Latin Bridge, Sarajevo (must see)

Latin Bridge is a stone bridge that spans the river Miljacka in Sarajevo. The bridge, made from gypsum, is closed to road traffic. Only pedestrians and cyclists may use Latin Bridge.

Latin Bridge connects Obala Kulina Bana Street to the north and Obala Isa-bega Ishakovica Street to the south. North of the Bridge, just beyond the Archduke's memorial plaque, lies the Sarajevo Museum. Southwest of the Bridge is Park Mejdan, which houses Archaeological Museum and Music Pavilion.

There are no historical records that show the exact date of construction of the Latin Bridge though it is known to be one of the oldest bridges in the city. The earliest known reference to it was in 1541, detailing a bridge built by the leather worker Hussein, son of Sirmerd. It is thought that the original bridge was made of wood, but was later replaced with a stone structure. In 1791, the bridge was damaged by a flood and was rebuilt in 1799.

The bridge is referred to as the Latin bridge because it connected the rest of the city to the Catholic quarter, which was called Latin (Latinluk). From 1918 to 1993, the bridge was renamed Princip's Bridge after Gavrilo Princip, the assassin that killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sofie.

The Latin Bridge is notable for that infamous moment in history. Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated at the northern end of the bridge in 1914. This event is widely known as the catalyst of a conflict that would lead to World War I. There is now a plaque that shows the location of the assassination.