Sarajevo
Travel Guide > Europe > Bosnia and Herzegovina > Sarajevo
Introduction
Sarajevo is the largest city and capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has a historic reputation as a city of religious diversity, with Islam, Catholicism and Orthodoxy all well represented throughout the centuries. Although the area of Sarajevo has been inhabited since prehistoric times, it wasn't until it was conquered by the Ottomans that it gained prominence. It was under Ottoman rule that the Old Town (Stari Grad) was constructed.
The city was burned to the ground by the Habsburg Monarchy in 1697 and never fully recovered. It remained an important administrative center for the Ottoman Empire until the late 19th century when the Austria-Hungarian Empire conquered Bosnia and Herzegovina.
On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, were assassinated in Sarajevo - an event that triggered World War I. Following the war, the Balkans were unified under the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. In 1984, at the peak of a boom period for the city, Sarajevo hosted the Winter Olympics.
As Yugoslavia was disintegrating in 1992, Sarejevo was surrounded by the Yugoslav National Army and several paramilitary formations. The city remained under siege until October 1995, with drastic consequences for the population and considerable destruction. After the Dayton Agreement was signed in 1995, the city underwent a great deal of reconstruction, with very little evidence of the war remaining.
Sarajevo is now a cosmopolitan city that delights its visitors with a friendly attitude.
Neighbourhoods
The city of Sarajevo consists of four municipalities (Općina).
- Centar (Center)
- Novi Grad (New City)
- Novo Sarajevo (New Sarajevo)
- Stari Grad (Old Town)
Sights and Activities
Bjelašnica Mountain
Bjelašnica Mountain is in the central part of the country and is directly southwest of Sarajevo. During the summer this mountain is a popular place to go hiking while in the winter it is a popular downhill skiing mountain. The Bjelašnica Ski Area has several nice runs and a large area above the tree line, which is ideal for fans of bald peak skiing. The mountain is 2067 m (6782 ft) high and is a day trip from Sarajevo. There is a accommodation on the mountain for people thinking of spending the night.
Other Sights and Activities
- The Latin Bridge is where the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria took place.
- The Old Town
- The Bosnian Historical Museum
- The National Museum
Events and Festivals
- The Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF) is held each year in August.
- Sarajevo Jazz Festival
Weather
Getting There
By Plane
Sarajevo International Airport (SJJ) is located a few kilometres to the southwest of the city. There are good connections within Europe offered by B&H Airlines, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Lufthansa, Croatia Airlines among others.
There are no public transport links directly from the airport making taxis the most convenient option. Taxi fares are regulated and should adhere to the following rates: [1]
- Flagfall: 2 KM
- Per km: 1 KM
- Per piece of luggage: 2 KM
- Waiting time: 10 KM per hour.
The rate is increased by 30% during the night (22:00 - 05:00) and on Sundays and holidays.
An option to save some money is to catch a taxi to the nearby tram terminus at Ilidza and then catch a tram from there into the city.
By Train
By Car
By Bus
By Boat
Eat
Drink
Work
Learn
References
- 1 Source: Sarejevo Airport Website Jan 2008
This is version 3. Last edited at 16:04 on Jun 22, 08 by Lavafalls (+5). 2 articles link to this page.
Except where otherwise noted, content of this article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License