The stone bridge that separates Herzegovina and Bosnia

Although there is no real border between Herzegovina and Bosnia, the old stone bridge in Konjic is still considered the point that divides these two parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The stone bridge was built in 1682 by the decision of Sultan Mehmed IV and bridges the Neretva river. It is made of stone and has six arches of different dimensions. It belongs to the most beautiful bridges of the Ottoman Empire in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Kamena ćuprija (stone bridge) connects the old core of Konjic with the new part of the city on the right bank and is a trademark of the city.

Stone bridge, Konjic, Photo: Neven Divković, Pixabay

However, during the withdrawal of the German army from Konjic, on March 4, 1945, the bridge was mined and demolished. Later, a wooden structure was placed over the remains of the stone pillars as a temporary solution, in order to connect the two banks for pedestrian traffic. The wooden structure was then replaced by a concrete one in 1961.

The idea to return its symbol to Konjic was born in 1976, when the conceptual project for the reconstruction of the Stone Bridge was drawn up. However, it was completely rebuilt only in 2009, and today the bridge is 102 meters long and represents an exceptional cultural monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina.