- In 1566, Ottoman architect Mimar Hajrudin built a stone bridge that spanned the waters of the Neretva River and came to be known as "Stari Most," or Old Bridge. The initially small Turkish outpost grew into a city that was eventually named after the bridge–Mostar, or "keeper of the bridge." The bridge became a symbol of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s historic tolerance for diversity among its people–until war racked the former Yugoslavia. On November 9, 1993, artillery and tanks destroyed the bridge, by then one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s greatest cultural treasures.
- For several years before the beginning of this project, the Bosnia and Herzegovina government attempted to launch reconstruction efforts for the Old Bridge. However, these efforts were unsuccessful, due to a lack of technical and financial capacity, as well as the special political and ethnic sensitivities around the project.
The government approached IDA, hoping that its technical expertise, its role as honest broker and its capacity to attract and bring together a diverse group of donors and experts, would move the reconstruction of the bridge and its towers along. This was not a typical IDA infrastructure-reconstruction or economic development project. Because of the symbolism inherent in the reconstruction of the Old Bridge, IDA, other donors and the government undertook this project to promote the climate for reconciliation – the main pre-requisite for economic revitalization and social cohesion.
The re-opening of the bridge has contributed to the reconciliation of war-divided people living on the banks of the Neretva river.
Highlights:
- In addition to rebuilding the graceful arch of the bridge and its towers, the project restored other damaged monuments helping to preserve the character of Mostar’s historic cobble-stoned Old Town.
- Mostar residents from both banks now meet again in the Old Town to attend concerts, exhibitions and various other cultural events.
- Tourism has picked up, boosting the local economy: Even before the bridge’s reconstruction, the war-shattered and ethnically divided town of Mostar was visited by 20,000-25,000 tourists every year, coming to see the historic bridge’s broken span. Some 300,000 tourist visits were registered in 2004, 450,000 in 2005 and 750,000 were expected by the end of 2006.
- Tourism has triggered new construction, the opening of new hotels, restaurants and pubs, and other businesses in Mostar and its surroundings.
- In July 2005, Mostar’s Old Bridge and surrounding Old Town were registered on UNESCO’s list of historic monuments.
- The total project cost was US$12.5 million, of which IDA provided US$4 million, the government provided US$2 million, with other donors, including Italy, the Netherlands, Croatia, and the Council of Europe Development Bank, providing the rest.
- IDA assembled a unique partnership to carry out the project–this included the local community, national and regional governments, UNESCO, the World Monuments Fund (WMF), and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), as well as several donor countries, along with IDA. In this case, the convening strength of IDA was as valuable as its direct financial and technical support.
Although IDA financing ended more than two years ago, project activities on the ground continue, as local authorities continue working on the restoration and maintenance of the Old Town. In accordance with the project agreement, the Project Implementation Unit has been transformed into an agency that is responsible for management and maintenance of the restored Old Town, and further development of city’s tourist capacities.
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