Ivo Andric (1892-1975) was the only Serbian writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his novel The Bridge on the Drina, which spanned about four centuries — from the heyday of the Ottoman Empire to the beginning of the 20th century. The central image, which became fundamental for the entire work, is the bridge over the Drina River in the city of Visegrad. The bridge, like a mute witness, remembers all the times when it connected or separated different cultures, faiths, traditions and civilizations — Eastern and Western. In the novel, the author not only describes the real events of the region's history, but also faithfully depicts the way of life and customs of a peculiar multinational community that has developed on the territory of Visegrad and the entire Balkan Peninsula, weaving into the narrative legends and legends, fairy tales and myths that were born in this unique environment.