Sarajevo (Cyrillic, Сарајево, Turkish, Saraybosna) is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and one of the most important cities in the Balkans. Its population was 429,672 according to the 1991 census, and is estimated to be around 300,000 residents today. Sarajevo was founded by the Ottomans in 1461. The city gained historical notoriety in 1914 as the site of the assassination that sparked World War I. Seventy years later, Sarajevo was in a more favorable historical spotlight as the host city for the 1984 Winter Olympics. From 1992-1995, Sarajevo endured over three years of siege by the Bosnian Serb forces during the Yugoslav wars.

Nine years later, Sarajevo is well on its way to recovery as a modern European capital. Sarajevo is part of Canton Sarajevo, one of the ten Cantons in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is home to a variety of important historical structures such as the Gazi Husrev-Beg Mosque and the Cathedral of Jesus' Heart. The Sarajevo Film Festival is held in the city every summer. The Bašćaršija Nights, the Sarajevo Winter Festival, and the Sarajevo Jazz Festival also take place in the city.

Sarajevo
Сарајево

City Flag City seal
City nickname: "European Jerusalem"
Location in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Municipalities	Centar Novi Grad Novo Sarajevo Stari Grad
Area  - Total	142.0 km² (88.2 mi²)
Population  - City (2002)  - Metro (2002)	297.399. 401,118.
Time zone	Central European: UTC+1
Latitude Longitude	43°52' N 18°25' E

Geography and Location

Aerial map

Geography and Climate

Geography

Sarajevo is located close to the geometric center of triangularly shaped Bosnia and Herzegovina, and covers some 142.0 km² (88.2 mi²) of land. The core of the city is built in the Sarajevo valley (Also translated as Sarajevo field), a small depression 500 meters above sea level nestled in between the surrounding mountains. Although much of the city itself is relatively flat, some of the outskirts and far Eastern parts are hilly. Neighborhoods in the old town in particular are well known for their steep streets and landscape.

The river Miljacka flows through the city from east to west and is one of the city's chief geographic features. The source of the river Bosna, Vrelo Bosne is found on the city's outskirts near Ilidža and is one of the most well known natural landmarks in the country.

The city is surrounded by five major mountains. They are part of the Dinaric Alps mountain range that winds through Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia and Montenegro. The mountains are popular tourist attractions for hiking and skiing. In alphabetical order they are:

• Bjelašnica: 2067 meters (6782 feet), Southwest
• Igman: 1502 meters (4928 feet), Southwest
• Jahorina: 1913 meters (6276 feet) Southeast
• Trebević: 1627 meters (5338 feet), Southeast
• Treskavica: 2088 meters (6950 feet) North

Sarajevo itself is part of Bosnia proper, known for it's mountainous and heavily forested landscape. Natural disasters pose little threat in the region, although small earthquakes have been known to occur.

Climate

Sarajevo has a continental climate, lying between the climate zones of central Europe to the North and the Mediterranean to the South. Sarajevo experiences warm summers, with temperatures of 35°C (95°F) not being uncommon, and cold winters when snow is guaranteed due to the city's high latitude. Sarajevo has three major weather stations. They are located on Bjelašnica mountain, Butmir, and in the city itself.

The warmest month of the year is July, when the average temperature is about 19°C (66°F), although August's average temperature is only a degree lower. The coldest month of the year is January when the average temperature is -1°C (30°F). The average year-round temperature is 10°C (45°F).

Sarajevo receives about 905 mm (36 in) of precipitation a year. The rainiest month is October when the city receives 89.4 mm (3.5 in) of rainfall. The dryest is February when the city gets a mere 61.4 mm (2.4 in) of precipitation. Average air pressure at the city's elevation is 942.3 mb, and this varies little throughout the year.

==History==

This section is part of the History of Sarajevo series.

