BOSNIA and HERZEVOGINA – SARAJEVO – An Old Lady with a Backpack

APRIL 24-28, 2025

When we pulled up in front of our Airbnb our host, Zlatko, met us with a big smile and welcomed us into the building. The outside of the building looked like a leftover from Soviet times. The foyer looked even worse. There were metal cages over the stairwells and the elevators were shabby metal. Oh well, you get what you get, right?

When he opened the door to the apartment for us, I literally hugged him. It was gorgeous! Very modern and just WOW! He had a bottle of wine set out for us, as well as a bowl of fresh fruit. Even the fridge had juices. Never judge an Airbnb by its exterior!

It was getting late and it was raining, so we decided to simply relax the first night. The next day we headed out to explore.

As we got near the Miljacka River, we saw three weird sculptures suspended over the water near the Festina Lente Bridge. The EQUILBRISTS OVER RIVER is an artistic symbol of cultural resistance during the Siege of Sarajevo.

The FESTINA LENTE (Latin for “make haste slowly”) is a pedestrian bridge. The bridge is 38 meters (124.67 ft) long and features an unusual looping in the middle. The name and design suggest slowing down and enjoying the view. It was officially opened on 22 August 2012.

We crossed the river and came to Veliki Park (Great Park). The OLYMPIC RINGS from the 1984 XIV Winter Olympics were on the entrance.

Nearby was the somber MEMORIAL to MURDERED CHILDREN of of BESIEGED SARAJEVO. The siege took place from 1992-1995. During that period, 1621 children were killed.

The monument consists of a glass sculpture placed on a bronze ring. The ring is made from shell casings and ammunition fired in Sarajevo. The glass sculpture features two cylindrical forms leaning toward each other. These represent a mother protecting her child.

The monument includes seven pedestals that are engraved with the first and last names of each child, the names of their fathers, their birth years, and the year the child was killed. Currently, there are only 521 names etched into the pedestals.

Further along, in the park, was a heart-wrenching statue of a man calling to his son, Nermine, to surrender, telling him the Serbian soldiers, “won’t do anything” Both father and son were found by an exhumation team in a mass grave in 2008. Nermine, dođi (Nermine, come)

We exited the park and walked along a busy street until we came to the ETERNAL FLAME. It is a memorial to the military and civilian victims of WWII in Sarajevo. The memorial was dedicated on 6 April 1946, the first anniversary of the liberation of Sarajevo from the four-year-long occupation by Nazi Germany and the fascist Independent State of Croatia. We had not exploring more than a couple of hours and we were smacked with the harsh reality of this war-torn nation over and over again.

The “MULTICULTURAL MAN” sculpture located in Liberation Square. It depicts a naked man surrounded by doves. It is a symbol of the city’s diverse cultures and religions coexisting peacefully. Finally, a peaceful and hopeful memorial.

Nearby, some men were playing chess.

The monument is in the park directly in front of the CATHEDRAL of the NATIVITY of the THEOTOKOS. The Theotokos (a title meaning “God-bearer”) is seen as a pivotal figure in this plan. The Nativity of the Theotokos marks the birth of the Virgin Mary and the beginning of God’s plan to save humanity from sin and death through Jesus Christ. Now it makes sense why the Multicultural Man is in front of this church.

Although the church was built in 1863, it looked quite modern inside. I was especially taken with the geometric marble floors.

Throughout the city are 200 SARAJEVO ROSES. They are make from the concrete scar left by a mortar shell explosion that killed at least 3 people. The unique scars are filled in with red resin and kind of looks like a rose. I guess that is nicer than realizing it was originally filled with blood.

SACRED HEART CATHEDRAL had some really nice doors, which were closed, so we did not enter. Outside was a statue of Pope John Paul II.

We finally found the SCRBRENICA GENOCIDE MEMORIAL EXHIBITION. It is gallery of photos with explanatory texts. A picture is worth a thousand words….

sacks of body pieces found in mass graves

A 16′ wall held the names of all 8372 innocent men and boys that were massacred.

We then headed to the CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY MUSEUM. There were more heart-wrenching stories of actual survivors telling how they fought off pigs to get some frozen potatoes to eat. A child recalled getting an aid package with toys. She had no recollection of such gifts as she was very young, while her brother remembered Christmases past. A young man recalled how he and a bunch of other men were loaded into a truck and hauled away to be shot and killed. He and another man survived, despite being shot many times.

A grenade killed 26 and wounded 100 while they waited in line for bread.

sculpture of a man made from slices of bread

Both were horrific exhibitions. I did not have the stomach to go to the WAR CHILDHOOD MUSEUM. I had seen enough examples of atrocities to make me sick.

Even the exterior of the NATIONAL GALLERY of BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA had camouflage netting draped over the balcony and door, hinting at what may have been inside. I did not even want to look.

There were lots of political graffiti and stenciled faces spray painted onto buildings and posts. It is a new form of peaceful protest. In this case, asking for justice for Vedran Puljić, a young man who got killed during a 2009 football match between Croats and Bosnians. All of them, silly or serious, reflect the discontent that still runs through the hearts of the people.

We headed to the old part of town. We walked past GAZI HUSREV-BEG MOSQUE. It was obviously prayer time, because the place was packed full.

We stopped for lunch at a lovely outdoor restaurant garden.

MORICA HAN MARKET was originally a han (roadside inn) built in 1551. When operational, it could accommodate about 300 passengers and 70 horses. It suffered two fires, the most recent being in 1957. It was reconstructed between 1971-1974 and now rents the han for business purposes that match the historical context: Persian rug shops, restaurant, and religious societies. It is the only surviving han left in Sarajevo.

We spent a good deal of time on Kazandžiluk (the street of coppersmiths). The first coppersmith was mentioned in Sarajevo in 1489. Their numbers grew as they passed their skill from father to son for generations. In the 16th century they formed their own guild.

The coppersmiths work right in the shops and we could hear them hammering away. Well, not every one was working….

GAZI HUSREV BEGOVA MADRASA is a school that was built in 1537 and is still in use today. The madrasa is also a boarding school and all regular students live there.

GAZI HUSREV BEY BAZAAR is a covered market, also still in use, that was built in 1555. You may have noticed Gazi Husrev Bey has a mosque, school, inn and market named after him. He was an Ottoman Bosnian governor who endowed funds for these projects.

Balkan women are not shy to wear fur coats. There are shops everywhere.

TASLIHAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE was another caravanserai similar to Morica Han Market in that it provided lodging for travelers, merchants, and caravans. It is another part of the endowment from Gazi Husrev Bey. A fire destroyed the han in 1879. All that remains are some archaeological ruins.

On the pavement of Ferhadija street, people can find an inscription saying SARAJEVO MEETING OF CULTURES. The plate is at the border of the two main historic periods that molded the city Old City (Ottoman) and the modern (Austro-Hungarian) area. There is a distinct difference in the style of buildings, food, people and music from one side of the line to the other. East really does meet West here.

Most of the shops had these benches in front of the them, They all cautioned not to sit on them. We asked a lady at the tourist information what they were all about. She said shop owners would display they wares on them in Ottoman times. They were old, that’s why there was no sitting allowed.

The ASSASSINATION OF ARCHDUKE FRANZ FERDINAND was a key event that triggered WWI. He and his wife, Sophie were assassinated on 28 June, 1914 by a Bosnian Serb on a street corner near the Latin Bridge. The political objective of the assassination was to free Bosnia and Herzegovina of Austria-Hungarian rule and establish a common South Slav (Yugoslav) state. The assassination precipitated the July Crisis, a series of interrelated diplomatic and military escalations among the major powers of Europe in mid-1914 which led to Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia and the start of World War I.

LATIN BRIDGE got its name because it connected the right bank of the river with the Catholic quarter of the city, which was nicknamed “Latinluk” (place of the Latins) in Ottoman times. It is the oldest preserved bridge in Sarajevo. It was mentioned in a census in 1541 and was thought to be made of wood, because in 1565 a court record says a stone bridge was build here by a prominent citizen.

It had this lovely sitting spot at the entrance of the bridge.

ST. ANTHONY CHURCH of PADUA and FRANCISCAN FRIARY is a fairly new Catholic Church. It was built in 1863. It is bright red and sticks out amid the surrounding neighborhood.

In contrast to ST. JOSEPH’S CHURCH, which seemed to blend into the surrounding buildings.

The SARAJEVO BREWERY opened its doors and taps in 1864. It was the first locally operated brewery and quickly became one of the leading producers in the Balkans. The building looked more like a palace than a brewery.

Tucked into the trees in a park next to the river is the MUSIC PAVILION. It was built in 1913 as a stage for public concerts. It was damaged in WWII but restored in 2004. It is a lovely spot to people watch and catch your breath.

