The Latin Bridge

The Latin Bridge is one of the oldest bridges left standing in the city and is a fine example of a preserved Ottoman Bridge. However it is bridge’s northernmost tip which is its most important feature.

At the tip of Latin Bridge is one of the most significant places in Sarajevo. In fact, this is one of the most significant locations in world history. The far end of Latin Bridge is where Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife were assassinated on June 28th, 1914, an event which lead directly to the start of the First World War. When Bosnia and Herzegovina was part of Yugoslavia the bridge was called Princip Bridge after Gavrilo Princip, the man who shot the Archduke. This was because Princip was seen to be a hero by the ruling Serbs. The bridge returned to its original name again following the fall of Yugoslavia. As the bridge is heavy with pedestrian traffic there is only a small plaque to denote the exact location where the assassination took place.
As he layout of the streets around the bridge are unchanged since 1914 you can stand at the spot and imagine the exact perspective of one of the great events in world history as Princip’s likely foot stance have also been embedded into the ground here.

Photo Latin Bridge in Sarajevo by Tumi-1983 is licensed under CC0 1.0