Ancient Times

Middle Ages

Early Ottoman Era

Late Ottoman Era

Habsburg Empire

Yugoslavia

Modern Sarajevo

Main Article: History of Sarajevo

The area of present day Sarajevo has a long and rich history dating back to the Stone age, when the Butmir Culture flourished in the area. However, little material evidence of this is available, mostly due to later construction. Several Illyrian settlements existed in the area before it was conquered by Rome in 9 ad. During Roman times, a town named Aquae Sulphurae existed on the location of present day Ilidža, a Sarajevo suburb to the southwest of the city.

The year usually mentioned as the city's founding is 1461, when the first Ottoman governor of Bosnia, Isa-beg Ishaković, transformed this village cluster into a city and a state capital by building a number of key objects, including a mosque, a closed marketplace, a public bath, a hostel and the Governor's castle (Saray) which gave the city its present name. Sarajevo flourished in the 16th century when its greatest donor and builder Gazi Husrev-beg built most of what is now the old city. By the late 17th century, Sarajevo was the most important city in the Balkans after Istanbul.

In a raid led by Prince Eugene of Savoy in 1697 against the Ottoman Empire, Sarajevo was burned down and leveled. The city was later rebuilt, but never fully recovered from the destruction. The capital of Bosnia was transferred to Travnik. In 1878, Bosnia was occupied by Austria-Hungary, and Sarajevo was quickly brought up to the standards of the industrial age.

In the event that triggered the World War I, Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria and his wife were assassinated in Sarajevo on 28 June, 1914. Following the war, in the kingdom of Yugoslavia, Sarajevo was the capital of the Drina banovina. After World War II, Sarajevo grew rapidly as it became an important regional industrial center in Yugoslavia. Modern city blocks were built west of the old city, adding to Sarajevo's architectural uniqueness. The peak of city growth occurred in early 1980s, when Sarajevo hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics.

On April 6, 1992, Sarajevo was surrounded by forces of Bosnian Serbs. The warfare that lasted until the October of 1995 resulted in large scale destruction and dramatic population shifts (See Siege of Sarajevo for details). Reconstruction of Sarajevo started as soon as the war ended, in 1995. By 2003 most of the city had been rebuilt, with only a few remaining visible ruins in the city center. Modern business buildings and skyscrapers have since been constructed throughout the city.

Etymology of the Name

The earliest name for a major city on the region of today's Sarajevo is Vrhbosna. To claim however that Sarajevo and Vrhbosna are one and the same would be faulty, considering that the latter seems to have been destroyed well before the Ottomans occupied the region. Rather, the city of Sarajevo as we know it was built directly on top of the tiny existing Bosnian village of Brodac.

Sarajevo however is the only true historical name for the city. The origins of the word are no mystery. Sarajevo is a slavic word based on Saray, the Turkish word for the governor's castle. You can see the root in the Turksih name for Sarajevo, Saraybosna, and various areas of Turkey. The letter Y does not exist in the Bosnian version of the latin alphabet, and "evo" just gives the word the basic literal meaning of "Of the Saray".

Regarding nicknames, although none is official, Sarajevo has had a vast number over the years. The earliest is Šeher, which is the term Isa-Beg Ishaković used to describe the town he was going to build. Literally it's a Turkish word indicating an advanced city of key importance. As Sarajevo developed, numerous nicknames came from comparasments to other cities in the Islamic world, i.e. "Damascus of the North". The most popular of these was "European Jerusalem" which was a comparasment given to the city by its sephardic Jewish populace. Other more modern nicknames include "Olympic City" and "Rajvosa".

In terms of politics, Sarajevo is the most important city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the capital of the entire country, as well as the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina sub-entity. Sarajevo is also the obvious center of politics for the Sarajevo Canton. It is comprised of four different municipalities and is one of the few cities in the country with a seperate city government. Pale, the official capital of Republika Srpska is located not far from the city in that sub-entity's territory. Sarajevo is the location of numerous other important political structures, such as dozens of foreign embassies. City government is split into the traditional three branches of democratic government.

