In 2004, he won the title for the first time. If we are allowed to use your Image, please let us know. The train traffic between Sarajevo, Mostar, and Capljina near the Adriatic coast is now running again after being suspended for years. These guys are experienced jumpers and divers and will jump a few times each day once they get enough interest (and donations) from passers-by. Bravely jumping off the bridge, they draw large crowds who want to see them perform their death-defying leaps into the Neretva river below. He entered the competition for the first time in 2000. Then I hit the water. It is a common spot for hosting the Red Bull Cliff Diving Championships, which then get broadcast worldwide. The plunge is about 78 feet from the top of the arched bridge to the incredibly cold waters below. I determinedly spoke to the Mostar diving club, situated in a stone building akin to a tiny castle across the bridge, and they told me to come back at 1 pm for training. mostar bridge jump injuries By on July 1, 2021 Iffland and her fellow competitors had to jump off the Stari Most, or Mostar Bridge, from a platform 21m above the Neretva River. Severe bruising is the most common injury, but too many people also tell about broken bones, dislocated limbs, and even spine injuries. Bridge jumping in Mostar, Bosnia. : travel - reddit.com If you do the whole thing and pay the full 30 Euros, then be aware that you will also become an official member of the Mostar Dive Club! Here is the best travel insurance for the Balkans. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Legs need to come together before I hit the water if I ever plan on having kids. Sadly, the original Stari Grad Mostar bridge was destroyed in the Bosnian War in 1993. On November 9, 1993, during bitter civil war in the city, the bridge was shelled by a Bosnian Croat tank from Mt. I had to wait a few moments for Mike to get out of the water. According to the preliminary results of the 2013 Census of Population, Mostar is inhabited by 113,169 . As Ive said, doing this Bosnia bridge jump can be really dangerous if not done right, Practice practice practice Theres nothing wrong with doing little practice jumps over and over again to ensure you feel comfortable. There will be lots of handshaking and high-fives at this point; its excellent! The best traditional restaurant in Mostar according to our inspection is FoodHouse on the western bank of Neretva, appr. Thanks! Signing the guestbook. Ive been there and I know how high it is! Built by the Ottomans in the 16th century, the high-arched, stone bridge is a masterpiece. Legends tell that the architect, Mimar Hajruddin, had to make it or break it. Official annual bridge-jumping competitions started in 1968 and are still held each summer. But lets dig deeper into the history and tragic legends of Stari Most! Well, you will splash against the green Neretva River in 3 seconds after jumping off Stari Most. After nine years of labor, the Old Bridge of Mostar was finally completed in 1566. If you love meat, you might disagree, though. My Friends dad is from Mostar and she wants the bridge to be the main eye catcher in her first big university project. Water temperature hardly ever reaches 10 degrees, so it will be a cold dip for sure. Go out for beers afterwards Youve just survived one of the scariest things of your life! What does that mean? Its what Im looking at in my profile pic. Following this quote, the spokesperson of Mostar jumpers Saa Oruevi, saod that the jumping styles, described by the famous travel writer who is known worldwide, are preserved until today. Reuters Under measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, only 100 people were. As I was having lunch I saw a crowd gathering on the bridge. In my honest opinion, hell yeah, its worth it! It was made with 456 blocks of white stone, held together by a system of anchors and dowels. Forget the Mile High Club, how many people can claim theyve joined the 24 metre-high club in Bosnia? And it really is something worth seeing for yourself. ? In fact, they are due to return later this year in August. Cedric Teuchert replaces Sheraldo Becker because of an injury. My form was actually really good through the air. September 1, 2017 at 3:25 am. Primarily because neither Hamish nor Andyare athletes. While many locals say that the Old Bridge is haunted, to our misfortune we didnt catch any ghost stories. The elegant bridge spanned the River Neretva and was designed by the Ottoman (Turkish) architect Mimar Hayruddin. I was preparing myself for jumps all year round. 