Sarajevo (Bos. Sarajevo, Turkish Saraybosna) is the capital and seat of government of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) and is located in southern Europe.
Sarajevo has some sights, e.g. old mosques or churches. Sarajevo has the oldest preserved (renovated) mosque in the country (Serbia, BiH, Croatia etc.) It is worth a visit! Also for non-Muslims!
Churches
There are several churches worth seeing in the old
town.
After Prague, Sarajevo has the largest Jewish cemetery
in Europe. The oldest tombstone is from the 17th century. The site
is on a steep slope and can hardly be visited by disabled people.
Castles, chateaux and palaces
"Yellow Fortress" In the
vicinity of the old town there is the small castle "Yellow
Fortress". From here you have a wonderful view in all directions of
Sarajevo. There are two old city gates with a connecting wall
nearby. In one of the gates is the Museum for Ilije Izetbegovic.
Buildings
The 30 meter high clock tower is located in the old
town. The building can only be viewed from the outside. Within
walking distance, on a square, is Sebilj, a popular postcard motif,
a fountain from the Ottoman era.
The buildings of the
university and especially the main post office on the riverside are
worth seeing. The main post office is not very impressive from the
outside, but has a large, glass-covered and elegantly furnished
counter hall.
The old market hall, called Markale, is still
in operation today. During the Bosnian War in the 1990s, numerous
people were violently killed here. A memorial plaque nearby reminds
of this.
Monuments
The former National Gallery has been
converted into a memorial. A visit is definitely worthwhile.
Museums
Tunnel Museum ("Tunnel of Hope"). The tunnel museum is
worth a visit. It is a little hidden near the airport in the
district of Butmir. You can see and walk a (very) short piece of the
tunnel, which was the only (secret) land connection to the outside
world during the siege of Sarajevo in the Bosnian War. In a former
home there is a small, well-equipped museum with numerous objects
and photos. Visitors are shown a short film which, without extensive
explanations, shows very impressively and oppressively the events of
the war in the city and the tunnel construction and its use. Note
for physically disabled people: the museum and tunnel are not
barrier-free
Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Zmaja od Bosne 5. Tel .: +387 (0) 33 226 098. The Historical Museum
is also well worth a visit. It is located opposite the American
embassy and the Holiday Inn hotel, which was very famous from the
war days. In a dilapidated building, different periods of the
country's history are presented in two sections. One section
contains numerous objects, documents and photos from Sarajevo at the
time of the Bosnian War in the 1990s. The exhibition wants to
largely dispense with a historical classification, but presents
everyday life and war events very tangible and impressive from the
point of view of ordinary people. The second section deals with the
older history of the country up to World War II. There is also a
photo exhibition with images of war, which in turn clearly focuses
on individual people.
Museum of contemporary Art Sarajevo (Ars
Aevi), Terezija bb. Tel .: +387 (0) 33 216 927. This museum shows
exhibits by well-known international artists with its exhibition Ars
Aevi. It is located in a building that belongs to the Olympic sports
complex "Skenderija". The idea for the collection was born during
the siege in the Bosnian War and can rely on broad support, among
others refer to UNESCO. The exhibition is still under construction,
but can already present works by over 100 well-known artists,
including Beuys, Tony Cragg and others. A new museum building
elsewhere was designed by Renzo Piano, but not yet started.
Jewish Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This museum is located in
the old synagogue. The relatively small but impressive exhibition is
worth seeing. It is dedicated to religious objects, the Jewish
history of Sarajevo and the persecution during the Second World War.
Museum of Ilije Izetbegovic. This small museum for Ilije Izetbegovic
is located in an old city gate near the Yellow Fortress, whose tomb
is located in a cemetery a little downhill.
Museum of War Childhood (Muzej ratnog djetinjstva), 30-32,
Logavina, Sarajevo, 71000. Tel .: +387 (0) 33 535 558.
Streets and squares
Latin bridge (Latinska ćuprija) (Latinska
ćuprija). The Latin Bridge is widely known for the fact that the
Austro-Hungarian heir to the throne Franz Ferdinand and his wife
Sophie were killed on June 28, 1914. The attack is considered to be
one of the triggers of the First World War. The architecture of the
bridge is worth a look, and there is a museum next door that
commemorates the attack.
