Seher Čehajina Bridge | Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

[Sarajka]

The Šeher Čehajina Bridge was built in 1585 by Alija Hafizadić, but its current name comes from a superintendent (ćehaja) who repaired the bridge in later years.

It has five arches and four massive buttresses, although only four are visible. Last century, when the Miljacka river was formally banked where it passes through Sarajevo, one of the arches had to be burried as the river's width was severely reduced.

The bridge is about 50.9 meters long, and 4.5 meters wide. When it was built in 1585, the bridge connected the common Bascarsija, or market place, district with the well-to-do mansions of Alifakovac, the merchant's district.

The bridge was horribly disfigured in 1904 when it's korkaluk, or surrounding wall, was demolished to add pedestrian pathways. However, after the 1992-1995 war, the bridge needed to be repaired anyway and city officials wisely decided to return it to its original appeareance, which we may now enjoy again:

Alifakovac side:


Bascarsija side:


At night: