A particularly beautiful aspect to Sarajevo is the Miljacka River that runs through the valley and city. Living on the mountain side, I am crossing this waterway every other day on my walk-about-towns. The historic and beautiful bridges of Sarajevo offer a delightful way to pass into the Old Town and beyond.
River
There are about 20 bridges all told, located in Sarajevo. At fairly regular intervals, one will pass over, or see them, should you take a walk beside the river.
Both sides of Miljacka River offer breathtaking views, not only of the sun glinting off the water and birds swooping down onto the rocks, but the architecture along the route. This river was once quite turbulent, in fact a number of times in the past, the city flooded and the bridges were washed out.
Today the volume of water is carefully controlled and this can be seen by a pump station at the far end of town.
These are the bridges I found the most fascinating and used regularly during my stay.
Latin Bridge
We will start with the most famous resulting from its history from the 20th century. At this location, Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, was assassinated in 1914 along with his pregnant wife. This monumental action is what triggered WWI.
The bridge was first mentioned in a document in 1541 and has had several name changes over the years. This current stone rendition was built in 1798 and is extremely picturesque. Pedestrian only, visitors will see the most people on and photographing this bridge.
Cumurija Bridge
First built in the 16th century, this bridge received its name from the charcoal ashes that were being dumped into the river by the medieval sword makers whose shops were nearby. Today made of steel and lined with petunias in the summer months, it stands with understated beauty.
Skenderija Bridge
The bridge here was originally a wooden one, constructed in the 15th century. Today visitors will see a steel version, built in 1893. The designer was none other than Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, yes that same person, who designed the Eiffel tower in Paris.
Festina Lente Bridge
The newest addition to the Miljacka River is this beautiful modern bridge built in 2012 situated across from the Academy of Fine Arts. The name translates to ‘Hurry Slowly’. Located at the centre are two stylized benches where one can rest for a few moments, enjoying the bird chatter and looking at the remarkable buildings in view.
Seher-Cehaja’s Bridge
This is possibly the oldest bridge in the city, first mentioned in a document from 994. The current rendition was built in the middle of the 16th century and appears very similar to the Latin Bridge in style. Today it is a national monument of BiH.
Sauda and Olga Bridge
A fairly recent name change for this one, adopted to honour the first two victims shot in the Siege of Sarajevo while peacefully demonstrating. Today, lined with bright petunias and a reminder of the city’s violent past.
Emperor’s Bridge
Originally built in the 15th century and later, after it was washed out by flooding on multiple occasions, place further down stream. In 1897 the river was regulated and that is when Emperor’s bridge was reconstructed in its current position. It is the first concrete bridge in Sarajevo.
Cobanija Bridge
Built as a wooden structure in 1557, now visitors will find this steel one constructed in 1888. This bridge was named after its original builder as is the surrounding neighbourhood.
These are the bridges that tourists will see while exploring Old Town and the Austro-Hungarian sectors of the city. To walk beside the Miljacka River and view these from both close and afar is one of the many pleasures of visiting Sarajevo.
