Sarajevo – City of a 1000 Hills (and stray dogs)
From Olympic games to world shattering political assassinations, the city of Sarajevo has seen it all. It is safe to say that the multi-ethnic capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina has seen its fair share of turmoil, yet true tragedy cannot exist without its opposite – triumph. A survivor, the resilient city is embedded with history in its very DNA, from its people to its buildings it is time to explore Sarajevo and lose yourself in its green hills.
Table of Contents
From Belgrade to Sarajevo:
I boarded the early morning bus in Belgrade, Serbia destination Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina. Due to Bosnia’s particular political situation, Sarajevo has two bus stations, this is important to keep in mind when booking a ticket. One is located in the Serbian side of the city called East Sarajevo. This part of the city is under control of the Republika Srpska, a complex political entity created after the Dayton Accord. This separate republic within a country represents the ethnic Serb areas. To complicate matters, it is important to remember that this is a country with three presidents, one for each of the dominant ethnic groups – This means a Serb, a Croat and a Bosniak (this term means Muslim, a person from Bosnia is a Bosnian). These terms are NOT interchangeable and may cause offence to the person you are addressing, be sure to know the ethnic background of the person you are addressing before you assume one for them. The second station is located in the federation of Bosnia near the Sarajevo city center.
From Belgrade, all connections terminate in East Sarajevo, so I was stuck with no choice but the connection in East Sarajevo. Just be aware that this stop is far from downtown, even further than the airport. It is not served by public transportation, I would advise you to take a taxi as it is a long walk to the tram.
At first the bus criss-crosses the rich farmsteads of western Serbia, this area is wealthier than the southern area I had seen from the train when entering Serbia from Bulgaria. After crossing the border to Bosnia, the landscape becomes more rugged. There are no highways connecting the two countries and what should be a short bus ride is prolonged as the bus meanders through two-lane rural roads. The bus ride is approximately 7-8 hours depending on the road conditions. I suggest bringing a book but don’t forget to look out the window once in a while as the ride offers a beautiful view of the countryside. The hilly terrain is dotted by tiny villages nestled in valleys that are bisected by blue coloured streams. It is easy to picture the land described by the legendary Yugoslav writer Ivo Andrić in his epic “The Bridge on the Drina“.
At the station I hail a Taxi. Due to the political situation cabs operating in the Serbian area cannot drive passengers to the old town. My driver, a friendly Serb with a big smile as well as the typical Serb humor assures me this is no problem. In a deadpan delivery he tells me “We go downtown no problem. You will see”. He throws my bag in the trunk and reaches into his back seat, pulling out a taxi sign (the ones that go on top of the cab) meant for the Bosnian side. Handing me the sign he tells me that we will swap it with his Serbian one when we cross the river.
The man is humorous despite the challenges of living in this city. Many Serbs left after the war and most did not return. In the west we often see the stories of the heroic resistance of the Bosniaks but it is interesting to get a different perspective on the war. That’s the thing with the Balkans, nothing is as simple as it seems on the television and even finer points of conversation have their intricacies due to centuries of conquest and destruction.
A Brief History:
Modern Sarajevo is a relatively young city by any standard, although the site of the city is founded on has been occupied since the stone age. At this time a people called the Butmir were settled here but in 2400 BC the Illyrians subjugated and replaced them as the dominant ethnic group. They cemented their hold on the region by building many forts in the Miljacka Valley, named after the river that runs through it. In 9BC The Roman Emperor Tiberius crushes the Illyrians and the region falls under Roman control. Little is known of the history of this region during the dark age. We know that Slavs arrived in Bosnia around the 7th century, a group of these outsiders settled on the Bosna river (Hence Bosnia). The region was a vassal of Hungary for a time but was considered to be of minor importance. Documents indicate that there may have been a large settlement in the area at one time but, when the Ottomans arrive here in the 1450’s there was little left to conquer.
Sarajevo would not gain prominence until the Ottoman conquest, when they founded the city as a provincial capital, one with simple amenities such as a marketplace, a bath and mosque. Their subjects are Christian Slavs speaking Serbo-Croatian dialects. During this period of many of them will convert to Islam as Ottoman tax policies made it preferable to do so. This period of foreign domination led to a period of rapid growth, subjects from all over the empire settled here and the city gained a sizable Jewish population. It becomes host to four religions (Catholic, Islamic, Orthodox and Jewish), the famous library is built and the city becomes the second biggest in the Balkans after Istanbul itself.
