This is how Ivo Andrić is opening the book “The Bridge on Drina”, in which he masterfully described the characters of people in this region and with golden letters forever imprinted the name of our city in history. Bridge “received” a Nobel prize for this book, it is a part of World heritage UNESCO list, and today many tourists and locals are crossing it, while it still proudly stands. That is why the writer says that “life is incomprehensive miracle, because it continuosly spends and crumbles but still stands firmly, like the bridge on Drina. Therefore, every story about Višegrad starts from this very place and with prophet words of Andrić.
For all visitors of Višegrad we have build Guest House “Apartments and rooms Ušće” only 300 m from this historical place and 200 m from downtown Višegrad. From apartments the view spreads on the river Rzav. Its springhead is under the highest pick of mountain Zlatibor – Čigota, and on this very spot it ends its flow, sending its clear waters down the European beauty river Drina. The view is so stunning, that the guest house could not get any other name but Ušće – confluence. Looking further across the river, rises Andrićgrad – historical and tourist complex build by film director Emir Kusturica. Unique atmosphere is filled with a pleasant breeze in evening hours, coming from mountains Zlatibor and Tara, and going through the surrounding woods right to the city.
Višegrad has endless possibilities – from the ride on Ćira train, old railway that is connecting Višegrad and Mokra Gora, bathing in hammams (Turkish baths) of Višegrad's spa Vilina Vlas, drafting down Drina river through the third largest canyon in the world, to the walks on beautiful natural beaches of river Rzav, local cuisine and great night life.
From the time it was built, Višegrad is in the middle and it's destiny is to connect. It was founded on the confluence of two rivers whose banks it keeps together. Through this city passes the famous train Ćira, whose narrowgauge railway, during the Austro-Hungarian rule, was bringing together Europe and Adriatic, Budapest, Belgrade, Sarajevo and Dubrovnik. Today, Višegrad is 16km away from the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina, more precisely it's entity Republic of Srpska, and Serbia. From prehistoric times surrounded with legends, that are deeply carved into the memory of local people, even today city attracts it’s visitors with unique stories. While you are crossing the bridge of Mehmed-paša Soković, you will hear the story of him being a young boy from this region, taken by the Turks, as a "tax paid in blood". This boy becomes Grand Vizier (prime minister) of the Ottoman Empire, but he does not forget his roots. He comes back here and orders the most famous turkish architect Mimar Sinan to build this very bridge.
Going down the pillars of the bridge, there is no chance you won't hear the legend of Stoja and Ostoja, twins who had to be sacrifice so that the bridge is built. River siren was tearing down during the night everything that was built during the day. She told the builder to find twins Stoja and Ostoja and build them in the pillars of the bridge. So he did, but feeling sorry for their mother, left two wholes so that she can nurse them. Locals say that even today, you can see mothers milk sliding down the pilars, leaving trails in the stone.
Walking further, you will hear about Avdaga's Fata, women torn between her promise to her father to marry a man he chose, and love towards another man. At the end, not wanting to break any promise, she jumped to the deep and green Drina.
From this time machine you will be waken by modern Višegrad, full of great restaurants with local cuisine, friendly spirit of people, warm waters of Višegrad’s spa called Vilina Vlas, located it deep pine woods, Drina rafting, houses and classrooms of Nobel prize laureate Ivo Andrić, or a good movie in Doli Bel movie theatre in Andrićgrad.
From Ušće apartments, across the river, you will see Andrićgrad rising – an omage to our only Nobel prize winner. This unique tourist, administrative, cultural and educational complex was designed by Emir Kusturica, famous film director. Here you can see how Višegrad could have looked if it was not torn down during the past centuries. Andrićgrad is reincarnation of all influences that Višegrad had during its long, rich history. Mixture of medieval Byzantine and Ottoman style, Renaissance, Austrian classicism. Today you can only see the remains of Višegrad old city towers from Pavlović dynasty, on the hill Grad above Višegrad, also known as Pavlovina. With wide squares, City hall, church, Andrić Institute, monuments to Andrić, Njegoš and Tesla, fountain, many cafes and restaurants, movie theater, and grand mosaic of Gavrilo Princip on the entrance, Andrićgrad will fulfill your stay in Višegrad.
Green and deep waters, meandering between mountain ranges, is overflowing in million shades, exactly as many as there are stories that it keeps. Present during all periods, European beauty Drina, is telling us it's stories with canyon, second largest in Europe, green banks, intact nature. Use the chance while in Višegrad to cruise or raft on this incomparable river, while listening her sounds and breathing fresh air.
Guest house "Apartments and rooms Ušče" is owned by Knežević family. For years, having summer and winter holidays on various destinations and accommodations, and having in mind what we expected as tourists, we got a vision of what we could offer our dear future guests in our beautiful old city of Višegrad. We hope we succeeded, and that you will be satisfied with acommodations and us and we with you !!!
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