Adrenaline is at its highest level," said one excited participant, Bojan Vasic. As soon as I jumped off Mostar bridge I knew I had done it wrong. 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). There are market stools for a few hundred metres either side of the bridge. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Footage showed the ancient town and the iconic bridge itself. An Adventurous World (2014-23). One of the dive instructors will also be there to steady you and help you. Everyone around you gets involved in the fun, and theres a great atmosphere. What To Pack For Croatia If you're not fussed on seeing much else in Bosnia Herzegovina, then you could always get a day tour to Mostar. For hundreds of years, the Mostar bridge has stood as an icon of multicultural coexistence, connecting the east banks Muslim and west banks Catholic communities. Well, it means you can return any time you want and jump again for free! We didnt do this unfortunately, but apparently you can kayak down the river. They will also enter your name into the official record books alongside the hundreds of others who have completed the jump. 100 meters from Stari Most. Celebrate it by going out for a couple of beers afterwards. spectators watch as competitors take the dive off mostar's old . If they say it's okay to jump, then do it! during the war in 1993 and rebuilt in 2004. . About us.. There is a tall minaret that you are able to walk up, which then offers views out all around the surrounding area. 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. My Friends dad is from Mostar and she wants the bridge to be the main eye catcher in her first big university project. In 2016 I decided to ditch the office environment, work from my laptop and travel to every country in the world. Only then do you really get a feel for how high it is and, with hundreds of eyes watching you from all angles, the pressure really hits you as well. It really wasn't long, because it's not much training. A 17th century explorer described it as a 'rainbow arch', 'thrown from rock to rock as high as the sky'. Sinan was the chief Ottoman architect of Suleyman the Magnificent. Be honest with yourself here in deciding whether or not you actually want to do it. I knew I only had one shot at this thing. Then make sure you Pin it! Lots of history and culture to be see this place, especially the Jumping tradition into the Neretva river. Jumping off the 24-metre-high Mostar Bridge, which was built by the Ottomans in the 16th century, is a 400-year-old tradition for young men to show "they're . But my thinking was, if so many other people can do it, then why would it be so bad for me? The guy had cojones. Some jump steeply, another sitting in a Turkish way, some jump into the water in pair, or three persons at once; and they all happily go out on the shore, ascending to the rocks, they go to the end of the bridge to receive the gifts of the vizier and the champion wrote famous travel writer Evliya elebi while observing jumpers from the Old Bridge in Mostar. One thing is for sure; everyone must pay a visit to Mostar and walk across the UNESCO-inscribed Mostar Bridge and experience it for themselves. Required fields are marked *. Except for the cost. Mostar's youngest diver honors centuries of . I was preparing myself for jumps all year round. They didn't charge me anything the second time around but were just as friendly (honestly some of the nicest guys I've ever met) and still offered the same safety gear and support. We had awful experience in Sadrvan, which is usually listed among the best restaurants in Mostar (its a tourist trap serving bland and overcooked food). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Pop in the pub at the eastern end the Crooked Bridge for craft beer at the terrace overlooking the bridge. 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. UNESCO has recognized it as a world cultural heritage. Either way, youll need to travel back up to the bridge to see the team, get changed, and pay. This was something I had to do; I had a feeling that this was an after-dinner story I could dine out on for years to come. . Old Bridge Area of the Old City of Mostar was declared as Unesco World Heritage Site in 2005, gorgeous trip by train from Sarajevo to Mostar, Sarajevo to Mostar by Train: Iconic Train Journey is Back 2019, 8 Best Tips for Successful Day Tripping to Tallinn, Estonia, The Forbidden City a Nest of Ghost Stories, A Peek Into the Middle Ages Medieval Torture Equipment Exhibition in Toledo, Spain, Hunting the Art Treasures And Ghosts of Vatican, Valencias Old Town Merges Famous Sights With Street Art. The Mostar Bridges height is around 29 meters in full length and is approximately 4 meters wide. After all, jumping of Mostar Bridge is a 450-year old tradition. Also, as discussed above, the jump itself isnt that dangerous. Mostar was developed further during the Austro-Hungarian period in the 19th and 20th centuries. I dont know how she expected me to react, however, if she knows me at all, then she should have predicted my immediate reaction . All rights reserved. Floods swiped away much of its footpath in December 2000, but once again UNESCO came to help and restored the Crooked Bridge to its former glory. In person, the bridge does look incredibly high up and it is very daunting. The Mostar Bridge Jumping Festival, a local tradition which involves auspicious folk hurling themselves into it off a Bridge! No spam, we promise, unsubscribe at any time. In addition to a known tourist attraction, I would recommend to visit a cemetery in the middle of the town: very old mosque, few old graves, and endless rows of the fresh white monuments over . What To Pack For Albania As I broke the surface, the first thing I did was look back to the bridge; it was huge! Things to do in Mostar; Old Town Nothing makes me happier than capturing the world one destination at a time so make sure you follow me on my adventures! It costs 20 Euros to sign up for the bridge jumping into the water and an additional 10 Euros for your practice jumps from a smaller 10-meter platform. The first bridge in Mostar was built by the Turks, under the command of Suleyman the Magnificent, already in the 16th century. You can cross into Bosnia Herzegovina by all surrounding countries at a variety of borders. Very good. When they deem enough has been collected, they please the crowd by performing an elaborate jump from the bridge, plunging down the 24 meters to the surface of the water its quite a thrilling sight! As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The