Parks
As far as travel planning
allows, you should go to a viewing platform above the city at
sunset.
1 Tourist information, Trgovke (at the south end of the main
square with the Sebilj Fountain). The only "official" tourist info.
All the other shops with information signs, which are frequent in
the old Town, are private agencies that, first of all, want to sell
their tours. Open: sporadically.
By plane
Sarajevo Airport
(International airport Sarajevo, IATA: SJJ; in the suburb of Butmir,
a good 6 km to the city center) . renovated in 2001 and extended in
2021. From the German-speaking countries there are (as of autumn
2021) several times a week direct flights with Austrian Airlines
from Vienna, with Lufthansa from Frankfurt, with Eurowings from
Cologne / Bonn and Stuttgart and with Swiss from Zurich. In the
winter months, flights to and from Sarajevo are occasionally
cancelled due to dense ground fog.
The airport is connected to
the city center by express buses to Baščaršija from Centrotrans
(tickets from the driver, at the kiosk in the airport or via their
app), which are somewhat irregular, depending on the day of the week
6-10 times/tgl., traffic. One piece of luggage is free of charge in
the standard price of 5 KM, each additional one also costs 5 KM. It
also runs the city bus line 103.
More comfortable but not
immune from possible fraud attempts are the numerous taxis, whose
stand is at Terminal B.
By train
Main Railway Station
(Glavna željeznička stanica u Sarajevu) . Large, impressive late
Socialist hall from a time when a functioning railway operation was
a matter of course. From Banja Luka or Mostar it is recommended to
arrive by modern Talgo trains. The connections are very inexpensive.
Especially the route from Mostar to Sarajevo through the Neretva
Valley is beautiful. One train per day should go from/to Bihać.
Unfortunately, the train traffic is severely restricted in 2022, you
have to make sure every time whether the selected connection is also
running.
From the central station you can easily get to the
city center with the regular trams.
By bus
Buses run daily
from many European cities to Sarajevo all year round, e.g. from
numerous German and Austrian cities. Furthermore, Sarajevo can of
course be easily reached from Croatia.
Bus station Sarajevo
(on the M18; next to the main railway station. Trams to the city
center on the forecourt). Central transfer point also for regional
buses of the company Centrotrans and intercity buses. It makes sense
that the booking offices of other long-distance bus companies
(including international routes) are located in the ticket hall of
the nearby main station. Without waiting room or luggage storage. No
timetable notices, but departure signs on the treadmills on the
respective bus platform. International departures on higher numbers.
Overall, a rotten affair. Cafés in the bus platform area, there are
also chargeable, not very appealing toilets.
Istočno Bus
Station (8 km outside, reachable by bus line 103 from Trg Austrije
in 30min.). Buses from Montenegro, Serbia and Republika Srpska. Even
more dilapidated than the other bus station. No ATM or currency
exchange for arrivals, dingy café, taxis are rare. A "station tax"
is required on departure. You should insist on a receipt that shows
"1KM" as an amount to prevent the money from seeping into corrupt
employees.
On the street
From the southwest you can reach
Sarajevo via the European Route E73, which branches off from the E65
along the coast at Ploče in Croatia and leads to Sarajevo via
Mostar. From the north you can also get to Sarajevo via the E73 via
Zenica or the E661 via Banja-Luka. The latter two roads also come
from Croatia. To the east, towards Serbia, the E761 stretches via
Višegrad.
In der Stadt gibt es ein gut ausgebautes Netz von Straßenbahnen,
Bussen und Elektrobussen, betrieben von JKP GRAS Sarajevo, wobei für
Touristen insbesondere die Straßenbahnlinie(n) von Bedeutung sein
dürften. Zwar gibt es verschiedene Liniennummern, im wesentlichen
verläuft die einzige Strecke zwischen der 1 Wendeschleife um das
Altstadtviertel an der Ost-West-Hauptstraße M18 bis zum Hauptbahnhof
bzw. dem 2 Endhalt Malta-Straße wenige hundert Meter weiter.
((Stand: Jun 2020) sind auf der 1 km langen Verlängerung bis zum
Gradski Saobraćaj-Depot die Schienen herausgerissen.)
Die
meisten Trambahnen sind weder behindertengerecht noch für
Kinderwagen geeignet und auch nicht klimatisiert, sollen aber in den
nächsten Jahren zumindest teilweise ersetzt werden. Die Busflotte
wurden in den letzten Jahren bereits deutlich modernisiert.
Weder Fahr - noch Linienpläne existieren, auch entsprechende
Landkartenapps am Smartphone versagen hier. Es gibt jedoch hierfür
eine App namens moovit. An den Bussen sind nur Anfangs - und
Endhalte der Linien angeschrieben. Abgesehen von der Trambahn sind
öffentliche Verkehrsmittel für Besucher nur benutzbar, wenn man
genau weiß wo es hingehen soll.
Es gibt in Sarajevo keine
Fahrkartenautomaten, die Tickets (Einzel-, Mehrfach - und
Tageskarten) müssen entweder an Kiosken oder direkt beim Fahrer
gekauft und soort beim Einstieg entwertet werden - es gibt
zahlreiche und rigorose Kontrollen. Für Einheimische wurde
zuletzsche ein digitales Ticket in Form einer Chipkarte eingeführt.
Die Innenstadt kann gut zu Fuß erkundet werden, die Außenbezirke
befinden sich jedoch auf einem steilen Berghang.
Taxis
Éberall in der Innenstadt trifft man auf Taxis, die auf Fahrgäste
warten. Die Preise sind von der Taxiinnung einheitlich festgesetzt.
Das Einschalten des Taxameters ist Pflicht. Price (Stand: Jul 2022):
Grundgebühr 1.90 KM, 1.20 KM/hr, 12.00 KM/hr. Wartezeit.
Taxiruf (free Anfahrt): +387 33 660 666; +387 33 660 970; +387 33
1515; +387 61 230 666; +387 61 230 970
Prehistoric Times
The history of Sarajevo begins in the Neolithic
period with the Butmir culture, one of the most significant prehistoric
settlements in the region. Located in what is now the Ilidža suburb,
this culture thrived around 5000–3000 BC, thanks to abundant flint
resources and the Željeznica River. The Butmir people are particularly
noted for their advanced ceramics, which featured intricate designs and
were widely traded. Archaeological evidence from sites like Butmir
includes tools, pottery, and evidence of early agriculture and animal
husbandry.
By around 2400 BC, the Illyrians, an Indo-European tribal
group, conquered the area. Key Illyrian sites in Sarajevo include the
fortified hill of Debelo Brdo and other defensive structures near Mount
Trebević, indicating a society focused on warfare and territorial
control. The Illyrian tribe known as the Daesitiates dominated the
Sarajevo valley and resisted Roman expansion fiercely. Their revolt in 9
AD was eventually suppressed by Emperor Tiberius, marking the beginning
of Roman rule in the region.
Under the Romans, Sarajevo became part
of the province of Dalmatia. A major Roman road ran through the Miljacka
valley, connecting coastal Adriatic cities to the inland Pannonia
region. The thermal springs in Ilidža likely hosted a Roman settlement
called Aquae Sulphurae, which served as a spa and military outpost.
Roman artifacts, such as roads, aqueducts, and villas, underscore the
area's importance as a strategic and economic hub during this era.
Middle Ages
The arrival of Slavic tribes in the 7th century AD
transformed the demographic landscape of the Sarajevo valley. These
South Slavs, ancestors of modern Bosnians, Serbs, and Croats, displaced
or assimilated the remaining Illyrian-Roman populations. By the High
Middle Ages, the region was sparsely populated but part of the medieval
Bosnian state, specifically the province of Vrhbosna. This area,
possibly centered in what is now central Sarajevo or near Ilidža, may
have been a significant settlement, though it was likely destroyed
during invasions between the 13th and 15th centuries.
Christian
influences were evident: In 1238, a cathedral dedicated to Saint Paul
was constructed, potentially in the Skenderija neighborhood, as
evidenced by 12th-century Roman columns discovered there. Disciples of
Saints Cyril and Methodius established a church near Vrelo Bosne, the
source of the Bosna River. Vrhbosna itself was mentioned as a Slavic
citadel from 1263 onward, serving as a seat for Bosnian bans (rulers)
and a marketplace. However, it fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1429 after
minimal resistance, with the Hodidjed fortress being one of the last
holdouts. The medieval period in Sarajevo was marked by a mix of Slavic
paganism transitioning to Christianity, small-scale trade, and frequent
conflicts with neighboring powers like Hungary and the Ottoman advance.
Early Ottoman Era
Sarajevo's modern foundation dates to 1461,
when Ottoman governor Isa-Beg Ishaković established the city on the site
of the village of Brodac. He exchanged lands to develop the area,
building essential infrastructure including the Emperor's Mosque (Careva
Džamija, named after Sultan Mehmed II), a marketplace, public bath,
bridge, hostel, and governor's palace (saray), from which the city's
name derives (likely from "saray ovası," meaning "palace plain"). This
marked the beginning of Sarajevo's rapid growth as an Ottoman
stronghold.
The city attracted diverse populations: Muslim converts,
Orthodox Christians, and merchants from the Republic of Ragusa
(Dubrovnik). In the late 15th century, Sephardic Jews fleeing the
Spanish Inquisition settled here, bringing cultural treasures like the
Sarajevo Haggadah, an illuminated manuscript that survives as a symbol
of the city's multicultural heritage. Under Gazi Husrev-beg in the 16th
century, Sarajevo flourished further; he constructed over 100 mosques, a
grand library, the iconic clock tower (Sahat Kula), and expanded the
Baščaršija marketplace. By the mid-17th century, with a population
exceeding 80,000, Sarajevo was the largest city in the Balkans after
Istanbul, serving as a vital trade center along caravan routes and a hub
for crafts like metalworking and textiles.
Late Ottoman Era
The late 17th and 18th centuries brought challenges. Following the
Ottoman defeat at the Battle of Vienna in 1683, Prince Eugene of Savoy
raided and sacked Sarajevo in 1697, causing widespread destruction and
population decline. Chroniclers like Mula Mustafa Bašeskija documented
the era's cultural life, including libraries, schools, and religious
tensions between Sufi dervishes and conservative Kadizadelis. Plagues
ravaged the city—killing 15,000 out of 20,000 residents in 1762 and
8,000 in 1783—while fires and floods, such as those in 1788 and 1791,
repeatedly damaged the bazaar and Miljacka Riverfront.
In the 19th
century, as Ottoman power waned, Sarajevo became a focal point for
reform and rebellion. Serbia's independence in the early 1800s loosened
ties to Istanbul. Bosnian captain Husein-Kapetan Gradaščević led a push
for autonomy, culminating in the 1832 Battle of Sarajevo Field, where
betrayal ended his campaign. He famously lamented, "This is the last day
of our freedom." The period saw increasing nationalist stirrings among
Bosnian Muslims, Serbs, and Croats, setting the stage for the end of
Ottoman rule.
Austria-Hungary
The Eastern Crisis of 1875–1878,
including the Herzegovina Uprising and Russo-Turkish War, led to the
Treaty of Berlin in 1878, which placed Bosnia under Austro-Hungarian
administration. Resistance was fierce: Muslim leaders like Hadži Lojo
formed a People's Government, but Austro-Hungarian forces under Josip
Filipović captured Sarajevo on August 19, 1878, after intense fighting
that killed hundreds. Executions followed, targeting Muslim resisters.
Habsburg rule (1878–1918) modernized Sarajevo through industrialization,
new roads, and Western architecture, especially after a 1879 fire
allowed rebuilding in styles like neo-Gothic (e.g., Cathedral of the
Sacred Heart) and Secession. The city was annexed in 1908, growing to
52,000 residents by 1910. Politically, it became a hotbed of South Slav
nationalism. The 1914 assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by
Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo sparked World War I, leading to the empire's
collapse and Sarajevo's integration into the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in
1919.