After their defeat at the second Battle of Vienna in 1683 by the combined forces of the Polish Lithuanian-Commonwealth and the Holy Roman Empire, the Ottoman Empire began to lose its hold on the Balkans. In 1697, Prince Eugene of Savoy, raided and razed the city, reducing it to ashes. The Ottomans moved their provincial capital to Travnik and the city was hit with one disaster after another. By the 1800’s the Bosniak inteligenta led by Husein Gradaščević demanded independence. At that time the Ottoman empire was in decline, the city is impoverished and nearby Serbia has become an independent nation, fuelling nationalist aspirations in Bosnia itself.
In 1878, Sarajevo ushered in a second era of greatness under the paternalistic guidance of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Serbs in Herzegovina had rebelled and were only put down by the Ottomans with the help of the Bosniaks. Meanwhile the territory had become lawless and corrupt. Using the cover of instability, the Austrians plead their case for their occupation of the territory at the Treaty of Berlin arguing that it was too divided to stand as its own country. They gained the rights to administer the territory from the Ottomans (but they would not formally annex it till 1908). Opinion was divided, Croats were happy to be governed by Catholics, Muslim opinion was split among class lines, the conservative poor were staunchly against and the rich who were in favour of maintaining what little privilege they had left with the new authorities. The orthodox Serbs for their part were not impressed that they had traded one occupier for another.
In an act of rebellion, local Muslims created a people’s assembly and, looking for armaments, stormed the Ottoman arsenal located in the White Fort overlooking the city. Serbs soon joined the uprising and the Austrians had a situation on their hands. Administering the territory would not be so simple, a full-scale invasion was necessary. The commander of the Austrian army, an ethnic Croat, marched on the city. The leaders of the rebellion were hung and the rule of law instilled.
This occupation had a profound effect on the city, Austro-Hungarian buildings were built along the river, western education was implemented and the city was industrialized. The Austrians inaugurated a tram system, the model for the future system in Vienna. Although the city was now a small settlement, the city was the crown jewel of the territory benefiting greatly from Austrian patronage.
Austrian rule was short lived. In 1914, a young Serb nationalist by the name of Gavrilo Princip would plunge the world into war by assassinating Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie. Princip belonged to a fringe nationalist organization called the Black Hand, their goal was to eliminate the future sovereign before he could implement liberal reforms. They worried that these policies would soften the desire for independence. After this incident a series of anti-Serb demonstrations took place in which Serbs were killed and their businesses looted. I leave the rest of this complex episode to the history textbooks.
After the war, the city was incorporated in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia only to be dragged back into war by the invasion of Nazi Germany and its Croatian puppet state led by the fascist Ustase. During this time Serbs and Jews were killed indiscriminately, putting an end to Bosnia’s long Jewish history. At the end of the war the Yugoslav Partisans led by “Walter” Perić would liberate the city. For half a century it would be governed by Communist Yugoslavia. In the 80’s the city would host the winter Olympics to great success.
Independence was declared March 1st 1992 after a referendum supported by the Bosniak and Croats but boycotted by the Serbs. Following the murder of Nikola Gardović, a member of the Serbian community at a wedding in Sarajevo the JNA (Yougoslav Peoples Army – but Serbian in composition) laid siege to the city. The siege, the longest in modern history was a brutal one where civilians lacked basic necessities and most buildings were turned to rubble. It was lifted after the Dayton Accords, in 1996 most Serbs left the city after these events.
Today the city suffers from a high unemployment rate but is on the path to recovery. A sign of this is the Avaz Twist Tower skyscraper and the sheer number of buildings rebuilt in the city center.