The BANKA NA OBALE (Bank on the Embankment) was just a beautiful building. It gave the sense of pride and honor in having the responsibility of taking care of your money. But I’m sure it gouges service fees from its members just as Canadian banks do, but with pride and honor. LOL

The POST OFFICE is another beautiful building emanating pride and honor. It was built in 1913.

The UNIVERSITY OF SARAJEVO is the largest and oldest university in the country, tracing its initial origins to 1537 as an Islamic madrasa. It ranks among the largest universities in the Balkans in terms of enrollment and is the most prestigious university in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It employs more than 1000 faculty members. Since opening its doors in 1949, a total of 122,000 students have received Bachelor’s degrees, 3,891 have received master’s degrees and 2,284 have received doctorate degrees in 45 different fields. This is NOT a third world country!

We saw WALL MURALS all over the city. Some were elegant and beautiful.

Others, not so elegant.

We took a walk along SNIPER’S ALLEY. This main road connects the industrial part of the city to the Old Town’s cultural and historic sites. It has many high-rise buildings, which gave the snipers good vantage points. Signs that said “Watch out – Sniper” became common. Even though the city was under constant Serb siege, the people still had to move about in order to survive. They were constantly risking their lives as they raced across the street. Many waited for United Nations vehicles, using them as protective shields. According to 1995 data, the snipers wounded 1,030 people and killed 225 – 60 of whom were children.

We saw many, many buildings with bullet holes still visible.

As we were walking we came up this weird sculpture. It had giant trumpets, animal heads, giant ears, exotic figures, bellows, spiral tubes and an open book. I found out later it was the STERNENWEG SCULPTURE (Jungle Gym & Noise Maker). Feel free to climb on it and make noise. (There was no safety railings, play at your own risk and pleasure.)

I noticed a lot of the buildings. Some were super modern, like the SARAJEVO CITY CENTRE MALL. In the lower left the sign with the PH on it was actually a jumbotron that had adverts and time displayed

The AVAZ TWIST TOWER is a 40 story, 175 m (564 ft) tall skyscraper that is headquarters to a Bosnian newspaper. It is the tallest building in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.

Despite the modernization and beauty, squalor still exists. Directly in front of the Avaz Tower was a dilapidated building with a family of squatters inside.

Some of the buildings still displayed the grandeur that they once held.

Other buildings looked like they were simply thrown up in a rush.

Other buildings looked like they have been there for millennia.

BOSNIAN VALLEY of the PYRAMIDS

RAVNE TUNNELS

We took a drive to Visoko to see the Bosnian Valley of the Pyramids. I had read about the Ravne Tunnels and our host, Zlatko recommended it as a place to go.

It is a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers that were discovered during excavations related to the Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun. (more on that later) There are over 2 kilometres of passages for public exploration, although taking a guide is highly recommended. The temperature inside is a stable 12 degrees Celsius (53.6 F) so wear a jacket. The high concentration of negative ions makes the air fresh and clean, and is believed to have a cleansing / healing affect on the body. There are some areas within the tunnels set aside for meditation and energy work. There are huge ceramic megaliths, filled with crystals, that are believed to possess healing properties.

Our guide told us that Dr. Sam Osmanagich, Ph.D. (Mayan Civilization, University of Sarajevo) has studied pyramid cultures, megalithic architecture, geometric archaeology, sacred geometry, and the energetic and healing properties of ancient sites for over 40 years. He noticed that a hill near Visoko looked too symmetrical to be just a hill. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that it was actually a pyramid. He later found seven more.

The guide said that she took a job at the tunnels as a summer job. All the guides had to go for some training with Dr. Sam himself. She listened to his story about how the tunnels were supposed to be healing only so she could recite it back to tourists. However, she had some medical issues herself, and noticed at the end of the summer she no longer had to take medication. She now a true believer and does not just recite any story, she tells her story.

Dr, Sam estimates that the Pyramid of the Sun at 368 metres (1207 ft) high is actually bigger than the great pyramid at Giza which is 138.5 meters (455 feet). He claims that the pyramid emits a frequency of 7.83 Hz, which is supposed to be ideal for physical, mental and spiritual advancement. He believes that a sophisticated civilization built the pyramids and tunnels.

We did not know that we could actually go up the PYRAMID of the SUN. She told us how to get there, and off we went.

