The Old Bridge (Stari Most) in Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina) was a renowned historical landmark before its destruction in 1993 during the war. During the 1992-1995 conflict between predominantly Muslim Bosnians, Catholic Croats and Orthodox Serbs, the sixteenth-century bridge became one of the war's most famous casualties. On 9 November 1993, artillery hit the bridge's weak spot from the nearby hills, and the historic icon collapsed into the Neretva River.

UNESCO, the World Bank and the City of Mostar launched a project to rebuild it according to intercultural standards and the surrounding historic town of Mostar. As much as possible of the original white limestone was salvaged, and new stones were quarried to complete the reconstruction. The rebuilding of the Old Bridge was considered a symbol of the reunification of Mostar and integral to the healing process for the divided city, as well as a major step towards reconciliation, tolerance and coexistence in post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina. Subsequently, in 2005 the bridge was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, in recognition of its strong symbolic value.

Source:  Webber Ndoro, Leveraging culture for peaceful, tolerant and socially-inclusive cities