Latin Bridge

Latin Bridge is an Ottoman bridge over the river Miljacka in Sarajevo. The northern end of the bridge was the site of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by Gavrilo Princip in 1914, which began the July Crisis that ultimately led to the outbreak of World War I.

The bridge received its name because it connected the right bank of the Miljacka with the Catholic quarter of the city, which was informally called Latinluk in Ottoman times. Judging by its foundations, it is the oldest among the preserved bridges in the city. The census of the Sanjak of Bosnia from 1541 mentions the bridge on this spot, built by the leather-worker Hussein, son of Sirmerd. This first bridge seems to have been made of wood, because the court record from 1565 witness that the stone bridge was built here by eminent citizen of Sarajevo Ali Ajni-Beg.

A terrible flood on 15 November 1791 badly damaged the bridge and its reconstruction was financed by the Sarajevo merchant Abdulah-aga Briga. Someone worked out that the year when it was rebuilt can be obtained from the numerical values in the word Briga – it is 1213, which by Islamic calendar equals the year of the reconstruction 1798/99.

The bridge has four arches and rests on three strong pillars and the embankment; it is built of stone and gypsum and the two relieving openings, 'eyes' in the mass above pillars are so characteristic that they can be seen in the seal of Sarajevo. Because of heavy traffic at the time of Austria-Hungary, the pavements on consoles were added to the bridge.

References:

• Wikipedia

Address

Zelenih beretki 30, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Details

Founded: 16th century
Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in Bosnia and Herzegovina