We took another guide. He brought us up many, many, many steps to an area where we could see, what Dr. Sam believes is the oldest and strongest concrete in the world with a higher melting point and only 1% water absorption. Similar to the pyramids in Egypt that were covered in tiles, this pyramid was covered in this cement.

There were lots of signs explaining the sacred geometry of the layout of the pyramids, the HZ factor, and other scientific experiments conducted.

Now here is the flip side to the story according to Wikipedia. Direct study of the site by geologists, archaeologists, and other scientists has demonstrated that the hills are natural formations known as flatirons, and that there is no evidence that they were shaped by human construction. The European Association of Archaeologists has condemned the so-called “Bosnian pyramids” as a “cruel hoax”; along with various other scholars they are also concerned about damage being done to genuine archaeological and paleontological sites. And there you have it, is it real, as our guide swears she was healed. Or is it a hoax and was a form of faith healing?

On our way back to Sarajevo we stopped at VRELO BOSNE (Bosna Spring) It was another recommendation by Zlatko. It is a public park and a protected Nature Monument established around the source of the Bosna River. It has a number of springs, hence the name. It was raining lightly but that did not stop us from wandering along the wooded paths

over numerous bridges and waterfalls

and past a pond with swans.

There was a wedding party taking pictures on one of the bridges. We apologized and tried to move along quickly so as not to interfere with the photographer. The bride and groom motioned for us to join them. Somewhere in Bosnia and Herzegovina is a beautiful couple on a bridge with a couple of wet, touristy looking strangers.

The MUSEUM OF OPTICAL ILLUSIONS was literally a block away from our Airbnb. We had a fun time playing with the interactive optical illusions.

On our last day we went to the SARAJEVO TUNNEL. The tunnel constructed between March and June 1993 during the Seige of Sarajevo. It was built by the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH) in order to link the city, which was entirely cut off by the Bosnia Serb Army with the ARBiH-held territory on the other side of the Sarajevo Airport, an area controlled by the United Nations. It allowed food, war supplies, and humanitarian aid to come into the city and also allowed people to get out.

The tunnel was dug by hand, with picks and shovels. Wheelbarrows were used to carry 2,800 cubic metres (99,000 cu ft) of soil away. The tunnel was dug 24-hours a day, with workers working in 8-hour shifts digging from opposite ends. 170 cubic metres (6,000 cu ft) of wood and 45 tonnes (50 tons) of steel were used in the construction of the tunnel. Because of the permanent shelling, the tunnel was installed with a pipeline that was used for the delivery of oil for the town. Communication lines and electric cables were also installed.

Its construction was financed by the State, the Army, and the City of Sarajevo. The workers were paid with one packet of cigarettes per day, an item that was in high demand and a prized bartering possession.

A rail system was put in to expedite the movement of goods and injured.

That evening Zlatko invited us for coffee. We told him that we were at the Tunnels that afternoon. He said, “I worked in those tunnels.” He was not part of the construction crew, but rather one of the men who transported goods through them. He showed us a huge scar on his head. He said the tunnels were not very high, one had to hunch over to maneuver through them. Naturally, the packs got heavy. He tried to straighten out to relieve the pressure on his back and he cracked his head on the ceiling.

He said no one “joined” the army, they just went. It was a matter of defending your home, your family, your way of life. Even though he was a sergeant, he still does not consider himself as an army man, just a man who fought for his country.

While we were having coffee, I asked him why he had only half a moustache. He said it was the style. Then he laughed and said that for some strange reason the hair does not grow on that half of his upper lip. I had to wonder, why grow a moustache then?

I must mention this. Pierre wanted to go up the CABLE CAR to Trebević mountain. It is 1,628 meters (5,341 ft) tall, making it the second shortest of the Sarajevo mountains. I said, “We live in the mountains and can take the gondola any time we want.” (which we have). He insisted that he wanted to go. We agreed that if one of us really wants to go or do something while traveling then we both go. OK, lets go up the cable car. We climbed all these steps only to find out that the lift was not running due to the high winds. LOL!

Sarajevo was full of history, lots of it sad, but always interesting and informative. There were many pleasant surprises mixed in. Definitely a place I would like to return to and explore more. But for now we were off to Mostar.

ON THE ROAD NOTES:

When we entered BiH from Montenegro, the boarder guard made a bit of small talk. We told her the roads were wonderful. She replied, “Good luck with that.” Curious statement. We did not drive 3 minutes when our wonderful paved road turned to this.