Exploring Sarajevo
My Half Day On My Own:
After being dropped off at my hostel, I ditched my bag and went out for a walk about town. I was hungry and, when in doubt, go find some Burek. This dish, literally meaning meat pie in Turkish, is a dish sold all over the Balkans. The Bosnian iteration of it is the most recognized, it is a long circular coil containing meat, vegetables or cheese under the crust. It is one of the most recognized dishes in the Balkans and my favourite after Cevapi. (see later in this post or in my post on Ohrid)
From there I set my sights on finding a decent view of the city, while there was still sunlight remaining. The city is built right into the surrounding hills, so it was an easy climb up the paved streets and find a viewpoint. I at first walked through Kovači Cemetery, a burial ground that contains the tomb of the first chairman of Bosnia, Alija Izetbegović, before I reached Vratnik the oldest neighbourhood in Sarajevo.
From this neighbourhood it is possible to visit all of the fortifications in Sarajevo. Developed as a fortified town in the 18th century shortly after the raid of Eugene of Savoy, the district was the base of resistance against the Austrian invasion. The first part of the area that I saw was the Yellow Bastion, a popular hangout spot for the locals with a great panoramic view of the city.
From here, I walked up to the Jajce Barracks. A beautiful Austro-Hungarian building dating from 1914. Sadly, the building is in disrepair, the roof is caved in and the property has been fenced off by the military. If ever restored the building would be a great beauty and have a strong presence in the Sarajevo skyline. The road below it has a cafe offering great views of the city.
Through the streets of Vratnik you can find many old mosques, cemeteries with old Islamic tombstones along with the remains of the old city walls. There are still a few gates standing, the most important is the Višegrad Gate located at the top of the old town right before the road to the White Fortress. This gate directed traffic in from Višegrad and its famous bridge connecting the city to Istanbul.
The White Fortress is the dominating feature of the valley. Built in 1550 it protects the eastern entrance to the city and offers a breathtaking view of the valley canyon. Along the barren eastern approach to the fortress, Goats wander aimlessly, the green valley providing plenty of grazing material. The fortress was built upon previous medieval ruins and its light gray stone looks white in the sun. The structure, long unused, is another popular hang out for Sarajevo’s youth. The walls are filled with graffiti and could use a clean up.
I wish the weather has been better for my pictures, the grey clouds diminished the beautiful colors of the valley. A better camera may also have helped. On a subsequent day I climbed the southern side of the Miljacka canyon with my dad, for a great view of the white fortress and Jajce Barracks.
That night I found a bar with my hostel mates and had my first Sarajevsko beer. More on that later or in my post about Balkans Beers.
Dad’s Visit, The Airport and Tunnels
I woke up the next morning ready to go meet my dad at the airport. It was a sunny day and I had time to kill before his flight arrived so I walked around Baščaršija, the old Turkish quarter of the city. Founded in the 15th century, this district contains the most important civic buildings dating from the Ottoman period. The entrance to the neighborhood is a large triangular square filled with pigeons. The centerpiece is the wooden Sebilj fountain. This neighborhood will be returned to later in this blog post.
Finding myself on the south side of the river after my walk though Baščaršija, I took the #103 trolley bus towards the airport. At the time I was visiting there was no direct public transit connection to the airport. The tram terminates 3.5 km to the north and the #103 near the airport (1km) in the Dobrinja suburb. I think there may be a direct bus to the city center now but I am unsure. Damage from the war can still be seen here in the shape of bullet holes in the building walls. This area, full of modern apartment blocks, is of little interest to an outsider, except as to see how the ordinary Bosnians live outside the historic city center.
I patiently waited for my dad’s flight to arrive and when he was ready to go we made the long 3.6km trek around the airport to see one of Sarajevo’s most important yet isolated sights. The Sarajevo Tunnel Museum. I had been traveling alone for over a month and it was great seeing him.
The walk took 40 minutes but with fresh Burek to keep us fed it was no big deal. The area is rural with small farmhouses that have changed little since the war. Some have visible signs of trauma, like mortar damage and caved in roofs while a few have been remediated. The museum is hosted in a war damaged private residence that hosted the western entrance to the tunnel. This vital link to the outside world was created by the Bosnian army during the 1993 Bosnian war when the Serbian army had encircled the city and the city stood alone. This was the only way to smuggle in small arms and much needed supplies for the civilian population. Workers were paid a pack of cigarettes a day, a high value item during the siege that they could use to barter for food. In the yard behind the house an educational video plays, a series of maps are displayed and access can be had to a small section of the original tunnel structure. I would strongly recommend this attraction.
After this we walked the remaining 3km’s to the tram line. We were exhausted and the tram is a beautiful way to see the city. Once we dropped off my dad’s bags at our accommodation we made a beeline to the brewery.
The Brewery:
After all the partying I did in Belgrade, the last thing I wanted to do is drink but I’m glad I did. This brewery is my favorite in the Balkans. Located on the southern shore of the Miljacka river, the Sarajevska Pivara brewery and museum is a sublime example of Austro-Hungarian architecture incorporating both eastern and western features.
The structure dates from 1864 and is the oldest industrial structure in Bosnia. Since then it has not stopped brewing even in times of war or occupation a testament to the resiliency of the people here. During the Bosnian War, the brewery continued production of its prized drink even as it was shelled for providing its famous spring water to a thirsty population.
The two main brews here are Sarajevo Premium, a pale lager and Sarajevo Tamno a dark lager. I preferred the Tamno whereas my dad preferred the Premium but both are great beers.
The food served at the brewery is excellent and live entertainment is provided on weekend nights. I had the Goulash soup, a Hungarian dish but common throughout the Balkans.
My only complaint is that like many bars in the Balkans, smoking is allowed. The Bosnians are such heavy smokers that my eyes hurt after a few hours here and my sweatshirt smelled of smoke. This is commonplace for any establishment in the region so I do not hold it against the brewery.
Turkish and Austrian Sarajevo:
The next morning our sleep was permeated by the Muslim call to prayer, something that we are not accustomed to in North America – or anywhere else in Europe for that matter. Although it was annoying at first, the call to prayer is a good reminder that Sarajevo is not your typical European destination.
We started our day with a walking tour of the city exploring both the Turkish (Baščaršija) area to the east and the Austrian area in the center of the old town (Stari Grad). There are four important religious buildings within walking distance of this area:
- The Sacred Heart Cathedral, largest Catholic cathedral in Bosnia.
- The Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, the center of Islamic life in Bosnia, built shortly after the Ottoman conquest.
- The Cathedral of the Nativity of the Theotokos, Sebian Orthodox cathedral.
- The Ashkenazi Synagogue, located on the south bank it was the crown jewel of Jewish Bosnia before WW2 emptied the city of Jews.
There are many other religious monuments nearby including a Sheperdi Jewish temple, an orthodox church and many mosques.
The tour ended at a caravansary, the Turkish equivalent of a traveler’s inn. Three of these are left in Sarajevo and I would strongly recommend visiting them to see what things were like in Ottoman times. Near the caravansary are the remains of an old covered market as well as an indoor and outdoor bazaar. If you are here early in the morning it can be interesting to see the shops set up for the day. By the afternoon the whole area smells delicious from the cooking, so much so that you will have to stop off for food in one of the many local restaurants. Many trinkets can be found here along with valuable items. These include silk garments and the finest copper metal work Europe has to offer. The city is known for its copper coffee sets in particular, these intricately detailed sets which would make a nice centerpiece in a home.
After the tour we went for a hike on the south side of the Miljacka Valley climbing through the suburb we came across this large sleeping dog. The shaggy beast was lazily lying in the sun. He was just one of the many friendly strays we had seen since arriving. By this time, I was used to seeing strays, there is an abundant number of them in the Balkans. Most of them are totally harmless, well fed even. But the quantity of dogs did seem excessive, I had not seen so many since I was in Tirana, Albania.
After our hike, we were hungry so we returned to the old town for a proper Ćevapi (also called Ćevapčići), no offence to Ohrid but this Ćevapi was sublime. Made of minced meat sausages called Ćevaps it is served in somun flatbread with onions. This is also a good place to try a Bosnian Coffee a popular variation of Turkish Coffee. This drink is served in a small porcelain cup like an espresso. Made of finely ground beans this is a strong drink.
A Riverfront View:
Undoubtedly the most interesting thing to do in Sarajevo is to visit the bridge that will forever be associated with Franz Ferdinand. The one he passed before meeting his untimely end, triggering the start of the First World War. The structure is called the Latin Bridge and dates from 1798, when the previous bridge was rebuilt by a prominent citizen after a flood. The name relates to the Latin Quarter on the left bank of the river where the Catholic population took root. Today the area is quiet, hosting a museum dedicated to the assassination and pretty Austrian era buildings but in 1914 this area played host to the most incompetent assassination attempt ever, one that despite its poor execution still managed to neutralize its target.