'Old Bridge'), also known as Mostar Bridge, is a rebuilt 16th-century Ottoman bridge in the city of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina that crosses the river Neretva and connects the two parts of the city. Over the years, many injuries and a few deaths have been reported, especially during years when the water was shallow or when the jumpers did not have assistants below to help them to shore. We travel & write about food, accomm & the best things to do in the Balkans. It's only 23 metres high, think you can handle it? We witness a daring and incredibly high bridge jump in Mostar, Bosnia. Mostar was even named after the bridge keepers (mostari). After getting approved to jump, the diving instructor takes you back to the Old Bridge and confirms that youre 100% up to the challenge. I knew I only had one shot at this thing. I should point out, that the jump in question is around 24m in height. Please make sure that the water level is high enough before planning your bridge jump. mostar bridge jump injuries - nestorhugofuentes.com The first bridge in Mostar was built by the Turks, under the command of Suleyman the Magnificent, already in the 16th century. Everything You Need to Know About the Breathtaking Old Bridge Area in 100 meters from Stari Most. Thank you for sharing. The conflicts continued for a few more years, but in peripheral regions and in lesser degrees, that is why the end of the war was generally fixed in 1995. mostar bridge jump injuriesbarche battenti bandiera straniera MANHALNET COMPANY In Australia, we achieve this by attempting to rapidly drink a 1.4L yard glass of beer while surrounded by friends and family. If you have them flapping around at all, they will catch the water and decelerate quicker than the rest of your body, that means dislocation or breakage. 'Soul of the town': Mostar's beloved bridge inspires tale of romance Over the course of the next three days, I didn't meet any other travellers that were planning on jumping. Men Back up in the clubhouse, they will fill out a certificate that you can take home. Mostar Bridge Jump Is Jumping Worth It? Growing in confidence, I began explaining to other people that if . soooooo not worth potential injury. On November 9, 1993, Croat artillery. Bosnian War, 25 Years Later: Mostar Bridge Illustrates Lingering Divide Find high-quality stock photos that you won't find anywhere else. Theres only one really big but: locals told us that jumping feet first might cause hitting legs at the bottom. Here is a list of things to do in Mostar Bosnia and Herzegovina one of the most diverse places in Europe. Hamish, in particular, is hmm an unremarkable physical specimen (sorry!). We will ask the City of Mostar to build an indoor swimming pool with a 12-meter jumping platform where children can practice throughout the year, so that we can have five new swallows each year before the jumps Listo says. According to News.com.au, the Mostari Diving Club charges tourists 25 euros for their first jump, but once theyve successfully completed a dive, theyre free to dive again free of charge for life. It is traditional for the young men of the town to leap from the bridge into the Neretva. In the aftermaths of war, Mostar was credited as the most heavily destroyed city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They dive club will take you to a spot a hundred metres downstream from the Stari Most where a ~10m platform is set up. Required fields are marked *. It was lightly drizzling. The Old Bridge of Mostar has been an essential part of Mostars history right from the beginning. Bosnia and Herzegovina was a surprise, little I knew about the country and I got in love with it, specially with Mostar. Around the mid 1400s, the Ottomans ruled the area (the first recorded name of the city was around 1474 as "mostari" or "bridge keepers"). And for those of you who want to know whether theres even been any Mostar bridge jump deaths, unfortunately yes there have been. Special memories of being there! Red Bull Cliff Diving 2021: Mostar announcement But the worst was gone in probably 2 days. amazing blog. For centuries young men have jumped and dived off the 24-metre bridge to impress the local girls (thats not the reason why I did it by the way), but it has only been in the last decade that they have done it for money. Feel the presence of Michelangelo, the Borgia Pope and other anxious souls still searching for their atonement. The Old Bridge (Stari Most) is an imposing sight in the city. Home Blog Adventures Mostar Bridge Jump: Read This Before Jumping Off Mostar Bridge! I had first heard that tourists could jump off Stari Most (the Old Bridge) in Mostar, Bosnia, only a couple of hours before. But given that I was about to jump into a river that sits at about 10C, not grounds for cancelling the jump. Before you can even really think about it, you hit the water! Every diver has been recorded in a ledger for posterity. My technique was to stand there and take three deep breaths. We live in Croatia, and are always exploring the region. The bridge was drawn by a famous architect, Mimar Sinan, and constructed by his student Mimar Hajruddin. We have to start a jumping school as soon as possible. I was still feeling it about 5 days later while exploring Sarajevo and then Plitvice Lakes in Croatia. The only justification I had for not jumping had disappeared and along with it, any chance of maintainingany respect within the Balkan backpacking community. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Its a fair deal, as eager tourists are willing to pay for the show and pictures, and the diver still risks his life for the thrill. Well, it means you can return any time you want and jump again for free! Risk of injuries is high, and even higher when the water level of Neretva River is at its lowest during the summer. Personally, one jump was enough for me; but feel free to have another go if youre that way inclined! A Friend and I would like to use the following picture for our own Art. Last year, he broke his finger at the competition and hurt his wrist, but he did not even think about giving up and still won the first place in such a condition. Facebook Instagram Email. mostar bridge jump injuries. The Forbidden City ghost stories are lesser known, but with its history of over 600 years, it's said to be one of the scariest places in China. This bridge, just like the Old Town, is under the protection of UNESCO, and is often cited as one of the most beautiful bridges in the world. The original Stari Most managed to stand for staggering 427 years, through two world wars. Those cobblestones though! It popped into my head again the other day. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Pekaras (bakeries) offer the traditional Bosnian pies and pastries filled with either meat, cheese or spinach, so if you havent tasted them, do it in Mostar! My groin/hamstring was bloody tender. Warning: file_get_contents(index.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /nfs/c05/h03/mnt/79130/domains/spitfirevsbf109.com/html/wp-includes/plugin . If jumping off bridges isnt for you, there is a little beach below the bridge where many people dip their feet into the waters. Fatalities happen and the risk of injury is quite high. Old Bridge) is a rebuilt 16th-century Ottoman bridge in the city of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina that crosses the river Neretva and connects the two parts of the city. During the summertime, the diving club members take turns in jumping off the bridge for money. In June 1992, the Serbs destroyed all other bridges in Mostar but Stari Most, leaving it as the only gateway across Neretva. But in hindsight there are 3 very good reasons to pay the25: The practice platform. Red Bull regularly run a high diving competition from the Mostar bridge. What To Pack For Greece Looking in control. I stayed non-committal. Hopefully they discourage you from taking a leap. Whether it is competition time or not, you will often see young men in swim shorts walking around the vicinity of the bridge, trying to collect money. All rights reserved. First up, you need to speak to the diving club. Mostar Bridge Jump: Read This Before Jumping Off - An Adventurous World We thought, wow how lucky was that that we turned up and straight away there was somebody on the bridge ready to jump. During the Bosnian conflict, 100000-200000 people were slaughtered, mainly on the streets of Sarajevo, Mostar, Srebrenica, and Banja Luka. Hi travellers! If you are going to jump off the Stari Most, you damn well want to have it witnessed by some other people. T he bridge in the middle of Mostar is the spiritual and social heart of the city. Bad river conditions? There have been at least 4 reported deaths since 2012. Looking back on such an event, if indeed I had the luxury of doing so at all, undoubtably I would have described it as a near death experience. How to See the Mostar Bridge in Bosnia & Herzegovina Informacin detallada del sitio web y la empresa: orientafricadive.com, +441291570953 Explore, Travel and dive the world with the African and Oriental Travel Company - African and Oriental Diving Company What To Pack For Turkey But, getting a bridge to span the banks of the Neretva River in the 14 th Century was difficult; previous rope and suspension designs failed, which impeded Mostar's growth. If everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you do it too? Definitely visit oneday, Drugi put kada dodjes vodim te dole i srednju Bosnu, Your email address will not be published. While the prospect of writing about my future travels excites me greatly, I would also like to share some stories from travels past. This is definitely something that not everyone knows about. Some of the original limestones were rescued from the bottom of the Neretva River to celebrate the resurrection of Stari Most. /* Add your own MailChimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. In a previous career I was an engineer, now I am trying to make my way in the world as a travel writer andblogger. Privacy Policy. All in all, it doesn't take long from booking the jump to actually doing it. Ask one of the bridge jumpers if you can't find it and they will show you. mostar bridge jump injuries mostar bridge jump injuries You can jump off the Mostar Old Bridge with permission of the Dive Club to the right of the bridge. 