Ilya Burlak. It's a tradition dating back long before the 1990s war which saw the bridge bombed to rubble. Very good. It's only 23 metres high, think you can handle it? More than an architectural masterpiece was lost. Theres an incredible amount of excitement both in the build up to the jump and the aftermath. All I could think about was do not fuck this up, do NOT fuck this up, while the dozens of tourists who were all clamouring to take my photo were probably thinking the opposite; I really hope he fucks this up.. Expect craggy peaks, turquoise rivers, dark tunnels, and ancient viaducts. But it is now time for the actual jump! Its an incredible feeling as you sink below the water and have the sudden realization that youve done it! I'm not too sure I'd do it again though - I think once was enough for me! 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! We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. (Water level? The best traditional restaurant in Mostar according to our inspection is FoodHouse on the western bank of Neretva, appr. 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. Thank you! 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. An Adventurous World (2014-23). tradition. 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. 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 . What To Pack For Croatia Severe bruising is the most common injury, but too many people also tell about broken bones, dislocated limbs, and even spine injuries. Since the bridges reconstruction, the Mostar Diving club has maintained records of all the people who have made the Mostar Bridge jump. The Mostar Bridge Jumping Festival, a local tradition which involves auspicious folk hurling themselves into it off a Bridge! Please make sure that the water level is high enough before planning your bridge jump. Check out the view from the Koski Mehmed Paa Mosque 6. The Old Bridge of Mostar is among the most important Islamic architectural structures in the Balkans. Go out for beers afterwards Youve just survived one of the scariest things of your life! What To Wear On A Longhaul Flight. The nearby airport is called Mostar International Airport and its only a 10-15 minute drive outside the heart of the city. 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. Still, its a stunning landmark and icon of peace known all over the world. A Friend and I would like to use the following picture for our own Art. 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. The tradition of jumping off the bridge in Mostar began in 1664. 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. We blog about the best travel destinations in the Balkans. 100 meters from Stari Most. You will receive a unique code. Mostar Bridge Jump: Read This Before Jumping Off Mostar Bridge! Also, its a great talking point for everyone back home! Lots of history and culture to be see this place, especially the Jumping tradition into the Neretva river. The bridge stood for 427 years until it was destroyed by Croat forces in the Croat-Bosniak War on November 9, 1993. Your email address will not be published. In fact, they are due to return later this year in August. At least one of the Mostar bridge jumping deaths was caused by heart attack: the contrast between a hot summer day and nearly freezing water can take its toll even for a healthy person. It probably shuts around 5ish or 6ish. Such as: Mostar really is a wonderful place to visit, however, it is quite a poor city. They say that only the most skilled and best trained should jump, and that certainly wasnt me. This school has been on the bridge for hundreds of years and they are essentially its guardians. Young men jump from the bridge to the river Neretva. In a literal sense, the word most is the Bosnian word for bridge. You can look down off the railings from the top and get a feel for how high it is. After a few years, an international scientific committee was established by UNESCO and arranged a team for the reconstruction of the bridge, along with many parts of the Old Town, which were also damaged and destroyed. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. No spam, we promise, unsubscribe at any time. And can I use a gopro when jumping. The original bridge stood for 427 years before it was destroyed during the war in 1993. The dive cub will take you through everything you need to do for the jump. While many blogs claim Mostar bridge jumping safe, YouTube is full of videos of jumps gone bad by unlucky tourists. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Which is more than the 30 Euros I paid in 2018. Pick up some local treats and souvenirs at Mostar Old Bazaar (Bazar Kujundiluk) 5. That 20 will also make you a member of the dive club, allowing you to jump in the future again whenever you want. Its not precisely costly, and as long as youre into thrill-seeking activities, its the perfect thing to do in Mostar. Then, just do exactly what youve been taught so far and step off. When we jumped, there were 3 of us. Personally, one jump was enough for me; but feel free to have another go if youre that way inclined! 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. He didn't stick the landing and dislocated his arm. The Mostar Bridges height is around 29 meters in full length and is approximately 4 meters wide. Hell eventually reach his climax of wowing the crowd with a death-defying Stari Most bridge jump. To be frank, all traditional Bosnian restaurants in Mostar were rather weak in our opinion. Any number of things could go wrong with your jump. That averages . 