from the 24-metre (79-ft) high Ottoman-era Old Bridge (aka "Stari Most") in the Bosnian town of Mostar during the traditional high diving competition, on July 25 . While many locals say that the Old Bridge is haunted, to our misfortune we didnt catch any ghost stories. Whether it is competition time or not, you will often see young men in swim shorts walking around the vicinity of the bridge, trying to collect money. Also, a bunch of tourists have died here over the years, so yes, you can die. That is, of course, as long as you jump correctly and don't hurt yourself. In a stunning setting such as Mostar, you can see why travellers flock from the four corners of the world just to see this spectacle. They know how to tease the crowds to gather the next 25 to qualify a jump. Yes, people have died jumping off Mostar Bridge. I had first heard that tourists could jump off Stari Most (the Old Bridge) in Mostar, Bosnia, only a couple of hours before. Theres an incredible amount of excitement both in the build up to the jump and the aftermath. July 2018 marked 452nd annual Mostar bridge diving competition. When you hit the water, remain calm and try to regulate your heart rate and blood pressure. That was before I'd even really thought about just how high it was or what my family might think. Walk along or get into some adventure on the Neretva River 3. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 Bizarre Globe Hopper. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Bring a towel I was freezing after my jump and I didnt have a towel until I climbed back to the top, so make sure theres on at the bottom for you. Then it's time to jump off the . The bridge spans the Neretva river in the old town of Mostar, the city to which it gave the name. Crooked Bridge is just a 5-minute stroll away from the Old Bridge and surrounded by restaurants. UNESCO has recognized it as a world cultural heritage. Oops! Before hitting the water, bring arms tightly towards your body (and protect your precious body parts). This makes me feel sick every time I think about you doing it! The Ultimate Guide to Mostars Old Bridge: Bridge Jumping, Legends, and Ghosts of War. I heard the lady quote one person 50 Euros to jump. In fact, when you head inside, you'll see images all over the walls from up to 50 years ago. History of Mostar Bridge Mostar Bridge was commissioned by the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in 1557. Igor came running down to the river to meet me; You are no horse! Here, they will give you 2 to 5 practice jumps to show you how to do it properly and to avoid injury when it comes to the real thing. Although the competition is held in the middle of the summer (end of July), water is very cold so only the most trained and the most skilled will try to jump. I'm Macca & I run the multiple award-winning blog An Adventurous World. I couldnt believe it. Better yet, as you come back above the surface, you are greeted by dozens of spectators clapping and cheering you for your effort. Mostar Bridge Jump Is Jumping Worth It? Then, you simply look ahead, take a few breaths and go for it. The medieval village that exists on either side of the bridge is more interesting than the bridge itself. I'm an Economics graduate with a passion for travel. Mostarski Ikari Diving Club organizes all bridge jumps for adrenaline rush seeking tourists. Whats good is that, if you do the 10 meter jump and then don't want to do the big jump, is you only then pay the 10 and that's it. The alarm turned on in Mostar, because there are no younger generations. When we went, there were 3 of us. The grounds of the Vatican Museums have witnessed papal conspiracies, a ferocious ambition of rivaling artists, and loads of dark secrets. Sure, theres always a chance you could hurt yourself with a slightly dodgy landing, but the whole team is there on hand to jump in and help you. Mostarian jumps are the most important tourist event and brand for Mostar and all of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and during the times of traditional jumps from the Old Bridge the city of Mostar is the most visited. Once I got to Mostar bridge, I started talking to a couple of the local divers at the Mostari Diving Club to find out some more information. It popped into my head again the other day. But, as you rise back up to the surface, you're greeted with a round of applause from all the spectators and you really do feel like a bit of a hero. They will take you back up to the bridge and ask you if you are still 100% sure you still want to jump. Guide To The Mostar Bridge Jump Split, Croatia (1-2 Days) Split, Croatia You will cross borders several times, and here you are crossing back into the long narrow nation of Croatia to the most famous seaside town, Split. A man jumps from the Old Bridge during the 454th traditional diving competition in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. I'm 70 years of age, in good shape and there's still one scary moment to do. Once youve perfected your technique, theyll take you back up to the bridge for the actual jump. The first Siege of Mostar was fought in 1992; the second Siege of Mostar lasted from 1993 to 1994. I am ready physically and mentally. When calculating risks, I usually ask how many people have died doing so (that was my main concern with Victoria Falls Bungee, as well, though I ended up doing it anyway). 