2 girls in backpacking in bosniais it safe. "It is ten euros for training, and you must complete three successful dives from the platform before you are allowed to jump from the bridge. mostar bridge jump injuries The medieval village that exists on either side of the bridge is more interesting than the bridge itself. This makes me feel sick every time I think about you doing it! Driving from Sarajevo to Mostar takes around 1,5-2 hours, while the buses take around 2,5 hours. I had the stupid idea of doing jt about 3 hours ago at about 2 in the morning after a few drinks, Im alive but oh my am I fucking sore dude. Good question! Driving from Dubrovnik takes around 2,5 hours, while the bus takes around 3,5 hours. Be prepared to the cold river and wear a wetsuit if its provided or just bathe in cold water. In 2004 the bridge reopened, and from that time, it has remained one of the most famous and unique attractions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. All I could think about was do not fuck this up, do NOT fuck this up, while the dozens of tourists who were all clamouring to take my photo were probably thinking the opposite; I really hope he fucks this up.. Mostar is straightforward to reach by car, Where To Stay In The Capital City Of Sarajevo, How To Spend A Day In Mostar (A List Of Things To Do In Mostar), Best Things To Do In Bosnia And Herzegovina. Left hand could be tucked in a little more. History of the bridge of Mostar - Wonders of the world The Ottoman sultan was so tired of unsuccessful bridge building attempts that he threatened to execute every failing architect. Hows the jump, then? Im that sore that I am having trouble sleeping. Scared? 45'. Mostar Bridge Jump: How To Jump From Stari Most Bridge! There are many small touristic shops and cafes. Even the best ice cream in town is served right beside Stari Most and best enjoyed on the bridge. Mostar is a picture perfect medieval city with the highlight being the Mostar Bridge. Yesss, I will be, but I think You should, otherwise it could be dangerous. Some locals call Mostar the ghost town, haunted by itself. I dont say this lightly please make sure this is something you want to do and something you are comfortable with. The water is frigid and will help keep you at least a little warm. sheraldo becker injury sheraldo becker injury By on July 1, 2021 Knee injury Late March 2021. We then got invited into the Mostar Dive Club to sign the admissions book and receive our certificates. Local tradition says that a 16-year-old boy must jump from the bridge as a right of passage, but more importantly, it is said that the boys life will be a complete failure if he doesnt jump. We blog about the best travel destinations in the Balkans. Hi! The top platform for Olympic level diving is the 10m platform. Floods swiped away much of its footpath in December 2000, but once again UNESCO came to help and restored the Crooked Bridge to its former glory. The 'new' old bridge was opened in 2004 and it's a marvellous sight. For hundreds of years, the Mostar bridge has stood as an icon of multicultural coexistence, connecting the east banks Muslim and west banks Catholic communities. The force and impact often causes severe bruising. This building is where the Mostar Dive Club is based, and, in the daytime, there is usually someone about. I only jumped with the professional supervision of someone who does this day in day out. After a few minutes, a small guy came to the front, climbed over the railings and launched himself into the air. Proper bridge jumping technique needs get approved: at first, youll get a couple of jumps to prove that you can do it. My legs were thrown up over my head once I hit the water. This is one of the best places to see in early September. When they deem enough has been collected, they please the crowd by performing an elaborate jump from the bridge, plunging down the 24 meters to the surface of the water its quite a thrilling sight! Is this safe? (Water level? I dont think wearing a wetsuit is essential, but I would 100% recommend it. He will give you lots of tips that are extremely useful if you want to avoiddislocating a limb. Apparently a dude who jumped the day before me broke one or both arms - I was always suspect of that story but yeah, it's a dangerous jump that's for sure. Readmy backpacking travel to guide Mostar for information on accomodation, transport and places to eat and drink. For more information, please see our Hamish and Andy both performed the Mostar bridge jumpon their show. Bosnia and Herzegovina Tourism . We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. Jumping from the bridge in Mostar was one of my all-time favorite memories from driving all across that part of Europe. It is a stage at which Mostarian young men prove their courage by jumping in Neretva, and it is a kind of maturity exam. Almost as legendary as the bridge itself is a photo of jumpers jumping from a 27-meter high bridge into the crystal water of the icy Neretva River. Here they show you the exact way to jump and how to keep yourself level on the way down. Mostar bridge jump hi-res stock photography and images - Alamy Despite its gentle appearance from afar, be aware that the bridge is a little slippery and has an incline, so be prepared and wear appropriate footwear. What To Pack For Croatia A few years earlier, Hamish and Andy (Australian radio personalities) jumped from the bridge, and a few days after them, our son also jumped (successfully) from the bridge. What To Wear On A Longhaul Flight. Reddit where are the best non-tourist places to visit in Europe? As is normal with Stari Most bridge jumps, as soon someone is about to jump tourists begin to crowd around, mostly out of morbid curiosity. If you stop for a moment to think, you