Almost every day, young men jump off the ancient bridge in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Why?

This is a small town with a legendary history. It was once almost destroyed due to the war, but its rebirth amazed the world. Here is the most beautiful town in Bosnia and Herzegovina - Mostar.

Bosnia and Herzegovina, the full name is Bosnia and Herzegovina. If the "Bosnia" part of Bosnia and Herzegovina is most famous for Sarajevo, then the most famous part of "Herzegovina" is the ancient city of Mostar.

The ancient city of Mostar, about 80 kilometers northeast of Sarajevo, has many medieval Roman architectural monuments. On the way from Sarajevo to Mostar, the beautiful scenery outside the car window made people feel happy.

When it comes to the ancient city of Mostar, the most famous one is the Mostar Ancient Bridge (Stari Most) built in the 15th century. This is the biggest scar of the ancient city. The past and present life of the Old Bridge is a history of blood and tears in Mostar.

A bridge, two nations, connects the peace that generations of people have longed for. For many years, this arch bridge has connected the Muslim and Croat residents living on both sides of the river.

That afternoon, I stood by the bridge and watched several local men take off their shirts and then jump off the bridge, eliciting bursts of applause. "Why did they jump?" I asked a local friend.

It is said that this was a custom in the past. Before the war broke out, this was an annual local event. Brave young men demonstrated their fearless courage by jumping from the bridge, competing with each other to win the favor of the girls.

The sun was shining brightly as we walked from this end to the Mostar Old Bridge. This ancient bridge was a 16th-century bridge built in 1557 across the River Neretva and took 9 years to complete.

The ancient bridge was built under the order of Sultan Suleiman I of the Ottoman Empire. Because of its graceful curvature and magnificent shape, it is also known as the rainbow over the Neretva River.

The bridge body is 4 meters wide and 29 meters long. The highest end of the bridge arch is 20 meters away from the water. It was once the widest man-made arch bridge in the world. There is a stone bridgehead at each end of the bridge, which fully demonstrates the simple customs and artistic style of Bosnia in the 16th century.

Certain related technical issues remain a mystery: How to erect scaffolding? How to transport stones from one side of the river to the other? How to keep the scaffolding reliable during such a long construction period, etc. Therefore, this bridge can be ranked among the greatest works of its time.

Unfortunately, the ancient bridge was destroyed on November 9, 1993 during the Bosnian War after standing for 427 years. The arch bridge we see today was rebuilt on the original site.

After the war, the plan to rebuild the bridge was put on the agenda. Try to restore it as close to its original appearance as possible, using the same techniques and materials. The original stone was fished from the river for the construction of the bridge, and the remaining stone was obtained from local quarries.

The rebuilt arch bridge was completed on July 23, 2004. To celebrate the reopening of the bridge, nine young men jumped off the bridge together that day.

Today, the Old Bridge area in Mostar is listed as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.

Crossing the Old Bridge is the Ottoman-style old town.

Mostar is the cultural capital of Herzegovina. Strolling through this ancient city after the smoke has cleared, there are scenery and leisurely rhythm everywhere.

No wonder someone joked: "There are as many cafes in Mostar as there are bars in London."

This commercial street is not as prosperous as in China, it is just a There are long streets selling various souvenirs, restaurants, and convenience stores on both sides.

Stop at a small shop selling oil paintings, buy a refrigerator magnet and ice cream on the street... In Mostar, I feel like I am in the little Lijiang of Europe, even with the clouds on the horizon Shu, they are all very similar.

Have the most unique Turkish meal in Mostar in a beautiful restaurant. Looking around, most of the people dining in the restaurant are European and American tourists. Not many Chinese people come here, so it is considered a very niche travel destination.

The various barbecues are quite delicious and highly recommended. Even the French fries and bread are of great quality.

Mostar has experienced countless wars.

From the Ottomans to World War I, World War II, until the Yugoslav Civil War in 1992, Bosnia and Herzegovina was at war with Serbia and Croatia, and the wars were scarred.

It is worth mentioning that the citizens of Mostar voted in a referendum to choose "Bruce Lee" to represent peace in the city. The bronze statue of Bruce Lee stands in the City Park of Zrinjski in Mostar.

If you go to Mostar, you can also take a photo with that bronze statue and pray in your heart: I hope there will never be another war.

Hi, I am CS, a Jiangnan woman from Suzhou, who has traveled all over China and more than 30 countries around the world.