Executive Branch

The city government’s executive branch (Bosnian "Gradska Uprava") consists of the mayor, his cabinet, and numerous city organizations that help in the governing of the city. The mayor is the chief of city politics, and has two deputies, along with a number of advisors in the cabinet. The role of the executive branch in city government is outlined in the city constitution. The job of the mayor, as outlined in that document, is:

1. Carry out the executive politics of the City of Sarajevo
2. Prepare laws and other acts for the good of the city
3. Command the resolution of city problems
4. Inspect and keep up the city government
5. Answer the questions of the council members at the City Council
6. Carry out other jobs in accordance with the city’s statutes and laws

The current mayor of Sarajevo is Muhidin Hamamdžić, from the Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The city deputy mayors are Željko Komšić and Slavo Vlaški, who belong to the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the SDP respectivelly. They are joined by a secretary and a number of advisors. All in all, the current mayor and cabinet of the city of Sarajevo's executive branch look something like this:

Mayor: Muhidin Hamamdžić

Deputies: Željko Komšić, Slavo Vlaški

Advisors:

Kemal Bajramović

Sabina Hadžiahmetović

Fatima Hasanović

Ramiz Kadić

Sabahudin Pelja

To help the mayor carry out the executive duties of the city, the executive branch also consists of several city services, or "organizations". They are:

• City Service for Running of the Region: (Gradska služba za opću upravu) is responsible for all jobs and problems that by their nature would not fit into any of the other city services, as well as other jobs it is deemed responsible for by higher levels of city government.
• City Service for the Finances: (Gradska služba finansija) Is responsible for managing the city's budget as well as doing other jobs related to the city's financial prosperity.
• City Service for Local Employment: (Gradska služba za lokalno poslovanje) watches over the jobs available in the cities, and ensures the prosperity of local businesses, tourism, and goodwill organizations.
• City Service for City Planning: (Gradska služba za urbano planiranje) Does jobs in the region relating to urban planning, the use of local land, and the status of city property.
• City Service for Communal Jobs: (Gradska služba za komunalne poslove) Carries out jobs in the fields of: traffic, water, sewage, waste disposal, heating, gas, etc. etc.

Legislative Branch

The main legislative body of the city of Sarajevo is the ‘’Gradsko Vijeće’’, or City Council. Councilmen are elected by municipality according to population, with Novi Grad municipality recieving the most seats in the city council and Stari Grad municipality the least. The council is headed by the council speaker, two deputies, and a secretary, and consists of 24 members. Currently, of these 28, 15 belong to the SDP, 7 to the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina, 5 to SDA, and 1 to the HDZ. As of 2004, the city council looks something like this:

President: Mira Hadrić-Winterhalter

Deputies: Emin Svrakić, Vladimir Zubić

Council Members: Kemal Begović, Edhem Biber, Igor Bjelošević, Mustafa čuplov, Sanela Dizdar, Vesna Filipović, Zdravka Gutić, Aida Habul, Nihad Imamović, Mehmedalija Jalovčić, Milica Jauz, Drago Jurić, Tatjana Ljujić-Mijatović, Goran Memić, Sead Muhamedagić, Ismet Ovčina, Božidar Pašagić, Jasenko Selimović, Nedžad Selmanović, Faruk Sijarić, Aleksandra Softić, Džemo Tucak, Muhamed Zeco, Anto Zelić

Judicial Branch

As the center of Canton Sarajevo, the city is also the center of judicial procedures for the area, based on the post-transitional judicial system for the country as outlined by the High Representative and his plans for the “High Judicial and Prosecutorial Councils” of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2002. The BiH Constitutional Court is also located in Sarajevo, consisting of nine members. Four of these are selected by the house of representatives of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, two by Republika Srpska's national assembly, and three foreign members are selected by the president of the European Court of Human Rights. The supreme court of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Cantonal court of Sarajevo Canton are also located in Sarajevo. Sarajevo is also the center of law training and education for the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Since no official census has been taken since 1991, the precise population of Sarajevo cannot be known for certain. However the latest estimates from the Sarajevo Canton government, dating from December 2002 are generally thought to be fairly accurate. They put the total population of the city of Sarajevo at 297,399 residents and the number of people in the greater Sarajevo region at 401,118. A more recent unofficial estimate has the population of Sarajevo in late 2003 at 412,526.