Following the Archduke’s arrival in Sarajevo, a group of assassins from the Black Hand lined his route hoping to end his life. The first two assassins failed to intercept his motorcade before a third assassin enters the fold, throwing a bomb at the Archduke’s car. The projectile bounces off the vehicle and injured many civilians in the crowd, soaking Franz Ferdinand in blood. This comically inept attempt at murder is followed by an even more incompetent suicide attempt. The would-be assassin swallows a cyanide pill and throws himself into the river in a last ditch attempt to kill himself. The cyanide pill is thrown up and since water levels in the river were low, drowning is out of the question. He is quickly apprehended and the group’s plan revealed.
Still dripping with blood, the poor Ferdinand is visibly shaken. He attends the reception hall where he listens to the mayor’s speech, gives his own and decides to modify his plans. They are to cancel the afternoon’s events and visit the injured at the hospital. The driver, not informed of this change, took a wrong turn when heading towards the Latin bridge. He then had to break suddenly leaving Franz and his wife Sophie exposed. Gavrilo Princip had heard that the morning assassination attempt had failed and moved to intercept the Archduke on his way back from city hall, he positioned himself by the Latin Bridge. The motorcade was an easy picking for him and he shot the couple at point black range. The political class in Austria opportunistically used the assassination of a great man by a naive assassin as casus belli for war against Serbia and the world was dragged into hell.
An interesting thing to note is that heroism is a fleeting notion in an ever-changing world. in Yugoslav times, the bridge originally renamed the Princip Bridge to honor the killer and a Cyrillic plaque was installed to commemorate him. The Nazis tore out the plaque but it was reinstated after the war. During the Bosnian War, when surrounded by Serbia the plaque was again torn up, this time by the Bosniak citizens and the bridge reverted to its old name. Today opinion is more nuanced, the plaque has returned but no longer in Cyrillic with neutral wording. It is clear to me visiting Sarajevo that the world has not yet forgotten the event that shook it, even a century after its inception.
There are plenty of other things to see while walking by the river. One of the ugliest buildings in this area, a bright yellow Olympic residence can be seen as well as the sublime Museum of fine arts with its modern bridge. As a side note there are plenty of Olympic sites to see in the city. The abandoned bobsled track is interesting and to the north of the city there is a good museum. These are best done by car.
Sarajevo Rose and the War
During the war, when shells rained down on the city and sniper fire could kill you while doing your groceries, the people did their best to continue their daily lives. Now that the war is done, civic leaders have done their best to commemorate times past. One of the ways they do this is through their stories, people here like to share what things were like here. The other way is with informal memorials like the Sarajevo Rose, these splotches of red indicate where at least three people were killed by Mortar fire. There are over 200 of these in the city, a reminder of its gruesome past.
While I was there a structure often associated with the war had just made its re-grand opening. The famous Holiday Inn Sarajevo, a modern building that held the hottest parties during the Olympics and foreign correspondents during war was open for business again. It is now called Hotel Holiday and its bright yellow facade, although ugly, displays a city on the mend.
Stray Dogs
As mentioned earlier, Sarajevo is known for its large population of stray dogs, hence the parenthesis in my title for this article. Although most are friendly, take the regular precautions when interacting with them. Although it is only a matter of time before the population is reduced in size, they do lend charm to the city. The lazy animals can usually be found lying in quiet streets enjoying the sun as it lights up the valley. Surprisingly, they are well fed as many locals tend to their needs.
Conclusions (Why Sarajevo?):
Although battered and beaten, the city is on the mend. While walking around the city the first day, I ran across Belgian students conducting a survey about the city. They asked me what drew me to Sarajevo. The answer was easy albeit cliche; This city is where east meets west, neither European nor middle eastern but with a flair of each. This is still to this day the most accurate description of the city and will probably continue to endure.
On a personal level the history here is young and vibrant, people are more than willing to share their personal stories. Make sure to listen to them and try not to judge, the people here have been through a lot whether they are Bosniak, Serb or Croat.