Yugoslavia
In the interwar Kingdom of Yugoslavia,
Sarajevo served as the administrative center of the Drina Banovina but
saw limited investment, remaining somewhat peripheral. World War II
brought devastation: German forces bombed and occupied the city on April
15, 1941, incorporating it into the Nazi puppet Independent State of
Croatia (NDH) under the Ustaše regime. The 1941 population was
diverse—34% Muslim, 29% Catholic Croat, 25% Orthodox Serb, 10%
Jewish—but Ustaše policies targeted Serbs, Jews, and Romani for
extermination, while Muslims faced mixed treatment.
The Sarajevo
Resolution of 1941 condemned persecutions, but the Holocaust nearly
wiped out the Jewish community. The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Amin
al-Husseini, visited in 1943 to recruit for the SS Handschar Division.
Partisan forces, led by Vladimir "Valter" Perić, liberated the city on
April 6, 1945.
Post-war, under Tito's Socialist Yugoslavia, Sarajevo
became Bosnia's capital and experienced rapid growth. Investments in
industry and housing expanded suburbs like Novi Grad, pushing the
population from 115,000 in 1945 to 429,672 by 1991. The 1984 Winter
Olympics symbolized prosperity, with new venues boosting tourism and
infrastructure.
Modern Era
Following Bosnia's 1992
independence referendum, Sarajevo became the capital amid escalating
ethnic tensions. Peaceful protests turned deadly when sniper fire killed
demonstrator Suada Dilberović. The Bosnian War's Siege of Sarajevo
(1992–1996), the longest in modern history, involved Serb forces
encircling the city, cutting off supplies, and bombarding it
daily—averaging 329 shell impacts, peaking at 3,777. Over 12,000 died,
50,000 were wounded, and landmarks like the National Library (burned in
1992, destroying millions of books) and Gazi Husrev-beg's Mosque were
ravaged.
The 1995 Dayton Accords ended the siege, but prompted a Serb
exodus. Reconstruction, aided by international funds, cleared ruins and
mines by 2003. Modern Sarajevo has seen urban renewal with skyscrapers
like the Avaz Twist Tower (the Balkans' tallest) and Sarajevo City
Center. It hosted the 2019 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival and
rebuilt the Trebević cable car in 2018. Despite earthquake aftershocks
in 2019–2021, the city aims to recover its pre-war population,
potentially reaching one million by the late 21st century, blending its
Ottoman, Habsburg, and socialist legacies into a vibrant, multicultural
hub.
Sarajevo, the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is
nestled in the heart of the Balkans in Southeastern Europe. Positioned
near the geometric center of the country's roughly triangular shape, it
lies within the historical region of Bosnia proper. The city occupies
the Sarajevo Valley, a long, narrow basin formed by the Dinaric Alps, at
an average elevation of about 518 meters (1,699 feet) above sea level,
with the city proper sitting slightly higher at around 550 meters (1,804
feet).
Topography and Landforms
The topography of Sarajevo is
defined by its dramatic alpine setting, characterized by rugged,
forested hills and steep slopes that encircle the valley like a natural
amphitheater. The Dinaric Alps, a vast mountain chain stretching across
the western Balkans, dominate the landscape, creating a bowl-shaped
terrain that has historically influenced settlement patterns, defense
strategies, and urban development. The valley itself was once a lush,
expansive green space with fertile soils, but post-World War II
urbanization has transformed much of it into a densely built
environment, with buildings climbing up the hillsides and creating
steeply inclined streets that can challenge both residents and visitors.
The hilly terrain results in significant elevation variations within the
city limits, from the valley floor around 500 meters to over 1,000
meters in the surrounding peri-urban areas. This topography also
contributes to microclimates, with higher elevations experiencing cooler
temperatures and more precipitation. Urban forests and green spaces,
such as Veliki Park (Great Park) in the city center, provide pockets of
relief amid the built-up areas, though wartime destruction in the 1990s
led to significant deforestation, followed by ongoing replanting
efforts.
Hydrography
Water features play a central role in
Sarajevo's geography, with the Miljacka River serving as the city's
primary waterway and a defining element of its layout. Originating from
the Vrelo Miljacke spring about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) south of Pale
at the foothills of Mount Jahorina, the Miljacka flows eastward through
the valley for approximately 21 kilometers (13 miles) before traversing
Sarajevo from east to west.
Within the city, it is channeled between
stone embankments and crossed by numerous historic bridges, eventually
meeting the larger Bosna River to the west. The Bosna's source, Vrelo
Bosne, lies near the suburb of Ilidža and is a popular natural
attraction featuring clear springs and parklands. Smaller tributaries,
such as the Koševski Potok stream, add to the network of waterways that
drain the surrounding mountains, contributing to occasional flooding
risks during heavy rains or snowmelt. These rivers not only shape the
urban morphology—dividing neighborhoods and influencing bridge
placements—but also support local ecosystems and recreational
activities.
Mountains
Sarajevo is encircled by five major
peaks, often referred to as the Olympic Mountains due to their role in
hosting events during the 1984 Winter Olympics. These mountains, part of
the Dinaric Alps, provide a stunning backdrop and serve as barriers that
isolate the valley somewhat from external weather patterns.
The
Dinaric Alps are known for their karst landscapes, featuring limestone
formations, caves, and plateaus that extend from Slovenia in the north
to Albania in the south. In Sarajevo's vicinity, the mountains support
winter sports, hiking, and biodiversity, though they also pose
challenges like landslides and seismic activity in this tectonically
active region.
Climate
Sarajevo experiences an oceanic climate
(Köppen: Cfb) that borders on humid continental (Dfb), moderated by its
proximity to the Adriatic Sea but tempered by the southern mountain
barriers. The city enjoys four distinct seasons with evenly distributed
precipitation. Annual average temperature is around 10°C (50°F), with
January as the coldest month at -0.5°C (31.1°F) and July the warmest at
19.7°C (67.5°F). Extremes include a record high of 41.0°C (105.8°F) in
August 2008 and a low of -26.2°C (-15.2°F) in January 1942.
Precipitation totals about 949.5 mm (37.4 inches) yearly, spread over 75
rainy days, with moderate snowfall averaging 53 days per year—peaking in
December and January. Winds are generally mild at 28–48 km/h (17–30
mph), and sunshine hours reach approximately 1,769 annually. Cloud cover
averages 45%, with December being the gloomiest at 75%. Temperature
inversions in the valley can trap pollutants, exacerbating air quality
issues during winter.
Urban Geography
The city's urban layout
spans 141.5 km² (54.6 sq mi) for the proper area, expanding to 351.2 km²
(135.6 sq mi) urban and 1,041.5 km² (402.1 sq mi) metropolitan. Divided
into four main municipalities—Centar (Center), Novi Grad (New Town),
Novo Sarajevo (New Sarajevo), and Stari Grad (Old Town)—Sarajevo's
development follows the valley's east-west axis along the Miljacka. The
historic core in Stari Grad features Ottoman-era architecture around
Baščaršija, while newer districts like Novi Grad reflect socialist-era
expansion with high-rises and industrial zones. Post-1990s war
administrative divisions split some areas into Istočno Sarajevo in
Republika Srpska. Green spaces like urban parks and peri-urban forests
mitigate density, but hilly terrain necessitates infrastructure like
trams, trolleybuses, and the Trebević cable car for connectivity.
Environmental Aspects
Environmentally, Sarajevo faces challenges
from its geography, including air pollution amplified by the valley's
inversion-prone topography. In 2010, average PM2.5 levels were estimated
at 30 μg/m³—three times the WHO guideline—leading to health concerns and
occasional traffic restrictions. Urban greenery, damaged during the
siege in the 1990s, has seen regeneration efforts, with studies
highlighting the recovery of forests and parks. Natural landmarks like
river sources attract tourism, but pollution and urban sprawl pose
ongoing threats to biodiversity and water quality. Overall, Sarajevo's
geography blends natural beauty with urban resilience, making it a
unique alpine valley metropolis.