According to the official government statistics, Sarajevo's population density is 2470.1 per square kilometer. The most densely populated part of Sarajevo is in the municipality Novo Sarajevo (7524.5 inhabitants per square kilometer), while the least densely populated is Stari Grad municipality (742.5 inhabitants per square kilometer).

Regarding the age structure of Sarajevo, the overwhelming majority of people are between 15 and 64 years of age. This group consists of 208,703 people, or a little over 70% of the total city population. When it comes to people 14 years of age or under and people over 65 years of age, the youth have a slight edge. There are 47,558 people under 14 years of age in Sarajevo, making up 16% of the overall population, compared to 41,138 people over 65 years of age who make up 13.8% of the total population. Novi Grad municipality has the highest percentage of citizens under 14 years of age in the city, at 17.4%, while 17.5% of Novo Sarajevo municipality's population is over 65 years of age. Overall, the city's population is slightly older than it's surrounding areas or the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a whole.

The biggest ethnic group in Sarajevo are the Bosniaks, who with more than 230,000 people make up 77.4% of the city. They are followed by the Serbs, of which there are some 35,000 (12% of the city), and Croats with a population of 22,380 (7.5% of the total population). 9,283 people (3.1% of overall population) are classified as others. They most likely consist of Sephardi Jews, and Roma, along with a small number of foreign workers (Mostly of Chinese and African backgrounds).

The city's birth rate is 9.17 while the mortality is 8.10, resulting in a population growth rate of 1.07%. The greater Sarajevo area meanwhile has a 9.56 birth rate and 8.01 mortality rate, which makes for a population growth rate of about 1.55%. This would indicate a population of 303,797 in the city by December 2004, and a population of 413,649 in the metropolitan area. If current growth trends continue, the city's population should reach the pre-war population in less than 25 years. The metro area would do the same a bit sooner, in some 15 years. Depending on regional stability, immigration, and growth and development, it's not unreasonable to except the city's population to breach 1,000,000 inhabitants by the middle of the 21st century.

Historical Population

Historically Sarajevo had always been a very populous city, but as the Ottoman Empire declined, so did its population. Although it had around 100,000 people in the 1660s, by the end of World War II in the 1940s Sarajevo had only grown to some 115,000 people. Heavy industrialization and increased importance in regional affairs during the time of Yugoslavia resulted in a rapid increase however, and by the time of the 1984 Olympics the greater Sarajevo area had more than 500,000 residents. Although exact ethnic distribution is unknown, of these 500,000, 49% were Muslim, 30% Orthodox Christians, and 7% Catholics, indicating relatively corresponding percentages of Bosniaks, Serbs, and Croats.

The Yugoslav wars and the resulting siege of Sarajevo radically disrupted this order of things. The city was completely surrounded by Bosnian Serb forces, and it has been estimated that some 12,000 people were killed, with another 50,000 wounded. Combined with horrific living conditions forced upon by the besieging forces, the result was thousands of refugees leaving the city. By 1996, Sarajevo had less than 300,000 residents. In the years that followed, a tremendous influx of returning refugees and people from a war-torn countryside has resulted in the city population once again going above 300,000 residents.

