Nearby Attractions
Sarajevo is the capital and also the largest city of Bosnia-Hercegovina. The diverse range of buildings in Sarajevo is a testament to the multi-cultural population that lives in the city. The city has a great wealth of culture and history and is rapidly becoming a popular choice of destination for travelers in search of great buildings from a wide range of cultures and religions. Sarajevo is a city which has a lot of history and as such it has a good number of cultural and historical buildings to offer visitors.
The old town (Baščaršija)
Sarajevo’s Old Town is the most historic part of the city, featuring architecture dating from the 15th century. Just as it was in the 15th century, the area is a market and bazaar and today is the cultural center of the city. Full of narrow cobbled streets, the shops are small and full of character – a mix between Eastern European and Turkish influence. One of its focal points is the main square with its iconic fountain at the center of visitors can make it through the hundreds of pigeons to get there. It is home to a great range of traditional restaurants, cafés and coffee houses, so a perfect area to stroll around and explore.
Sarajevo City Hall (Vjećnica)
Vijećnica is the most extravagant building constructed in Sarajevo during Austro-Hungarian occupation and serves as a symbol of the meeting of world civilizations.
Since it first opened on April 20, 1896, the building has become the most important symbol of Sarajevo and is featured as an iconic motif in many photographs of the city.
After World War II, Vijećnica became home to the National and University Library of BiH.
On the nights of August 25-26, 1992 during the last war, Vijećnica was set ablaze. Nearly 90% of the library's collection went up in flames and the building became a symbol of the Siege and tragedy of Sarajevo.
Vijećnica’s reconstruction got underway in 1996 and the official opening took place on May 9, 2014, the same day that Europe Day and the Day of Victory over Fascism are observed.
The Yellow Bastion(Žuta tabija)
The Yellow Bastion is one of the fortifications that made up the defensive wall of the old town, Vratnik.
After Eugene of Savoy sacked Sarajevo in 1697, it was shown that the little fortress, which was where the White Fortress is today, wasn’t sufficient to defend the city from attack, so the Bosnian Governor, Gazi Ahmed Pasha Rustempašić Skopljak, commissioned work on fortifying Vratnik in 1729.
Five bastions were placed at points along the fortified wall, including the Yellow Fortress, which takes its name from the yellow rock that was used in its construction.
The fortress lost its original function once the Austro-Hungarians took over Sarajevo.
Today, it offers a fantastic view of the city and is one of Sarajevo’s most popular vantage points. This is also the spot where a cannon is fired at sunset during the Islamic month of Ramadan to mark the time for breaking the fast.
Latin Bridge
The Latin Bridge is one of the oldest bridges left standing in the city and is a fine example of a preserved Ottoman Bridge.
The northern end of the bridge was the site of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by Gavrilo Princip in 1914, which lead directly to the start of the World War I
