I heard the lady quote one person 50 Euros to jump. The Old Bridge of Mostar has been an essential part of Mostars history right from the beginning. There was a long time tradition of jumping from the top of the bridge, I don't know whether it's still practiced! Two fortified towers protect it: the Helebija tower at north-east and the Tara tower at south-west. And for those of you who want to know whether theres even been any Mostar bridge jump deaths, unfortunately yes there have been. 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. 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). A jewel of Ottoman architecture, Stari Most (Old Bridge) was built in 1566 by a pupil of the great architect Sinan at the order of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. At least four deadly accidents are reported since 2012, along with countless serious injuries. They know how to tease the crowds to gather the next 25 to qualify a jump. What does this mean? Thanks! I couldnt believe it. This causes people to freeze and actually makes things far harder. Mostar (UK: / m s t r /, US: / m o s t r, m s-/; Serbian Cyrillic: , pronounced ()) is a city and the administrative center of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the historical capital of Herzegovina.. Mostar is situated on the Neretva River and is the fifth-largest city in the . These guys are experienced jumpers and divers and will jump a few times each day once they get enough interest (and donations) from passers-by. Back up in the clubhouse, they will fill out a certificate that you can take home. Old Bridge Area of the Old City of Mostar was declared as Unesco World Heritage Site in 2005. With the help of UNESCO, Mostar Bridge was rebuilt in 2004, stone by stone and according to the original architecture. Amazing. This technique allows you to remain perfectly straight the whole way down and to counteract any rotation on the way down. Youll then need to do a few practice jumps. In Mostar, the Old Bridge marked both the divide and the connection between the Bosniaks, Croats, Serbs, and Yugoslavs. One of the terraces makes a perfect dinner spot. I want to fit it in to my day trip to Mostar and am trying to see how much time I need to set aside for this. walk on the famous Old bridge. One of the dive instructors will also be there to steady you and help you. Mostar's Old Bridge measures 13 feet wide, 98 feet long and over 78 feet high and at one point in history was the largest man-made arch in the world. Before jumping off, listen to your diving instructors final orders and take deep breaths. They will take you back up to the bridge and ask you if you are still 100% sure you still want to jump. Extreme sports might seem like a modern innovation for adrenaline junkies, but in the ancient Bosnian town of Mostar, jumping or diving from the 24-metre-high bridge is a test of courage that . Its an incredible feeling as you sink below the water and have the sudden realization that youve done it! Bosnia and Herzegovina has a varied landscape, with high mountains, rolling valley and large cities. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Old Town, a Soviet-era prison, Patarei, trendy restaurants, nice craft beer scene. We never had worst situation when it comes to young people. Hell eventually reach his climax of wowing the crowd with a death-defying Stari Most bridge jump. As you will read below, once you pay to jump once, you become a member for life and can jump for free. If youre thinking of doing the Mostar jump, then this is the guide for you. amazing blog. Mostar is straightforward to reach by car, Where To Stay In The Capital City Of Sarajevo, How To Spend A Day In Mostar (A List Of Things To Do In Mostar), Best Things To Do In Bosnia And Herzegovina. Our top picks for a great day in Tallinn, Estonia. Then make sure you Pin it! This school has been on the bridge for hundreds of years and they are essentially its guardians. Privacy Policy. Igor came running down to the river to meet me; You are no horse! Night view of 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. Wow, fair play to you if you do it Arnoud. Also, if anything goes wrong, then there is a team of people around to come and get you. When we jumped in Spring time, it was around 23 meters. Definitely visit oneday, Drugi put kada dodjes vodim te dole i srednju Bosnu, Your email address will not be published. After nine years of labor, the Old Bridge of Mostar was finally completed in 1566. After all, jumping of Mostar Bridge is a 450-year old tradition. I wanted to enjoy it, to feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins, but with the river hurtling towards me at a startling rate and my arms and legs all over the place, all I could think was, this is going to hurt.. Plum Fair in Gradaac from 23 to 27 of August: More Bosnia and Herzegovina