just won't jump. Each to their own. And thats when I launched myself off the side of the bridge into the river below. About us.. 31 athletes from the Western Balkans, participating in the jumping races held on the historical Mostar Bridge, immersed themselves in the waters of the Neretva River. I was not prepared for the speed that I would hit the water. Most tourists prefer to jump feet first, which is safer if youre not super confident in diving head first. He claims that Mostar and the Old Bridge would become unique in the world. Travel + Leisure is published by Meredith Corporation under license from Travel + Leisure Co. It may not surprise you to hear that he was also Australian. Keep your form: be careful not to lean backward or forward. I say this because he wasn't dead. MOSTAR, Bosnia-Herzegovina For more than three decades Semir Kazazic-Miro has been leaping from a bridge and plunging 70 feet into the ice-cold, fast-flowing waters of the Neretva River below. Well of course, that evening while out drinking I met a few new travellers and one explained that he was going to jump tomorrow. After the brave divers complete the plunge the event ends with some divers who jump with torches there is an after-party in honor of all the jumpers. Bruises, dislocated joints, broken bones and compressed spines are common injuries for jumpers with poor technique. I'm 70 years of age, in good shape and there's still one scary moment to do. There are plans to include famous jumps from the Old Bridge in Mostar to the UNESCO World Heritage List soon, which everyone is eagerly waiting for. For the last 450 years, Mostar, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, has been home to the Old Bridge Jump, where people jump off the citys Stari Most bridge, hurling through the air for a few seconds before hitting the freezing water below. Thankfully I did not have either of those things occur, but it must have been close. That would have made it difficult to bail out without losing face. The story goes that young men jumped off the bridge to impress passing dignitaries in hopes of earning a little money and proving their manhood. A village gathering around the river Honddu is one thing though, Mostar Bridge Jumping Festival is quite another. Mostar: the Old One, twenty years later - OBC Transeuropa When we went, there were 3 of us. While walking on Mostar Bridge at night, a cold gust of wind made me feel chilly from inside, as I pictured the horrendous incidents this old bridge had witnessed through its 450-year history. Whats the craziest thing youve ever done on your travel? However, theres no reason for this to happen! Slipping is dangerous because then you cannot prepare your body for hitting the water. The Stari Most really is one of the sites you must absolutely visit when traveling through the Balkans. 236 Mostar Bridge Jump Stock Photos, Images & Pictures I'd definitely following the diving club's rules and advice on this one. Mostar is most known for its Old Bridge (Stari Most) - a gorgeous 400-plus year old bridge that was destroyed during the war, but reconstructed later and re-opened in 2004. The Mostar Bridge - ENGINEERING However, most of the jumpers will be from Mostar. I've seen videos of people jump of it and read stories. Next, I had to step off the edge. Safe for tourists to jump the bridge in Mostar - Tripadvisor The shape of the bridge itself also has its own story, it is said that it represents life that the bridge represents one-half of the circle, and its reflection in water is the other half of the circle, and this whole picture represents life. Reply This website uses cookies to improve your experience. It it Ill tell you all about what its like doing this jump, and whether there have been any Mostar bridge deaths. How can you say no to that? After getting the go ahead by the dive club, we headed up to the bridge. At least four deadly accidents are reported since 2012, along with countless serious injuries. The injuries, such as broken bones, could get you into serious trouble in the water. What they usually do is jump for the tourists, but every now and then a foreigner comes along who is stupid enough to want to jump themselves. I could hear Igor, my diving instructor, giving me some last-minute tips on how to make the perfect Mostar bridge jump, but his words were drowned out by the blood thumping in my ears. Celebrate it by going out for a couple of beers afterwards. If they say it's okay to jump, then do it! I think May or September would be best. This year, as in previous years, participants will certainly come from all countries of the former Yugoslavia. Spectators gather on the bridge and by the river in anticipation of the guy promising to jump from the top of Stari Most into the cold river. Make sure someone takes photos of you Unfortunately I didnt get the best photos of me doing it and Im gutted about that. I've seen that there have four fatalities in modern times. The small Bosnian city of Mostar attracts thousands of adventure travelers annually thanks to its natural beauty and the world-famous Stari Most (Old Bridge) which provides extreme sports enthusiasts with a perfect platform for BASE jumping.