Ikari - the flying men of Mostar - are keeping a 500-year-old tradition alive. . region. Any number of things could go wrong with your jump. If we are allowed to use your Image, please let us know. . Which is more than the 30 Euros I paid in 2018. Diving from Mostar bridge has always been a Bosnian tradition, now a tourist attraction . A painstakingly faithful replica was completed in 2004. I dont say this lightly please make sure this is something you want to do and something you are comfortable with. I strongly recommend taking a train from Sarajevo to Mostar, as its among the most scenic train travels in the world. But if you want to do the jump yourself, well, heres everything I learned from my experience. Theres only one really big but: locals told us that jumping feet first might cause hitting legs at the bottom. In fact, they are due to return later this year in August. On Monday, the people of the town of Mostar gathered to commemorate the 27th Anniversary of the destruction of the town's iconic bridge during the Yugoslav Wars. Once done, you are more than welcome to jump in again. Mostari tradition dictates that young men from Mostar must jump from the Stari Most into the cold waters of the Neretva river as a rite of passage into adulthood. Afterwards, Ill answer a few of the most common questions (most of which I had myself). The diving club installed a platform beside the temporary suspension bridge and carried on with their annual bridge diving competition. Famous for the old bridge of Mostar "Stari Most", which spans the river Neretva, and for the daring bridge jumper, countless visitors flock to visit this charming town. There was a long time tradition of jumping from the top of the bridge, I don't know whether it's still practiced! You take a few seconds underwater to think Shit, did I really just do this? As I was having lunch I saw a crowd gathering on the bridge. Also, Mostar really is a poor town and everything else is incredibly cheap! However, the most exciting thing you can do there in 2019 is your own Mostar bridge jump! Despite its gentle appearance from afar, be aware that the bridge is a little slippery and has an incline, so be prepared and wear appropriate footwear. 319. Legends tell that the architect, Mimar Hajruddin, had to make it or break it. If you want to jump from the Stari Most bridge, then you need to do it with the dive school. But it is now time for the actual jump! If not, its just not for you. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 Bizarre Globe Hopper. Forget the Mile High Club, how many people can claim theyve joined the 24 metre-high club in Bosnia? Divers hurled themselves from a 24-metre (79-ft) high Ottoman-era bridge in the Bosnian town of Mostar on Sunday, staging a centuries-old contest even though the COVID-19 pandemic prevented many . Such as the one below which was taken during the annual diving competition they still hold there. They say that only the most skilled and best trained should jump, and that certainly wasnt me. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Such as you leaning forward too much and hitting your face/stomach as you enter the water. Dubrovnik is 81 kilometers (51 miles) away. Get exclusive weekly travel tips. Many tourists have also had a change of hearts before seeing the bridge and standing up there looking down: 24-28 meters doesnt sound like much, but it looks daunting for sure. The old town harks back to the Ottoman empire, with its Turkishesque bazaars, colourful narrow streets and impressive mosques. I heard the lady quote one person 50 Euros to jump. The Stari Most really is one of the sites you must absolutely visit when traveling through the Balkans. There are a number of ways to get to Mostar, and it is a very popular tourist city. After living in Croatia for 5 weeks, we decided we should drive through and stop off in Bosnia Herzegovina before heading back home to the UK. And, well, I decided I just had to jump again! And after Cazzy told me it was possible that's exactly what I decided to do As a part of our drive around the world, we actually found ourselves back in Mostar in July 2021. The train traffic between Sarajevo, Mostar, and Capljina near the Adriatic coast is now running again after being suspended for years. Better yet, as you come back above the surface, you are greeted by dozens of spectators clapping and cheering you for your effort. If you have you been in Mostar, please share with us your best tips for exploring and photographing the Old Bridge and surrounding Old Town of Mostar! Thats because you are now an official member of the Mostar Diving Club! It is beautiful and the area around it is also beautiful. Water temperature hardly ever reaches 10 degrees, so it will be a cold dip for sure. Local tradition says that a 16-year-old boy must jump from the bridge as a right of passage, but more importantly, it is said that the boys life will be a complete failure if he doesnt jump. Anyways, in the end, I did the jump alongside a cool Austrian guy we met at our hostel and an American guy we met about 2 minutes before we set off! walk on the famous Old bridge. I'm 70 years of age, in good shape and there's still one scary moment to do. When the river is low, the height of the bridge can be up to 28 meters, while during spring the height can be only 24 meters. Once you stand there over the barrier, you must relax and take your time. Last year, he broke his finger at the competition and hurt his wrist, but he did not even think about giving up and still won the first place in such a condition. Evidently, they acknowledge the risks of bridge jumping and take great pride in their courage. View Event Info 28 The Old Bridge of Mostar has been an essential part of Mostars history right from the beginning. Usually what happens is this. Stari Most was constructed by the Ottomans under the commission of Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16 th century. The Mostar Ancient Bridge is the landmark of Mostar. Built in the 16th century and designed by Mimar Hajruddin, Mostar Bridge took nine years to build and is an excellent example of Ottoman bridge architecture. The Mostar bridge jump height is between 20m and 26m Being a symbol for the town and for the whole of Bosnia, as soon as the war was over there were meticulous plans to rebuild it exactly the same as it was before the war, right down to the smallest detail. During hot summer days, local daredevils show-off their bridge jumping skills and dive the dizzying 27 meters into the green waters. 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