Croatian gunners destroyed famous Old Bridge in B&H city of Mostar by sending one of the most beautiful examples of Ottoman architecture in the Neretva River.
Demolition of 400 years old stone arch, which was described as “stone crescent moon” by one Muslim poet, was one of the hardest metaphor on the breakdown of the joint life and the joint state of Muslims, Serbs and Croats, Yugoslavia.
“It is one of the most beautiful bridges in the world,” wrote British author Rebecca West in her book about traveling through the Yugoslavia before World War II. “Slim arch placed between 2 round towers, with parapet arched in the middle.”
Veso Vegar, a spokesperson for the HVO, admitted that his gunners aimed a bridge whose foundations were laid back in 1557 on the orders of the great Ottoman ruler Sulejman the Magnificent.
“As the bridge is located on a strategically important position, and Muslim positions are very close, just 70 to 100 meters far away, the bridge is constantly under the fire of grenades,” said Vegar, adding that Croats fired a dozen grenades only on Monday.
Radio of Bosnian government reported that 60 grenades hit the structure, which was built in 1566, and eventually became known as the Old Bridge, after which the town got its name.
(Source: Radiosarajevo.ba)
