The Latin Bridge
Latin Bridge (Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian: Latinska ćuprija / Латинска ћуприја, named Principov most / Принципов мост - "Princip Bridge" in Yugoslavian era) is an Ottoman bridge over the river Miljacka in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The northern end of the bridge was the site of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by Gavrilo Princip in 1914, which became casus belli of World War I.
Judging by its foundations, it is
the oldest among the preserved bridges in the city. The census of the Sanjak of
Bosnia from 1541 mentions the bridge on this spot, built by the leather-worker
Hussein, son of Sirmerd. This first bridge seems to have been made of wood,
because the court record from 1565 witness that the stone bridge was built here
by eminent citizen of Sarajevo Ali Ajni-Beg.
The bridge has four arches and rests on three strong pillars and the embankment; it is built of stone and gypsum and the two relieving openings, ''''eyes'''' in the mass above pillars are so characteristic that they can be seen in the seal of Sarajevo. Because of heavy traffic at the time of Austria-Hungary, the pavements on consoles were added to the bridge. During the Yugoslav era the bridge was known as Principov most ("Princip''''s Bridge") but form 1992 it is called Latin Bridge again.