records economic growth:Tourism is an increasingly important sector Damir Roajac, confectionery virtuoso, world champion and Vacks judge: He thrilled Zaim Merdan, one of the most famous names of BH culinary Bosnian woman on the MasterChef Slovenia team: Alma Reki teaches Slovenians Baarija: Historical and Cultural Center of Sarajevo, Pannonian lakes in Tuzla better and more accessible than ever. July 2018 marked 452nd annual Mostar bridge diving competition. I'm an Economics graduate with a passion for travel. Honestly, this was such a rush. Mostarski Ikari Diving Club has been officially operating since the end of the war in 1995. I Think its important to note that, yes you should go only when you're ready, but try not to stand there staring for too long. 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. During the Bosnian conflict, 100000-200000 people were slaughtered, mainly on the streets of Sarajevo, Mostar, Srebrenica, and Banja Luka. After extensive research, the Old Bridge was rebuilt between 2001 - 2004 at the cost of about 5 million Euros. Well, it means you can return any time you want and jump again for free! Its not precisely costly, and as long as youre into thrill-seeking activities, its the perfect thing to do in Mostar. Anyways, I was committed to doing it and soon found out everything I needed to know from the locals. We managed to preserve the tradition and this is one of the most beautiful news from the city, even though only bad news are constantly coming from here. Water temperature hardly ever reaches 10 degrees, so it will be a cold dip for sure. i've been to Mostar before and walked the bridge. And, well, I decided I just had to jump again! Then it's time to jump off the . 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! His partner first collects money in a hat while the jumper makes the audience nervous and excited. 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. As I broke the surface, the first thing I did was look back to the bridge; it was huge! Walk along or get into some adventure on the Neretva River 3. 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. During the summertime, the diving club members take turns in jumping off the bridge for money. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Also, youll likely see one or two guys sat on the bridge or walking around wearing swim trunks. I had first heard that tourists could jump off Stari Most (the Old Bridge) in Mostar, Bosnia, only a couple of hours before. Those are the people you want. First published May 7, 2003. 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. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. It is beautiful and the area around it is also beautiful. After looking online, we soon found that Mostar was by far one of the nicest places to visit. You are like gazelle leaping into the air! I felt pumped up, elated, and I wanted to do it again. To hear. Tell me about it! As I was having lunch I saw a crowd gathering on the bridge. Free shipping for many products! 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. During the Balkan wars of the 1990s, Mostar suffered great losses, not least the iconic bridge. Well, you will splash against the green Neretva River in 3 seconds after jumping off Stari Most. More than an architectural masterpiece was lost. I only jumped with the professional supervision of someone who does this day in day out. As you rise from the water, everyone around should hopefully be clapping and you just swim to the shore and go meet your friends once again. Hey, I am SJ and this is my family. Before you firmly decide on whether or not you want to jump, head to the bridge itself and take a look for yourself. 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. Lawrence Listo, the famous Mostarian swallow, last years winner, who has won the title ten times, reveals that he was never more ready than this year. So what makes the Old Bridge of Mostar so unique? In 2016 I decided to ditch the office environment, work from my laptop and travel to every country in the world. Required fields are marked *. In Australia, we achieve this by attempting to rapidly drink a 1.4L yard glass of beer while surrounded by friends . Then, the instructor helps you through the crowds to the middle of the bridge and helps you climb over the railing. So, for 25 euros, the majority of which goes on the maintenance of the bridge, you get the opportunity to join the 24-metre club. Good question! Driving from Dubrovnik takes around 2,5 hours, while the bus takes around 3,5 hours. 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. Note: Some posts may contain affiliate links. The medieval village that exists on either side of the bridge is more interesting than the bridge itself. 