Things to do in Sarajevo
At the centre of Sarajevo is the city's Turkish quarter, with cobbled streets, mosques and oriental-style shops that will transport you to Middle East. The demolitions associated with the war led to the destruction of several institutions and cultural symbols including the Gazi Husrev-beg Library, National Library, Sarajevo Oriental Institute and a museum that celebrated the 1984 Olympic Games. However, there is much of interest left, and the highly visible ravages of war are in themselves an interesting facet of the city.
Bascarsija square
This is a good place to start discovering Sarajevo's old Ottoman quarter. The square is an oblong space frequented as much by pigeons as locals. Narrow cobbled streets replete with small shops lead through the Bascarsija quarter. Its a low-rise district, with only the Clock Tower and a few minarets reaching into the skyline. Farther west, the buildings around pedestrianised Ferhadija have a more ostentatious Central European air.
Gazi-Husrevbey Mosque
One of Sarajevos most remarkable buildings, the mosque is situated at the centre of Bascarsija. The precincts include two tombs and an ornate fountain. There are several other places of worship nearby including mosques, synagogues and Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant churches. Together they reflect the great diversity of influences which have moulded the city.
Jajce Fortress
Located in the east of the city, streets lead steeply uphill to the now ruined fortress. From here, there are wonderful panoramas over the city.
Novo Sarajevo
Situated to the west of the centre, this is the most modern part of the city. There are numerous shops of interest in the district and one of the worlds most famous Holiday Inns, which is set in a unique location and has a distinctive faade. There are also several museums of note in this district.
Latin Bridge
This bridge crosses the Miljacka River just south of Bascarsija, and is the location where Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were assassinated in 1914, triggering WWI. There is nothing to mark the location of the incident.
Museums
Over the centuries, Sarajevo has been a melting-pot of many different ethnicities and religions. Bosnian Muslims, Orthodox Serbs, Catholic Croats, Slovenians and Jews have all lived together in the city, while maintaining distinct identities. Nowadays, the city is overwhelmingly Bosnian Muslim, and many of the citys museums celebrate this culture as well as other cultures that have forged this unique city.
The Museum of Sarajevo, Ars Aevi Museum of Contemporary Art, National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Museum of Literature and Theatre Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina are all worth visiting. Lovers of art and literature should visit the Art Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosniak Institute, which is a privately owned library and art collection that focuses on Bosniak history.
The Sarajevo Tunnel Museum shows the tunnel which was used to channel supplies to the besieged city during the Bosnian War. Its next to the airport, and is well-worth a visit. The tunnel itself is located in the garden of a house, in the citys suburbia.
The most famous museum in Bosnia is the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in central Sarajevo. It was established in 1888 and the Sarajevo Haggadah is held there.