The following are some recorded populations of Sarajevo throughout it's history. The figures from 1626 and 1660 are based on the accounts of traveling writers who estimated that Sarajevo at the time had 20,000 houses, and figures an average of 5 people per house. All latter figures are based on official censuses by Austria-Hungary, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and Socialist Yugoslavia, except for 2002 which is an estimate by the Sarajevo Canton government. All figures after 1945 represent the greater Sarajevo area,

1626: 60,000+ inhabitants

1660: 100,000+ inhabitants

1910: 51,919

1921: 66,317

1931: 78,173

1945: 115,000

1971: 359,448

1991: 527.049

2002: 401,118

Sarajevo is economically one of the strongest regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Like many other major cities, it's economy is largely based on industries such as manufacturing and tourism. As the center of various levels of area politics, many Sarajevo citizens also work in government. A number of local and international companies are present in the city and contribute to its economic health.

Sarajevo's economy reached its peak in the 1980s, thanks in large part to the culmination of several decades of industrial development and a tourist boom following the Olympics, as well as increased international investment. During the Siege of Sarajevo, the Bosnian Serb forces often targeted structures key to the city’s economic health, including the headquarters of companies and many services and public utilities. Since then, the Sarajevo economy has made tremendous progress, significantly better than it's post-war state in 1996.

Sarajevo's manufacturing deals with a wide array of products. This includes production of Foods and Beverages, textiles, furniture, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, and metalworking. Sarajevo companies also produce unique brands of alcohol, and cigarettes.

According to Sarajevo Canton statistics, the greater Sarajevo area in 2002 had a work force of 278,341. 86,012 (30.6%) of these are, on average, actually employed. Of these 86,012, some 37,253, or 43,3%, are women. The largest number of people are employed in industry (19.4%), trade (12.9%), transport (9.9%),and education (8.7%). The largest concentratoin of jobs is in Centar municipality (34.5%),and Novo Sarajevo (20.8%).

In 2002 the total export for the greater Sarajevo region was worth about 259,569,000KM. This was an increase of 21.9% from the previous year. Most of Sarajevo's exports (28.2%) head to Germany, with Great Britain following behind at 16.8% and Serbia and Montenegro thirds with 12.8%. The largest amount of imported goods come from Germany, at 15.8%. With a worth of total import at about 1,322,585,000KM, the total import is almos 5.1 times the total export.

A variety of important economic institutions are to be found in Sarajevo. The central bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina is found in the city, as are numerous other independent banks. Overall 19 different banks have their headquarters in Sarajevo. The city also holds the Sarajevo Exchange of securities, Institute for accounting and auditing of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Board for valuable papers of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Register of valuable papers of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Foreign companies with a foothold in the Sarajevo region include Harris Communications, Brown & Root, and, most notably, Coca Cola. The Bosnian-Malaysian firm Bosmal is also situated in the city.

Major Companies

Major companies based in Sarajevo include:

• Air Bosna (Currently not in operation)
• BH Telecom
• Bosmal
• Bosnalijek
• CBS Bank
• Dnevni Avaz
• Energopetrol
• Oslobodenje
• Fabrika Duhana Sarajevo (Sarajevo Tobacco Factory)
• Sarajevska Pivara (Sarajevo Brewery)
• Unioninvest

As the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo is naturally the main center of the country's media. Most of the country's major television channels are based in the city, as are the most popular newspapers and magazines.

Newspapers are the most popular and most well established forms of media. The two most popular and credible daily newspapers are the Oslobodenje and the Dnevni Avaz, The buildings of both of these are adjacent to each other, situated in Novi Grad municipality, making the spot the center of the Bosnian media world.

The Dnevni Avaz (the Daily Avaz)is today the most succesfull of the two. It was established in 1996 in the Sanjak region. It is known to have ties with the powerful Party of Democratic Action, which some take to explain it's success. The Oslobodenje is the older and more well known of the two. Meaning "The Liberation", it was established in Sarajevo following World War II as the communist party's newspaper.

As well as professional newspapers, Sarajevo is also home to a variety of magazines and political tabloids, such as Slobodna Bosna, Dani, and Walter, all of which have a high circulation.

Television is very popular in Sarajevo, even though for most people the number of channels is somewhat limited. Satellites allow for a number of foreign channels to be watched, but the most popular are the local news stations based in the city. FTV is the television of the federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, while there is also a Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the entire country. A Sarajevo Canton television is also available.

