Bosnia and HErzegovina

 
 
 

Capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the city of Sarajevo (population 420,000) is nestled in the Miljacka River valley and surrounded by the Dinarić Alps. No visit to the former Yugoslavia region would be complete without visiting this historical city.

Prior to the civil war of the 1990’s, Sarajevo appeared to be a place where Muslims, Serbs, Croats, Turks, Jews, and others co-existed, despite differences in religion and ethnic background.

Historical City

The Sarajevo region has a long and rich history dating back to the Neolithic period. Romans, Goths, and Slavs all left their imprint. At the National Museum, one could see many of these artifacts, including some mosaics (although not as impressive as those in Tunisia), sculptures, jewelry, and burial chambers.

Turkish Influence

Sarajevo has the strongest Turkish feel of any European city I’ve visited, complete with a host of minarets piercing the tiled cityscape, markets, and picturesque old Turkish bazaar called Baščaršija. From the mid-15th century until 1878, the Turks ruled the region. Even the foods are strongly influenced by the Turks – thick coffee served in decorative metal containers, baklava, Turkish tea, čevapi, and many more tasty treats. Although not as impressive as the Turkish brid
ge in Mostar, the Latin Bridge bears architectural resemblance. In the older part of Sarajevo, one can still find homes built in the Turkish style with selamluk (residential part) and haremluk (private part), bordered with high white walls.

Austro-Hungarian Presence

Following the withdrawal of the Turks, the Austro-Hungarian Empire ruled the area. Scattered throughout the city one can see colorful, graceful decorative buildings and churches typical of the style. It reminded me a bit of Zemun, the easternmost stronghold of the Austro-Hungarian Empire so close to Belgrade. I also spotted a few buildings on the walking street similar to the Secessionist style so prominent in Belgrade. With the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife by a Serb nationalist in 1914, Austro-Hungarian domination ended and was a catalyst for WWI.

During WWI, Nazi Germany invaded Yugoslavia and bombarded Sarajevo. The city’s 10,500 Jews, along with Roma and Serbian Orthodox people, were persecuted by the Croatian government and some Muslims, with many losing their lives in various concentration camps throughout Eastern Europe. Led by Josip Tito, the Yugoslav Partisan resistance fighters liberated Sarajevo in 1945.

Olympics

In 1984, Sarajevo hosted the 14th Winter Olympic Games, an id
eal spot with its many mountains, prospering Yugoslav country, and proximity to other cities in Europe. Many of the structures were destroyed during the war, but have largely been replaced. Once again, Sarajevo is a spot for winter sports recreation.




The New York Times published a great travel article on Sarajevo in 2006.

 

Although known most recently for the brutal civil war that took place in the region, Sarajevo is a vibrant city with a richly preserved Turkish bazaar.


For those preferring the outdoors, head out of town to Vrelo Bosne, a beautiful park situated at the beginning of the River Bosna.  Alternately, head to the ski slopes used for the 1984 Winter Olympics, once again in use.


Sarajevo