Mehmed Pasa Sokolović Bridge, Višegrad, Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge of Višegrad across the Drina River in the east of Bosnia and Herzegovina was built between 1571 and 1577 by the court architect Mimar Koca Sinan on the orders of Grand Vizier Mehmed Paša Sokolović. Characteristic of the apogee of Ottoman monumental architecture and civil engineering, the bridge has 11 masonry arches with spans of 11 m to 15 m, and an access ramp at right angles with four arches on the left bank of the river. The 179.5 m long bridge is a representative masterpiece of Sinan, one of the greatest architects and engineers of the classical Ottoman period and a contemporary of the Italian Renaissance, with which his work may be compared. The unique elegance of proportion and monumental nobility of the whole site bear witness to the greatness of this style of architecture.

The bridge received UNESCO World Heritage Listing in 2007.

References:

UNESCO

Address

Višegrad, Bosnia and Herzegovina

See all sites in Višegrad

Details

Founded: 1571-1577
Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in Bosnia and Herzegovina

More Information

whc.unesco.org
en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.9/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

Srebrenica Genocide Memorial (41,8 km)
Dobrun Monastery (9,2 km)
Pljevlja Monastery (46,2 km)
Husein-pasa's Mosque (47,7 km)

User Reviews

Drazen Ruzic (usmc) (15 months ago)
Omg! If I ever ever have visited more depressed city then Visegrad...bridge is ok, looks nice and that's that. The rest...run!! But run!!

Milos Milanovic (2 years ago)
A bridge of immense historical and cultural value in this part of the world, popularized in Ivo Andric's "The Bridge on the Drina", a historical novel that was the main force behind its author's Nobel Prize for literature. Several sections of the bridge were destroyed, and some damaged, but a large part of it is still the original construction. It's now a strictly pedestrian bridge under UNESCO protection.

Lekovic Photography (2 years ago)
Nice place to visit. You can enjoy the terrace next to the bridge with a magnificent view to the Drina river.

valentina vujisic (2 years ago)
Amazing place with a great historical value. A bridge that resists all the negative impacts through out the yeras, centuries. Anyone who is traveling through Bosnia should pay a visit to this amazing bridge . Nearby there is a hotel with a terrace where you can rest and have something to eat. Teracce has an amazing view on the bridge and Drina river.

Kasturi Chatterjee (2 years ago)
A historical bridge with beautiful views. Highly recommended. It's totally worth a visit.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Following Hadrian

Historic Site of the week

Walls of Constantinople

The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.

Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.

Mehmed Pasa Sokolović Bridge