The Drina River house in Serbia, a romantic gateway in serenity

Many people in the world would do anything to get away from crowded cities to live alone in the wilderness in a serene atmosphere. If you happen to be one of those, then you ought to know about the unique Drina River house located in the Balkan country of Serbia.

What is special about this house is that it is built on a rock in the middle of the Drina River. The river acts as a natural border between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The house can be found on the Serbian side of the river.

The house’s story dates back to a local legend of a medieval hero named Kraljevic Marko. According to the legend, Marko wanted to cross the Drina River but did not want his horse Sarac to go into deep water.

Hence, he went up to higher ground and threw a large boulder into the river that landed in the middle. Now, the horse galloped onto the rock and took another leap to reach the other side, as per the legend. That means it made Marko’s horse Sarac cross the river without stepping into the river. Locals claim that Sarac’s hoof marks are still available on the rock to this day.

Later, in the summer of 1968, two brothers named Milija Mandic and Milan Mandic decided to build a small cabin on the rock. With the help of their friends, the Mandic brothers managed to erect a weak structure on the rock using wooden planks. Yet, the shelter got washed away during the rainy season.

The house has been washed away many times since then, but the youth of Bajina Basta have managed to rebuild it time and again since it became their favourite spot for hanging out. The spot became favourite of many youngsters soon who flocked there regularly. Summing, the place earned a reputation as a romantic getaway. Milan Mandic ended up being the caretaker of the house.

With the commencement of a 5-day festival called the ‘Drina Regatta’ in 1994, the house gained even more popularity. Participants from all over the world came across the unique Drina River house during this annual event.

Eventually, a photo taken by Irene Becker was featured in National Geographic’s ‘Photo of the Day’, which resulted in the house becoming a popular tourist spot.

As a result, tourism has boomed in the region and contributed significantly to Western Serbia’s economy.

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