Sunday May 18 Mostar bridge, Stari Most, Buna & Počitelj

A place we are all aware of due to war and recent rebuilding of the Stari Most, but words cannot express the feelings of what it is to walk on and touch history being made. The Mostar Bridge was a very famous and historical bridge before its destruction in 1993 during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina (part of the former Yugoslavia). The elegant bridge spanned the River Neretva and was designed by the Ottoman (Turkish) architect Mimar Hayruddin. It was completed in 1566 after nines years of building and the surrounding town became a thriving trading centre. The bridge was 29 metres in length and stood at a height of 20 metres, a classic example of a single span, stone arch bridge and was an example of advanced technology in its time. It became a World Heritage site during the twentieth century. The Sultan of the Ottoman Empire swore to execute Mimar Hayruddin if the bridge collapsed after the wooden supports were removed. It is said that Hayruddin started to dig his own grave on the day the supports were removed. However, the bridge stood for 429 years, a testament to its excellent design and construction.
Excerpt: Bosnia-Herzegovina Rotarians celebrate rebuilding of Mostar Bridge
By Vukoni Lupa-Lasaga, Rotary International – 9 September 2004
When the Rotary Club of Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina, was chartered in 2002, one of the issues uppermost in the minds of its members was how to heal their community, torn apart by a brutal war that pitted one ethnic group against another. Rotarians proposed to city leaders to rebuild the 427-year-old historic landmark, which was destroyed by hostile tank-shell fire in 1993, to signal that it was time to repair the physical and emotional damage that the war had inflicted on Mostar. After winning the approval of politicians, technical experts, and residents, Rotarians took the lead in mobilizing international support and raising funds for the project. Amir Pasic, an architect, and Marin Raspudic, the Mostar airport director and current club president, are just two Rotarians who have been closely involved with the rebuilding of the stone bridge. Both served as chief organizers of the 23 July opening ceremony for the completed bridge.To read the rest of this story, see www.rotary.org/newsroom/main/news02.html, or read your September 04 Issue of the Rotarian.
After this awe inspiring stop we were onto see the source of the Buna River, a tributary of the Neretva. The source of this river is a strong karstic spring that ‘com from out of the mountain. Vast waters have been calculated but a true origin has never been discovered.

Vrelo Bune - the Bun river source

Then onto the quaint oriental-style town of Pocitelj, located about half an hour's drive from Mostar, less than 30km south on the M-17 road towards the Adriatic. Besides its stunning oriental architecture, Pocitelj hosts the longest operating art colony in southeast Europe. Artists from around the world gather here to paint, among other things but importantly, the shiny red pomegranates and figs that grow in abundance on the hills of Pocitelj.
An incredible day, in an awesome place, hosted by generous people . . .

Relaxing with our Hosts

Sunday May 18 Mostar bridge, Stari Most, Buna & Počitelj

Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina