Sarajevo first came to existence in the 15th century when expanding Ottomans swept through the Balkans. They turned a tiny village by the name Vrhbosna into a prosperous city that flourished on trade. Ottomans gave it the name Saray Bosna, or rather the Bosnian Palace as the translation would suggest.
The Ottoman rule might have ended by the late 19th century when Austro-Hungarian forces invaded Bosnia and Herzegovina; nevertheless, Ottoman heritage lingered on. Sarajevo’s Old Town can be split into two quite distinctive quarters: Baarija and Ferhadija.
While the former is often dubbed the old Turkish Quarter with its cobbled streets peppered with Ottoman-era edifices, the latter comes with relatively wider streets, Christian and Jewish edifices, and an overall architecture that screams Austro-Hungarian.
Baarija hosts a number of awe-striking Ottoman buildings, out of which Gazi-Husrevbey Vakuf stands out. The building complex is composed of the country’s oldest madrassa (Muslim religious school), a khanqah (a resting place for Sufi travelers), a spectacular mosque and a covered bazaar known for its chimneys. The complex was built in the 1530s on the orders of Ottoman governor Gazi Husrevbey whose work contributed greatly in developing Sarajevo. Another landmark of Baarija is the Sebilj. Sebilj, as a word, is derived from the Arabic word Sebil, which refers to a public drinking fountain, and indeed it is. Sebilj is a 19th century drinking fountain that looks like an enclosed eccentric gazebo. Its eye catching atypical design had left it featured on many of the city’s postcards.
Ferhadija is the Old Town’s other quarter. The whole quarter came to existence after the Bosnian governor of the Sandak province Ferhad bey Vukovi-Desisaali built his famous mosque (circa 1562), but later things took a more European turn. Happenings revolve around the neo-Gothic Catholic Cathedral that dates back to 1889.
When I visited the church in July 2011 much of its interior was being renovated; nonetheless, I could still steal a peek at the church’s amazing colored glass windows. The church’s front doorsteps is actually a famous meeting point where young people often meet up before going for a casual stroll, or window-shopping, down Ferhadija’s main street — Ferhat Pasha Street.
A pedestrian street, Ferhat Pasha Street is actually dotted with many hangouts and cafés frequented by Sarajevo’s beautiful crowd, especially on Sunday mornings. Much of the architecture down Ferhat Pasha Street is Austro-Hungarian which comes as a contrast to that of Baarija.
Whether in Baarija or Ferhadija, the almost four-year siege that Sarajevo had suffered back in 1990s had left much of the Old Town in desperate need of renovation. Walking down any street of Sarajevo’s Old Town, blisters of war is hardly visible as monumental efforts had been put in place to renovate the city’s precious quarter. But that doesn’t mean that memories of war are forgotten. Some are still there, and not only in the minds of those who had to endure it.
During the long years of the siege, Sarajevo was on the verge of falling, and one thing kept it alive — the tunnel.
Located near the city’s airport, the tunnel is an 800-meter long, 1-meter wide underground passage that connected Sarajevo to the outside world during the long siege. Through this tunnel, food as well as arms supplies kept Sarajevo alive and defending. Today, the tunnel has been transformed into a tourist attraction where visitors watch a 20-minute long documentary about the siege and how Sarajevo struggled to exist. Though much of the actual tunnel has been closed off, one can still get a flavor of the whole experience by squatting and crawling for just 25 meters. Trust me, it is not a walk in the park especially if you are carrying supplies.
No visit to Sarajevo can be deemed complete without a visit to its famous Latin Bridge. It is one of several bridges that crosses the Miljacka River, Sarajevo’s famous river which cuts through the city. Latin Bridge is not known for its architecture, but rather for causing a world war. Back in 1914, a young Serb by the name of Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the Austro-Hungarian royal heir at the bridge’s northern end; an incident that caused the First World War to break out a month later. When you visit Sarajevo make sure to walk the bridge and try to reenact the incident in your mind. If your imagination fails you, head to a museum dedicated to the bridge, the Sarajevo 1878-1918 Museum just around the corner.
Sarajevo hosted the winter Olympics back in 1984 before it came close to total ruin in the 1990s, but like the phoenix that rises from its own ashes, Sarajevo is coming out of this dark period as brilliant and immaculate as any city hopes to be.
There are no direct flights from anywhere in the Middle East to Sarajevo. Your best bet is fly Turkish Airlines and connect in Istanbul.
Sarajevo comes with a descent set of distinct accommodation options.
If you are on a tight budget, then the cheerful Hostel Ferhadija won’t break the bank account.
Hostel Ferhadija,
Tel: +387 33 238 811
If you are looking for something mid-range and don’t mind chipping in an extra euro while maintaining a feel of elegance and chic, then the renovated old house turned hotel Latinski Most is where you should be making your reservation.
Hotel Latinski Most,
Tel: +387 33 572 660