After the government affiliated channels there are several other television stations, perhaps the most prominent being NTV Hayat (Independent Television Hayat). Television stations from Croatia are also available, as is Serbian Eastern European media giant RTV Pink, with Pink BH Company, the local branch based in Bijeljina.

Many small independent radio stations exist, although the majority listen to the more established ones such as ISV Radio, Radio M, Radio Grad, and RSG. RSG, Radio Stari Grad (Radio Old Town) is the most popular of these. Radio Free Europe can still be heard, and several American and West European stations are available for listening as well.

Communications wise, the telephone code for Sarajevo Canton is 033 which must be entered before dialing a phone number in the area from outside it or from a cell phone. Cell phones from the Sarajevo Canton have a seperate code, 061.

Computers, once rare, are now fairly common, although Internet connection can still be relatively expensive. As only Dial-up access is present, many prefer instead to go to Internet cafes, which are now to be found by the dozens in all areas of the city. There is talk of broadband Internet access arriving in the near future.

The city of Sarajevo consists of four Municipalities, territories that are somewhat the Bosnian equivalent of the United States’ counties or New York City’s boroughs. They are the fourth level of political authority in Bosnia and Herzegovina after state, entity, and kanton or region. The Bosnian word for them is "Općina". They are, Centar (Center), Novi Grad, (New Town) Novo Sarajevo (New Sarajevo), and Stari Grad (Old Town). Like the city at large, all of the Municipalities have their own regional government, including a foreman, councils, and various Municipality services. The role of these Municipality governments is not as significant as that of other Municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina due to the existance of the Sarajevo city government.

Centar

Main Article: Centar Municipality

Centar Municipality is located in central Sarajevo, between the older parts of the city under Stari Grad Municipality, and the more modern parts of the city under the Municipalities Novi Grad and Novo Sarajevo. Today Centar Municipality has a population of about 67,316 residents. Centar Municipality has the highest concentration of jobs in Sarajevo. 34.5% of the city's employed are found in Centar Municipality. This is largely due to the fact that most government jobs and buildings are found here.

It was in Centar Municipality that Gavrilo Princip killed archiduke Franz Ferdinand in the Sarajevo Assasination. Numerous foreign embassies are found in this part of town as well, including those of Iran and Serbia and Montenegro.

Novi Grad

Main Article: Novi Grad Municipality

The Westernmost of the four Municipalities that make up the City of Sarajevo is Novi Grad Municipality. It is the most populous of Sarajevo's four Municipalities with some 116.588 in 2002. It is also the most youthful of the four Municipalities with 17.4% of the population being under 14 years of age.

Novi Grad Municipality developed during the 1970s. At the time Sarajevo was undergoing a rapid economic and cultural development, with great attention being focused on industry and population. Novi Grad Municipality was a direct result of this period of heavy growth, in which many acres of previously sparsely used land were transformed into Communist urban centers filled with apartment buildings. By the time Novi Grad Municipality was formally recognized, it had some 60,000 citizens, in 18 neighborhoods.

Novi Grad Municipality is characterized by the dozens of apartment buildings located there. Some have criticized its architecture as being monotenous and lacking nature. Still the Municipality is ground for much of the city's newest projects. Novi Grad is also the center of the Bosnian media world, housing the offices of both the Dnevni Avaz and Oslobođenje daily newspapers as well as the center of federal television.

Novo Sarajevo

Main Article: Novo Sarajevo Municipality

Novo Sarajevo Municipality (New Sarajevo) is, like Novi Grad Municipality, also a product of Sarajevo's massive growth and development in the 1960s and 1970s. It is located in the middle of the Sarajevo field, predominantly on the Northern Bank of the Miljacka river, between Novi Grad and Centar Municipalities. Novo Sarajevo Municipality today has around 66,208 people, of which some two thirds are Bosniaks.

