Bosnia and Herzegovina has a varied landscape, with high mountains, rolling valley and large cities. There have been at least 4 reported deaths since 2012. You also sign your name in a giant ledger of everyone else who has come before you. These are both possibilities if you fail to jump correctly. You'll find me working out of a cafe in Bali, perhaps on a riverboat in Brazil or maybe even an airport lounge in New Delhi. As I broke the surface, the first thing I did was look back to the bridge; it was huge! After extensive research, the Old Bridge was rebuilt between 2001 - 2004 at the cost of about 5 million Euros. And Pierre - they are still jumping . What To Pack For Albania Mostar and notably the Mostar Bridge, or Stari Most as its known locally, is one of Bosnia and Herzegovinas major tourist attractions. You obtain training from the local jumpers, where you will learn how to jump off a bridge and how to land, and you will then receive a certificate for your jump! Then you can keep going discovering this stunning and undiscovered country. Mostar Bridge Jump: Read This Before Jumping Off Mostar Bridge! I do not know how to describe it. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Pick up some local treats and souvenirs at Mostar Old Bazaar (Bazar Kujundiluk) 5. When you jump, widen your arms like wings and hold your core tight, keeping legs together. No spam, we promise, unsubscribe at any time. Here they show you the exact way to jump and how to keep yourself level on the way down. I dont say this lightly please make sure this is something you want to do and something you are comfortable with. Mostari tradition dictates that young men from Mostar must jump from the Stari Most into the cold waters of the Neretva river as a rite of passage into adulthood. A smaller Ottoman-era stone-arch bridge named Kriva cuprija, the Crooked Bridge, crosses one of the tributaries of Neretva just a stone throw away from the Old Bridge. With the help of UNESCO, Mostar Bridge was rebuilt in 2004, stone by stone and according to the original architecture. You will then need to pay for the jump. Subscribe to our travel newsletter here. In my honest opinion, hell yeah, its worth it! Mostar was even named after the bridge keepers (mostari). The dive team there are great people and youre in for a cool adventure! The Stari Most was built by a student of Mimar Sinn, a famed architect of the Ottoman Empire. You can read our privacy policy here. 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 . Thus, on July 30, on the day of the 451st traditional jumping from the Old Bridge, Mostar will be the center of the world. You can cross into Bosnia Herzegovina by all surrounding countries at a variety of borders. The original bridge stood for 427 years before it was destroyed in 1993 during the Croat-Bosniak War. In winter time (I think) the water flows at its highest so, naturally, the distance from the bridge to the waters surface decreases. And it really is something worth seeing for yourself. The bridge was drawn by a famous architect, Mimar Sinan, and constructed by his student Mimar Hajruddin. After jumping off a 3ft bench a handful of times to prove I could do it, I asked Igor if I had a good technique and if I was ready to jump off the bridge; he said I jumped like a horse, that I would never be ready to jump off the bridge, but if I still wanted to do it then now was the time. 10 for the practice jump and 20 for the real Mostar bridge jump. Here a list of things to do in Bosnia and Herzegovina. All rights reserved. View Event Info 28 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. 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. 21 Pins 5y Collection by Tour Guide Mostar Similar ideas popular now Diving Travel Bridge Cliff Diving Yes, people have died jumping off Mostar Bridge. He recalls his beginnings, when he was five or six and began to jump from, two or three meters high cliffs, and this height increased over the years. For hundreds of years, the Mostar bridge has stood as an icon of multicultural coexistence, connecting the east banks Muslim and west banks Catholic communities. 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. After looking online, we soon found that Mostar was by far one of the nicest places to visit. I went up onto the edge of the bride and heaved myself over the railing. It was ethnically rooted civil war, were neighbors and loved ones were set against each other. Ok, thats a joke! A painstakingly faithful replica was completed in 2004. The tradition of jumping off the bridge in Mostar began in 1664. Then it's time to jump off the . And of course, we wanted it to be recorded. If you do land a little off-balance, then having the wetsuit will reduce any pain you feel on impact. You take a few seconds underwater to think Shit, did I really just do this? As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. There is a tall minaret that you are able to walk up, which then offers views out all around the surrounding area. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. At least four deadly accidents are reported since 2012, along with countless serious injuries. Reuters Under measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, only 100 people were. Thus, on July 30, on the day of the 451st traditional jumping from the Old Bridge, Mostar will be the center of the world. 4.00 USA - 19-Aug-19 - . They say that only the most skilled and best trained should jump, and that certainly wasnt me. Severe bruising is the most common injury, but too many people also tell about broken bones, dislocated limbs, and even spine injuries. Thank you for sharing. By this point, there will be lots of tourists around with cameras preparing to record you. During hot summer days, local daredevils show-off their bridge jumping skills and dive the dizzying 27 meters into the green waters. 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. Divers take plunge off mostar bridge in centuries old tradition. 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. Then, just do exactly what youve been taught so far and step off. Before hitting the water, bring arms tightly towards your body (and protect your precious body parts). 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. It probably shuts around 5ish or 6ish. Do you try this without any guidance! and a must stay for a day. You can look down off the railings from the top and get a feel for how high it is. Once youve perfected your technique, theyll take you back up to the bridge for the actual jump. Local ikari know the art of bridge jumping and the risks. While many blogs claim Mostar bridge jumping safe, YouTube is full of videos of jumps gone bad by unlucky tourists. Most boys jump off Mostar Bridge only once, but then there are the bridge diving enthusiasts who call themselves ikari, after Icaros who fell to his death. The trains run all the way to Capljina near the Croatian coast, from where you can take a bus to Dubrovnik, Split, or Makarska. It's only 23 metres high, think you can handle it? Therefore, it was Igors job to make sure that, at the very least, I didnt kill myself or break my arms. 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! It was blown up by Bosnian-Croat forces in November 1993. Less risk of injury, etc? from. The bridge was eventually reopened again in 2004, and ever since it has been luring travellers from all over the world, not just because of its beauty, but because of its tradition Mostar bridge diving. 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 . Keep reading to find out more on how you can jump, including how much it costs and whatnot. Traditional Mostar Bridge Jumps, which was held for the 456th time this year, were held in the city of Mostar in the south of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 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). Entrance to the Koski Mehmed mosque is just 6 Euros. . You can jump off the Mostar Old Bridge with permission of the Dive Club to the right of the bridge. Such as you leaning forward too much and hitting your face/stomach as you enter the water. Celebrate it by going out for a couple of beers afterwards. Mostar's notorious Stari Most bridge is not a cliff, but trust me, you'd more rather jump off most cliffs. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. It is said that the tradition began just after its inauguration and since 1968 an annual diving tournament is held there. It is the story of the Old Bridge, an elegant single span arch built over the river Neretva by the Ottoman Turks. His students later designed the Blue Mosque in Istanbul and helped to create Taj Mahal. Your submission has been received! The bridge stood for 427 years until it was destroyed by Croat forces in the Croat-Bosniak War on November 9, 1993. 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