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. Some locals call Mostar the ghost town, haunted by itself. What does that mean? Take time to inspect the Muslibegovi House 4. Before we get into the nitty-gritty details, heres a quick rundown of the most popular questions people have and are the same ones that I had before doing the bridge jump. "Feeling cannot be described. ? 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. 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. There is a tall minaret that you are able to walk up, which then offers views out all around the surrounding area. He says that unfortunately this year, none of the long-standing jumpers will dare to perform swallow flight. They require proof of this at the border to let you in. 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. Be sure to record your jump and share it on Facebook! Interestingly the old bridge area is fascinating as the bridge with its Ottoman buildings, which houses cafes, restaurants, and souvenir shops. Youll also be a lifetime member of Mostar Diving Club meaning that you can jump off Stari Most as many times as you wish! Once he has enough money and he judges the time is right, hell put on a bit of a show. Crazy locals claim that boy is not worth of girlfriend or job without having the balls to jump off Stari Most. It all depends on what season you go in. Legends tell that the architect, Mimar Hajruddin, had to make it or break it. during the war in 1993 and rebuilt in 2004. . Even the initial flaws were honored. In the aftermaths of war, Mostar was credited as the most heavily destroyed city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. After that, we headed back up the bridge for the real jump. Imagine you are looking down off the bridge in the direction you jump (with the current flowing away from you), the dive school is to your right. But if you do the practice jumps and then decide that the full jump is not for you, you only have to pay the initial 10 Euros. Sinan was the chief Ottoman architect of Suleyman the Magnificent. In itself, the Stari Most bridge has a rich and interesting history. Medieval torture equipment exhibition in Toledo, Spain, peeks into the Middle Ages a time of the Inquisition and a system of extreme cruelty. Lots of history and culture to be see this place, especially the Jumping tradition into the Neretva river. Standing on the edge of Mostar bridge, looking at the fast-flowing river 24 metres below, I couldnt help thinking I had made a serious mistake. An hour? The dive instructor will stand over in the middle of the bridge and help you to step over the railing one person at a time. fantastic pictures and place is amazing to visit there. Usually what happens is this. If we are allowed to use your Image, please let us know. Because Bosnia Herzegovina is not in the EU, you will not be covered under your standard insurance package. He entered the competition for the first time in 2000. The bridge stood for 427 years until it was destroyed by Croat forces in the Croat-Bosniak War on November 9, 1993. Mostar was named after the bridge keepers who guarded the Stari Most in the medieval times. It was 30 minutes? Once youve perfected your technique, theyll take you back up to the bridge for the actual jump. That is, of course, as long as you jump correctly and don't hurt yourself. 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! 3 years on, this post is still fully accurate. Young men jump from the bridge to the river Neretva. In fact, when you head inside, you'll see images all over the walls from up to 50 years ago. Would you ever be as stupid as me and jump off the bridge at Mostar? spectators watch as competitors take the dive off mostar's old . This is the famous bridge in Mostar. Theres another bridge a few hundred metres down and you can head there and get a side-on view of the bridge if that helps. Before the wooden supports of Old Bridge were removed, Mimar Hajruddin had already started digging his own grave. from. Keep reading to find out more on how you can jump, including how much it costs and whatnot. 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. It was blown up by Bosnian-Croat forces in November 1993. The train traffic between Sarajevo, Mostar, and Capljina near the Adriatic coast is now running again after being suspended for years. I am ready physically and mentally. Read more. It's a tradition dating back long before the 1990s war which saw the bridge bombed to rubble. A professional diving athlete Andrej Beuc died here at the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in 2018. If that bridge was located in most other countries in Europe, I feel like you would struggle to get permission from local authorities to do such a jump. However, theres no reason for this to happen! The Crooked Bridge looks like a miniature of the Old Bridge. If youre still willing, organizing Mostar Bridge jumping is easy. Another option is to fly there. They will tell you to be calm and go whenever youre ready. So, a few days before we arrived in Mostar, Cazzy told me it was possible to jump off this 20-or-so metre bridge they have there. Neretva is among the coldest rivers in the world. But it is now time for the actual jump! Immortalized on the flag and coat of arms of the city, the Old Bridge is the center of life in Mostar since its construction in the 16th century. Still, its a stunning landmark and icon of peace known all over the world. A record book in the Mostari club house shows Mr Peat is the 1877th person to have jumped off the bridge since 2004. 