10 Things to do in Mostar 1. The Old Bridge of Mostar is among the most important Islamic architectural structures in the Balkans. Another option is to fly there. Afterwards, Ill answer a few of the most common questions (most of which I had myself). SFOR - Mostar Bridge is standing up. The shape of the bridge itself also has its own story, it is said that it represents life that the bridge represents one-half of the circle, and its reflection in water is the other half of the circle, and this whole picture represents life. Note: Some posts may contain affiliate links. A smaller Ottoman-era stone-arch bridge named Kriva cuprija, the Crooked Bridge, crosses one of the tributaries of Neretva just a stone throw away from the Old Bridge. This one took place in the early 1990s when the bridge wasn't even there as it had recently been destroyed in the war! Health and safety in places like the UK are stringent these days, and this jump is a novel and exciting way to get a hefty adrenaline boost. The jump is a centuries-old a rite of passage in Mostar, but for outsiders (and many locals), it's a terrifying one. According to history books, the first person jumped off Mostar bridge already in 1664. We took a day trip out to Mostar from Split. Forget the Mile High Club, how many people can claim theyve joined the 24 metre-high club in Bosnia? Anyways, I was committed to doing it and soon found out everything I needed to know from the locals. Some of the original limestones were rescued from the bottom of the Neretva River to celebrate the resurrection of Stari Most. We travel & write about food, accomm & the best things to do in the Balkans. What To Pack For Croatia Youll realise across Bosnia Herzegovina that there isnt a lot of development in many areas and it seems to be due to a massive shortage of jobs and political trouble.. What To Wear On A Longhaul Flight. As you will read below, once you pay to jump once, you become a member for life and can jump for free. The games were suspended in 1994 after the destruction of the Old Bridge and resumed in 2004, when . However, the worst thing you have to consider isn't the height, but more importantly, the cold temperatures of the water! Those are the people you want. If youve heard about the ghosts of Mostar, please share the stories in the comments below! The Mostar Bridges height is around 29 meters in full length and is approximately 4 meters wide. What they usually do is jump for the tourists, but every now and then a foreigner comes along who is stupid enough to want to jump themselves. The bridge, a masterpiece of Ottoman Turkish architecture, was commissioned by none other then Suleiman the Magnificent, and designed by Mimar Hayruddin, a student of the famous Mimar Sinan. Thanks! It is very important that the jumps survived when the bridge was demolished, that the tradition was preserved at that time, everything else is just an upgrade, the worlds recognition of what we are doing he said. They are there to jump in and bring you back to shore if, for any reason, you do hurt yourself. The biggest attraction on Mostar bridge has always been the group of young divers who jump in the freezing river underneath. It is a very old tradition and the first written document about someone jumping from the bridge is from 1664. The diving club installed a platform beside the temporary suspension bridge and carried on with their annual bridge diving competition. These are both possibilities if you fail to jump correctly. However, theres no reason for this to happen! Back up in the clubhouse, they will fill out a certificate that you can take home. I was preparing myself for jumps all year round. I looked down and took a deep breath to steady myself , I gave the instructor one final farewell fist bump . What To Pack For Turkey Now, this is not something you should decide to do willy-nilly because the waters are dangerous, and many people have been injured or even killed by merely choosing to try it for themselves. Check out our article on this gorgeous trip by train from Sarajevo to Mostar! Every day I go to the gym twice and run twice. Subscribe to our travel newsletter here. After nine years of labor, the Old Bridge of Mostar was finally completed in 1566. So technically, the current bridge is not old, but its still a replica of the old bridge. during the war in 1993 and rebuilt in 2004. . 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