Višegrad: The Bridge On And Over The Drina
Mo, 14. Aug. 2006, 08:19 in 'BiH'
The fame of Višegrad results mostly from Ivo Andrić's novel "The Bridge on the Drina" and a bit from war-crimes. The latter have left their mark on this quiet town in eastern Bosnia, but the first luckily still dominates the scenery.
Click to see panorama of Višegrad and the bridge:
drina_cuprija_xl_5 (jpg, 141 KB)
Touching the bridge is like meeting someone who is far beyond her 15 minutes of fame and has turned into an eternal superstar. She is beautiful, she has seen and survived the torments of 500 bloody years, she has a solid fan-community and she might burn your butt if you sit on her on a hot day in July 2006.
Click to enlarge: drina_cuprija_xl_2 (jpg, 87 KB)
When you take the road from Sarajevo to Višegrad do not - I repeat: do not - take the road over Pale although it might seem shorter. It might be closed or maybe not closed but for 20 km without asphalt and police sends you back. Drive over Rogatica right away and do not spend 3,5 hours for 113 convertible Bosnian kilometers to see a bridge.
You see the superstar from far.
When you see this you are in Višegrad, because this is the city sign.
A couple of hundred meters behind it turn right at the traffic light and use the parking space right at the bridge. Walk over the bridge. Enjoy.
It begins with Most Mehmed Paše, who is said to have build the bridge - or at least initiated it.
On the other side of Mrs. Beautiful you can see the merchants sitting in front of their little shops, chatting with their neighbors over a good cup of Turkish coffee, occasionally noticing the stranger crossing the bridge.
If you haven't read the novel you can see a wounded town whose only attraction is a bridge.
Maybe you will see a snake in the river.
Maybe you will see the tombstones on the graveyard up on the hill.
Maybe you will sit down for a cup of Bosnian coffee in the restaurant at the beginning or the end of the bridge.
Maybe you will never come to Višegrad. Maybe you will miss a superstar.
Link
Višegrad And Its Bridge Over The Drina
Click to see panorama of Višegrad and the bridge:
drina_cuprija_xl_5 (jpg, 141 KB)
Touching the bridge is like meeting someone who is far beyond her 15 minutes of fame and has turned into an eternal superstar. She is beautiful, she has seen and survived the torments of 500 bloody years, she has a solid fan-community and she might burn your butt if you sit on her on a hot day in July 2006.
Click to enlarge: drina_cuprija_xl_2 (jpg, 87 KB)
When you take the road from Sarajevo to Višegrad do not - I repeat: do not - take the road over Pale although it might seem shorter. It might be closed or maybe not closed but for 20 km without asphalt and police sends you back. Drive over Rogatica right away and do not spend 3,5 hours for 113 convertible Bosnian kilometers to see a bridge.
You see the superstar from far.
When you see this you are in Višegrad, because this is the city sign.
A couple of hundred meters behind it turn right at the traffic light and use the parking space right at the bridge. Walk over the bridge. Enjoy.
It begins with Most Mehmed Paše, who is said to have build the bridge - or at least initiated it.
On the other side of Mrs. Beautiful you can see the merchants sitting in front of their little shops, chatting with their neighbors over a good cup of Turkish coffee, occasionally noticing the stranger crossing the bridge.
If you haven't read the novel you can see a wounded town whose only attraction is a bridge.
Maybe you will see a snake in the river.
Maybe you will see the tombstones on the graveyard up on the hill.
Maybe you will sit down for a cup of Bosnian coffee in the restaurant at the beginning or the end of the bridge.
Maybe you will never come to Višegrad. Maybe you will miss a superstar.
Link
Višegrad And Its Bridge Over The Drina