Old Bridge 老桥
April 26, 2026
Visiting Mostar was really all about the Old Bridge (Stari Most). Early in the morning, we visited Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque, one of the best places to admire the famous bridge from above. We climbed up the mosque’s minaret for the panoramic view. It was the first time we had ever gone up a minaret in a mosque
Compared with the bell towers of European cathedrals, the minaret was much narrower and more compact. The spiral staircase inside was tight and steep, and the small balcony at the top could hold only a few people at a time. Fortunately, there were not many visitors when we arrived, so we were able to enjoy the space quietly.
The view from the top was absolutely stunning. Below us, the elegant stone arch of the Old Bridge stretched gracefully across the emerald-green Neretva River, connecting the two sides of the old Ottoman town. The red rooftops, stone houses, mosque domes, and slender minarets together created one of the most beautiful scenes we had seen in the Balkans.
Later, we walked to Lučki Most, a newer bridge farther down the river. From there, we waited more than twenty minutes, hoping to witness the famous bridge divers jumping from the Old Bridge into the cold river below. The divers stood on top of the bridge for a long time, collecting donations and building suspense while tourists gathered along both sides of the river with cameras ready. Finally, one diver leaped dramatically into the water far below, drawing cheers from the crowd.
For the rest of the day, we found ourselves crossing the Old Bridge again and again. Every time we walked across it, the bridge revealed a different atmosphere depending on the light, the crowds, and the angle of the river below. Sometimes lively and crowded, sometimes peaceful and reflective, the bridge felt not only like the symbol of Mostar, but also a reminder of the city’s resilience and history.
2026年4月26日
来到莫斯塔尔（Mostar），最重要的事情几乎就是围绕着老桥（Stari Most）。
一早，我们先参观了科斯基·穆罕默德帕夏清真寺（Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque）。我们登上了清真寺的宣礼塔（minaret），这里是俯瞰老桥最经典的位置之一。这也是我们第一次爬上清真寺的宣礼塔。
相比欧洲教堂常见的钟楼，宣礼塔要纤细得多，内部空间也非常狭窄。塔内是盘旋而上的狭窄楼梯，走起来有些陡，而顶部的小阳台面积也很有限，只能容纳少数几个人。幸运的是，当时游客不多，我们得以安静地欣赏古城和老桥的风景。
优雅的老桥横跨在翠绿色的内雷特瓦河（Neretva River）之上，两岸则是典型奥斯曼风格（Ottoman-style）的老城区。从来没见过一个小镇会有大大小小这么多的清真寺，这么多的宣礼塔竖在那里。几乎是任何角度都能看到一个。
随后，我们又走到下游的新桥——卢茨基桥（Lučki Most）。这里是观看老桥跳水表演最好的位置之一。我们站在桥上等了二十多分钟，想亲眼看到著名的“老桥跳水”。
跳水员们一直站在老桥顶端，一边故意制造悬念，一边向游客募捐。桥边和河岸两侧聚满了游客，大家都举着手机等待。终于，其中一位跳水员突然纵身跃下，从高高的石桥跳入冰冷的河水之中，现场立刻爆发出欢呼声。
接下来的一整天，我们一次又一次地走过老桥。每一次经过，它都呈现出不同的氛围。随着阳光角度、人群和河水颜色的变化，这座桥时而热闹，时而宁静。它不仅仅是莫斯塔尔最重要的地标，更像是这座城市历史与重生的象征。镇上的许多建筑墙面上密密麻麻的弹孔时刻提醒着我们波斯尼亚战争对这里所造成的损害。