“…[L]ike a rainbow arch soaring up to the skies, extending from one cliff to the other…,” were the words of 17th century Ottoman traveler Evliya Çelebi upon seeing the stunning Stari Most, or “Old Bridge” of Mostar in present-day Bosnia-Herzegovina.
His observations of the physical bridge are spot-on: Commissioned by Ottoman sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in 1557, the bridge has a span of 30 meters (98.5 feet) across the Neretva River while rising to 24 meters (78.5 feet) above the surface. A stone single-arch bridge, Stari Most is an icon of Balkan Islamic architecture, and took about nine years to complete - with the architect, Mimar Hayruddin, working under penalty of death should the project fail.
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Lovely imagery, Jake. It does feel like we need intellectual, emotional, *and* physical bridges between people if we are to find peace with one another. Thanks for your lovely insights.
Thank you my friend - your words and support are always appreciated and mean a ton!