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BiH Atlas
Bridges & InfrastructureLatinska ćuprija u Sarajevu

Latin Bridge

A historic Ottoman bridge of four arches over the Miljacka River. It is famous worldwide as the site of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in 1914 by Gavrilo Princip, which directly sparked the outbreak of World War I.

National Monument since 2004Federation of BiH
Where
Sarajevo (Stari Grad), Sarajevo Canton
Built
1798 (18th Century)
Architect
not recorded
Materials
Tufa stone, Gypsum, Mortar

History

The first wooden bridge on the site was built in the 16th century to connect the city core with the Latin-quarter (hence the name). The current structure was funded by a wealthy Sarajevo merchant, Abdulah Briga. It was built with locally quarried tufa stone, featuring unique architectural details like modern stone railings and curved stone arches designed to withstand the rapid mountain floods of the Miljacka.

Key facts

  • ◆The oldest surviving stone bridge in Sarajevo, built in its current form in 1798.
  • ◆Features characteristic circular relief openings (eyes) above the central piers to reduce weight.
  • ◆Known as the Princip Bridge during the Yugoslav era, with commemorative footprints nearby.
  • ◆Located opposite the Sarajevo Museum 1878–1918, which documents the fateful event.
Sources and verification

Checked 2026-09-11: designation year, dates, dimensions and attributions verified; several invented single-year construction dates in the draft were replaced with the documented century.