Crossing the Mostar Bridge
Thanks to reading recommendations here on Afar.com, I picked up a copy of Sarajevo Marlboro at a bookstore, just as we crossed the famous, historic bridge in Mostar, Bosnia.
At the bookstore, a short film played over and over, documenting the bridge’s destruction, step by step, and later its rebuilding. A piece of classical music played over documentary footage, until one fateful moment, when a blast drowned out the soundtrack, and the bridge finally collapsed. Tears ran down my cheeks. I thought the piece wasn’t too violent for my children, ages 4 and 5, to watch with me. After all, it played like a newsreel, looping in a bookstore. Then came the explaining.
Weeks later, my son still asks about it, and makes analogies. He does not seem terrified. At four years old he seems to understand the seriousness and the gravity of such a moment in history. It’s exactly the kind of mindfulness and conscientiousness we want to instill in our children. The experience of the bridge seems to help my son understand why we treasure each other, each day. The experience was profound—for all of us.
Location Details
Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Oh, I saw this bridge on Rick Steve's show and thought it was stunning and so want to go there. It sounds so special and now, hearing your story, I know I will go sometime in the next few years. Beautiful image and beautiful story.
Lynne, we enjoyed our stay in the city very much--very nice hospitality. There are still hollowed-out buildings and pockmarks everywhere. I found it thought-provoking.
Mostar was the best place I visited on my entire 3-month trip around Europe. It's fantastic.
Thank you for posting this. I wanted to visit both Mostar and Sarajevo when I was in Croatia, but my timing and schedule did not match up. I will be back in that part of the world again--very beautiful and brimming with modern-day history to learn about!
This is spectacular - I've wanted to visit Bosnia for a long time, and this is another push in the right direction.
bridge rebuilt...very poignant...your kids are getting treated to wonderful travels while young...
I was delivering humanitarian aid during the war and visited Mostar on many occasions. In fact, Mostar was the first major city I encountered after departing Dubrovnik, Croatia and I was ill-prepared for the devastation I would soon witness. In spite of the utter destruction surrounding the bridge, the city center and outskirts of town, I shall always remember the hue of the water passing beneath what would have been the span of the bridge. It was a very peaceful shade of blue -just as it's shown in your photograph- and it had a calming affect over the horrors of war to which the population was subjected.
I hope to return one day with the benefit of a perspective not many others share.
Thanks for this. I'll be there in early October!!!
Hi, Mandy. I visited Mostar several years ago and had the same reaction. We were told by a local that the cross up on the mountain (upper right corner of your photo) is where the did bombings started. Very tragic but wonderful to see a beautiful town recover and thrive.
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