"Beautiful and Scarred" Sarajevo by mikey_e

Sarajevo Travel Guide: 1,080 reviews and 2,780 photos

Europe's "Most Oriental" City

I forget exactly which guidebook it was that I read, but in it the writer described Sarajevo as "Europe's most oriental city". This is rather confusing, as Sarajevo has it's fair share of Hapsburg and Socialist buildings, and it's eastern flavour is largely Ottoman, which is hardly the most Oriental of eastern styles. Nevertheless, Sarajevo is far and away one of the most unique cities that you will ever visit in Europe, and it is a slight understatement to say that, wandering into Bascarsija on a clear morning, your breath will be taken away by the beauty of the low, Ottoman style buildings constrasting against the green, jagged peaks of the Dinaric Alps that surround the city. The sights, emblazoned on thousands of postcards, wallets, paintings and other tourist souvenirs, is one of the most spectacular and awe-inspiring sights in entirety of the Balkans, if not all of Europe.

Not such a fairy-tale arrival

Alija Izetbegovic Square

Of course, my arrival in Sarajevo wasn't quite what induces a general ability to appreciate art and the subtle esthetics of Ottoman architecture. Rather, I arrived in Sarajevo just after 9PM - and I had started my journey in Belgrade at 10:45 that morning. The horrifyingly long and complicated train trip from Serbia's capital to Bosnia's capital was actually rather fun, but that was largely because of the company I had on the two train trips. Foreigners seem to band together on train trips in the Balkans, and the fact that I could speak even basic Serbian made me the most popular outsider on board. Of course, the fun of the trip notwithstanding, I arrived hungry, greasy and stiff, and made the wise decision to leave all site-seeing for the morning.

A lesson in history

Muslim Cemetary near the Olympic Park

After the trials and tribulations of the last three months, I'm a bit weary of making grand and deep statements, but it's hard not to be a bit philosophical about Sarajevo. The city, nestled in the mountains in a part of Europe that could otherwise be easily forgotten, is at the heart of modern European history. Sarajevo's pivotal role in Europe's recent past is not just something confined to museums - it is, in fact, best experienced in the streets and buildings of the Bosnian capital, still scarred by three years of seige, snipers and mortars. Although some buildings have been repaired, many still bear the scars of war. Many European cities have been the scenes of horrible death and destruction, but Sarajevo is a bit different, largely because of the way television brought the war and its atrocities into the homes of millions of viewers around the world. In an eerie way you can recognize monuments because you remember footage of a direct mortar strike or a sniper alley, and it is hard not to feel a chill go down your spine despite the warm summer air.

Last visit to Sarajevo: Sep 2008
Intro Updated Sep 15, 2008
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Reviews (51)

The mosque from pigeon square - Sarajevo

Džamija Muslihudina Cekrekcije Things to Do (35)

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Seher-Cehajina cuprija Off The Beaten Path (13)

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Comments (7)

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HORSCHECK Sep 26, 2010 at 10:16 AM

Mike, outstanding page about Sarajevo. It reminds me a lot on our visit of this amazing city.
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Maryimelda May 29, 2010 at 3:14 PM

Your pages get better and better, the more I read. Sarajevo is on my "maybe" list right now but I think you have convinced me. Thank you Mikey.
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picek Apr 25, 2010 at 2:59 AM

Sarajevo is such a great place to visit. Nice page.
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MM212 Mar 30, 2010 at 1:24 AM

A fantastic page with great photos and well-researched tips. I hope to make it to Sarajevo one day. Cheers!
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highwayman1 Jun 18, 2009 at 4:41 PM

I have stayed at Hotel Yildiz on many trips over a year. I never had any problems with smells, showers or anything else. Infact the kindness of the hotel staff was one of the reasons I fell in love with the city. I really liked how clean the rooms were
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jumpingnorman Feb 2, 2009 at 3:57 PM

Wow, Sarajevo! I am hoping I'll visit someday...you're lucky, man! Nice tips, Greetings from Arizona (Home of the Cardinals who lost, sigh), Norman :)
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deverly-hills Jan 31, 2009 at 5:55 PM

Like somebody who lives in Sarajevo, I must emphasis that JEWS PEOPLE HAVE NEVER HAD GHETTO in Sarajevo!