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. You can read our privacy policy here. Luckily, his work was celebrated as the widest man-made arch in the world! I was preparing myself for jumps all year round. Characteristics. The first Siege of Mostar was fought in 1992; the second Siege of Mostar lasted from 1993 to 1994. A painstakingly faithful replica was completed in 2004. 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! 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. 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. The white-marbled Mostars Old Bridge arches upon rapidly flowing Neretva River, as a symbol of peace and hope. fantastic pictures and place is amazing to visit there. Well, they take the time to show you the right jumping technique and, as long as you listen and do exactly this, then youll be fine. Once there is sufficient collection, the Mostar bridge jump takes a second. You are like gazelle leaping into the air! I felt pumped up, elated, and I wanted to do it again. Some thousand tourists and residents of BiH were watching the jumps which are a tradition for Mostar's young men to jump from the Old Bridge in the cold Neretva River. As we mentioned, dont try to jump off the bridge without permission. He claims that Mostar and the Old Bridge would become unique in the world. Many restaurants offer million-dollar views to the Old Bridge of Mostar, which alone qualifies for a romantic dinner. The most famous thing about the Mostar Ancient Bridge is the bridge jump. 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. In Mostar, the Old Bridge marked both the divide and the connection between the Bosniaks, Croats, Serbs, and Yugoslavs. The Mostar Bridge was built in 1557 by architect Mimar Hajrudin, a disciple of Sinan, the father of classic Ottoman architecture. region. However, it really is a cool experience and your money is directly going towards preserving the jobs of the dive team. They will tell you to be calm and go whenever youre ready. In Summer, the water is at its lowest and so the distance is highest. I'm Macca & I run the multiple award-winning blog An Adventurous World. The trains run all the way to Capljina near the Croatian coast, from where you can take a bus to Dubrovnik, Split, or Makarska. 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. Though saying that, people have died in the past, and the day before I jumped a guy had to be rushed to hospital with two suspected broken arms; there was a serious element of danger here, and after hearing that particular story I was bricking it. The Mostar Old Bridge is also known as Stari Most, Mostar Most, Bosnia Bridge, Mostar Bridge, Mostar Stari Most, Mostarski Most, or Stari Most. Stari most which translates to old bridge is a reconstruction of a 16th century Ottoman bridge in the city of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it crosses the Neretva river and connects two parts of the city. Also, be aware that its very deep below the bridge, so theres very little chance of you going so low that you hit bottom. Daredevil high divers celebrated the occasion by resuming their championship event at the bridge, jumping from its 90-foot-high arch into the Neretva River. Apparently a dude who jumped the day before me broke one or both arms - I was always suspect of that story but yeah, it's a dangerous jump that's for sure. We saw few local youth jumping from the bridge. Afterwards, you head back up to the clubhouse to get dressed. Thanks! Every day I go to the gym twice and run twice. Driving from Sarajevo to Mostar takes around 1,5-2 hours, while the buses take around 2,5 hours. 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.. Here is a list of things to do in Mostar Bosnia and Herzegovina one of the most diverse places in Europe. It is said that the tradition began just after its inauguration and since 1968 an annual diving tournament is held there. Those are the people you want. 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 boy's life will be a complete failure if he doesn't jump. 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. I am ready physically and mentally. Its easy to forget you are in Bosnia and Herzegovina. If you're trying to find out how to jump from the bridge in Mostar, then feel free to skip ahead to the next section where I tell you exactly how to do it. Let me know in the comments below! 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. Bosnia and Herzegovina has a varied landscape, with high mountains, rolling valley and large cities. Walk along or get into some adventure on the Neretva River 3. It has two towers that historically housed the Mostari (bridge keepers). There are market stools for a few hundred metres either side of the bridge. The jump costs 35 (10 for the training and 25 for the Old Bridge jump). Every year in Mostar, at the end of July, a diving contest is organized from the top of the bridge. 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. This might sound like a lot just for a jump. Be careful at the bridge and only jump when youre ready to do it in a good form. 27-meter jump is not a joke. After all, jumping of Mostar Bridge is a 450-year old tradition. Would you ever be as stupid as me and jump off the bridge at Mostar? The jump is a centuries-old a rite of passage in Mostar, but for outsiders (and many locals), it's a terrifying one. Every year there is a special bridge jump competition . 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