by Amanda Kendle, Eastern Europe & Russia Travel

You might know Mostar from TV reports during the Bosnian conflict, but visiting Herzegovina's main city and crossing its symbolic bridge is better in person.

Take a quick drive in from the Croatian coast just north of Dubronik and you’ll soon cross a border into Bosnia and Herzegovina. The first main town, and the unofficial capital of Herzegovina, is Mostar, one of the prettiest towns in the region. Its most famous monument, the Old Bridge, has a tumultous history that reflects some of the experiences of the town itself.

Originally built in the sixteenth century, Mostar’s Old Bridge (Stari Most) and its towers, known as mostari, give the town its name. It crosses the Neretva River near the center of the town, is made of stone and is formed in a romantic arch. During the Bosnian conflict, the bridge was damaged twice, first by a Serbian bombing in 1992 and later completely destroyed by a Croatian attack in November 1993. During the next ten years, its reconstruction became a major local project, funded to the value of twelve million euro by the US, Turkey, Italy, the Netherlands and Croatia. Special care was taken to reconstruct it faithfully to the original method. The “new” Old Bridge was promoted as a symbol of unity among the various local communities.

Since July 2005, the bridge has had a place on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, always a hot tip that it could be a good spot to visit. I took the chance last summer and began on the streets outside the old town: bullet holes still riddle some of these, a reminder of the very recent conflict. In the old town center (Kujundžiluk), cobblestone streets led me through shops and markets, featuring locally-made crafts, carpets and souvenirs.

Walking up a small slope as the river approached, I reached the Old Bridge and instantly recognized it from documentaries and TV reports. Tourists were scattered across the bridge, taking photos from both sides and looking at the dramatic view over the Neretva River. The bridge itself is a steep arch to walk over with half-steps to help pedestrians.

Various memorials surround it, including a remnant of the former bridge on a stone painted “Don’t forget ’93”. If you’re lucky, you might see a member of the Mostar Divers’ Club jump from the bridge, but it’s not recommended to try it yourself – the river’s cold, and a fair way down. Enjoy Mostar’s Old Bridge from the top instead and reflect a little on the sad recent history of Mostar and the region.