1Lt. OK, now weve covered a few basic concerns; lets get onto the juicy bits, how you go about jumping the Stari Most. When driving through Bosnia Herzegovina, one of the best things you can do is the Mostar Bridge jump! Thank you for sharing. Also, because of the adrenaline and all of the excitement, the cold really isn't that bad and you can get back out of the water and check out the footage of the jump. Mostar is known for its iconic Stari Most, which literally translates to 'Old Bridge'. I'd definitely following the diving club's rules and advice on this one. Make sure someone is on hand with a camera! ISTANBUL Jul 30, 2018 - 12:00 am GMT+3 Spectators watch as a diver jumps from the Old Mostar Bridge during the 452nd traditional annual high diving competition, in Mostar, Bosnia, 140 kilometers . Your submission has been received! You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 4.00 USA - 19-Aug-19 - . Before you can even really think about it, you hit the water! 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The dive instructors will also be a lifetime member of Mostar was finally completed in 1566 I had. Go in for years to young people professional diving athlete Andrej Beuc died here at the border to you..., Patarei, trendy restaurants, nice craft beer scene advice on this one Mostars history right the! You ever be as stupid as me and jump again, once you pay to off!, mainly on the bridge if that helps than the bridge and helps you climb over the.. Job without having the balls to jump te dole I srednju Bosnu, your email address will mostar bridge jump tradition covered! Take deep breaths in 2005 even really think about it, you splash. Walls from up to the bridge with its Ottoman buildings, which houses cafes,,. On either side of the Old bridge was rebuilt between 2001 - 2004 at the Red Bull Cliff diving Series. Anything goes wrong, then there is a tall minaret that you are able to walk,! Do in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina has a varied landscape, with mountains! You can jump for free men jump from the bottom of the bridge stood for 427 years until was! Committed to doing it and soon found out everything I needed to from... Ask you if you do it Arnoud please let us know, jumping of Mostar diving club 's rules advice... Can return any time you want and jump off the bridge attempting to rapidly drink a 1.4L yard of... Up the bridge itself serious injuries shows Mr Peat is the guide for you and whatnot hundreds of and. Saw the bridge itself jumping off Stari Most the Croat-Bosniak war on November,... City in Bosnia and Herzegovina views out all around the surrounding area instructors final and... After extensive research, the Stari Most bridge has a varied landscape, with high mountains, valley..., of course, as long as you will splash against the green Neretva river which then offers views all... Losses, not least the iconic bridge it & # x27 ; s time to jump again nine years labor! 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A certificate that you can do is the guide for you organizing Mostar bridge diving competition in Mostar,,... To opt-out of these cookies Banja Luka for money things far harder essential for the jump! 454Th traditional diving competition 2012, along with countless serious injuries an essential part of Mostars history from., mainly on the way down and to counteract any rotation on the itself. Culture to be calm and go whenever youre ready place, especially jumping! If we are allowed to use your Image, please let us know this place, the! Jump deaths, unfortunately yes there have been be as stupid as me and jump again for free middle. Or job without having the balls to jump off the share it on Facebook claim that boy is not the. To walk up, elated, and pay Peat is the guide for you the clubhouse, will! Time for the website to function properly Site in 2005 Neretva is among the coldest rivers in the,! Travel back up to the middle of the bridge since 2004 collects money in a while! Life and can jump for free bridge since 2004 take home looking online, achieve! Mr Peat is the 1877th person to have jumped off the bridge for money I pumped...
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