Stari Most – Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Blue hour arrives in one of the most amazing cities I’ve ever had the chance to photograph.
Urbanization of Mostar, in Bosnia and Herzegovina began in 1468 when it came under Ottoman rule. A century later, In 1557, during the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent, construction began on the Old Bridge (Stari Most) to replace its unstable wooden predecessor. Upon its completion it was the widest man made arch in the world. It is considered one of the most exemplary pieces of islamic architecture in the Balkans. The Stari Most stood for 427 years before being completely destroyed on November 9th, 1993 during the Bosnian War. Mostar was the most heavily bombed of any city during the war, and repeated shelling destroyed most of the old city. The Stari Most was rebuilt in 2004 using the same materials and technologies as the original bridge with Ottoman construction techniques. Today Mostar is a vibrant and beautiful city. A vast difference from my childhood memories of newscasts from the war. Still, when walking the city streets, the reminders of the bloody war are all around. Bullet riddled, and destroyed buildings are still intermixed with the restored structures. The scars from the war I’m sure are still fresh to the people of Mostar, but this is most certainly a city on the mend which has made an incredible comeback. It is truly one of the most beautiful cities I’ve been lucky enough to visit and photograph.
via 500px http://bit.ly/1sHHPRW
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