Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge in Višegrad, World Heritage Site in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Mehmed Pasha Sokolović Bridge over the Drina River near the Serbian border was named after the Ottoman vizier Mehmed Pasha at the end of the 16th century.It was built by the great Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, and the magnificent 179.5 meter bridge with its 11 arches is considered one of Mimar Sinan’s architectural masterpieces.

Here, a World Heritage enthusiast explains why the Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge in Višegrad is a World Heritage Site in an easy-to-understand manner. Read this and you will definitely learn more about the Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge!

What is the Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge in Višegrad?

Višegrad is a small town in Republika Srpska, eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina .The town was first inhabited in the 15th century, and when it was ruled by the Ottoman Empire, a bridge was built at the end of the 16th century by Mimar Sinan, a court architect, over the Drina River that flows through the town.The bridge was named after the vizier of the time, Sokollu Mehmet Pasha.

The bridge was a symbol of the Ottoman Empire and a feat of civil engineering at the time, with 11 arches at intervals of 11 to 15 meters, along with an incline of four arches on the left bank of the river.The bridge has since been repaired several times, with three arches destroyed in World War I and five in World War II, but the bridge has been restored each time it has been destroyed.

Incidentally, the novel “The Bridge of Drina,” which won the Nobel Prize for Literature, was modeled on the Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Bridge. The story revolves around the bridge, and the author himself spent his childhood in Višegrad and wrote the novel. The city has always been a symbol of Višegrad.

For what reason is the Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge in Višegrad on the World Heritage List?

Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge in Višegrad was evaluated by

Registration Criteria (ii)
The bridge was built in Višegrad, which has been an important place since ancient times, in that it shows the technology developed in the Balkans, the Ottoman Empire, and the Mediterranean, as well as the interaction between Christianity and Islam.

Registration Criteria (iv)
The bridge was built on the frontier of the Ottoman Empire and still stands today, which means that it represents an important stage in architectural history.

World Heritage Mania Conclusions and Impressions

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country of three religions (Islam, Roman Catholicism, and Serbian Orthodoxy) and a mixture of various cultures.The bridge in Visegrad is a symbol of this mix of cultures, and it is quite a strange sight to see a Turkish-style building in a European country.Furthermore, the design of this bridge, which has been restored several times but still remains beautiful today, is superb.

Incidentally, like Stari Most, the first World Heritage Site registered in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is a bridge World Heritage Site, and coincidentally the only World Heritage Site in Bosnia and Herzegovina alone is a bridge….

*The content here is a discussion derived from research conducted by World Heritage enthusiasts.As for the data, interpretation differs depending on the media.