The Municipality is the most densely populated in the country, with 7.524,5 people per km². Much of what used to be part of Novo Sarajevo is now part of the Republika Srpska. Although very urban, like Novi Grad, it could be said that Novo Sarajevo has a more developed culture. The two biggest museums in the cities are both found here. Novo Sarajevo also holds some of the most recognizable Sarajevo icons such as the UNIS towers, Holliday Inn, and Sarajevo TV Tower.

Stari Grad

Main Article: Stari Grad Municipality

Stari Grad Municipality is the oldest and most historically significant part of Sarajevo. Sarajevo was first established here in the 15th century. The lack of apartment buildings (Stari Grad Municipality probably has more houses than any other part of Sarajevo) makes this the least populous of Sarajevo's four Municipalities, with only about 50,000 people.

What it lacks in number of residents however it makes up in livelyness. The Ferhadiya street is the city's chief pedestrian sector. Numerous parks, attractions, and local hang outs are found throughout Stari Grad.

Stari Grad Municipality is characterized by its many religious structures, and examples of unique architecture. Stari Grad Municipality features most of the city's historical tourist attractions, most notably the Gazi Husrev-Beg's mosque and the Cathedral of Jesus' Heart. At its heart is the Bascarsija, the old town market sector where the city was founded by the Ottomans in the 15th century.

Sarajevo’s suburbs are essentially the 5 Municipalities of Canton Sarajevo that are not included in Sarajevo’s official city limits. Of these 5, only two have a large enough population and are urbanized enough to be considered true suburbs. They are the cities of Ilidža and Vogošća, found in the Municipalities of the same name.

Ilidža

Main Article: Ilidža

Ilidža is the chief suburb of Sarajevo, located just west of Novi Grad Municipality. Ilidža had some 70,000 citizens prior to the Siege of Sarajevo, but today that number is a little under 50,000. It is the seat of Ilidža Municipality, and today it is almost fully integrated into Sarajevo proper.

The area is the oldest inhabited part of Sarajevo. Settlement in the region can be found dating to every major period of Bosnian history, including neolithic, Roman, medieval, and Ottoman times. One of the first mentioned Bosnian cities in history was located slightly to the South.

Ilidža is very famous for it's natural beauty, such as the spring Vrelo Bosne located nearby and towering mount Igman. A 19th century British newspaper called it one of the most beautiful places on earth. Sarajevo International Airport is found next to the city as well.

Vogošća

Main Article: Vogošća

Vogošća is the secondary suburb of Sarajevo, located about 6 kilometers north of the city center and covering some 72km². The capital of the Municipality of the same name, Vogošća has a population of around 9000, which doesn't make it the most populous Municipality outside the Sarajevo city limits, but Vogošća gains its significance from other things.

Most importantly, Vogošća was the second most industrious and productive Municipality in the ex-Yugoslavia. This is largely due to a flourishing automobile industry as numerous foreign companies built factories in the area. A factory is even on the Vogošća Municipality seal.

Like many other major world cities, Sarajevo and its Municipalities are further split into neighborhoods. In Bosnia each Municipality has a number of neighborhoods that themselves have a small function in city government, as well as their own histories and notable features. Among the more prominent Sarajevo neighborhoods by Municipality are:

• Centar Municipality: Bjelave, Breka, Ciglane, Koševsko Brdo, Marijin Dvor, Mejtaš, Skenderija, Velešići
• Novi Grad Municipality: Alipašino Polje, Alipašin Most, Boljakov Potok, Briješće, Dobrinja, Mojmilo, Nedžarići, Otoka
• Novo Sarajevo Municipality: Buća Potok, Crni Vrh, ćengić Vila, Dolac Malta, Grbavica, Hrasno, Pofalići
• Stari Grad Municipality: Baščaršija, Bistrik, Hrastovi, Kovači, Sedrenik, Vratnik

The most famous of all Sarajevo neighborhoods is the Baščaršija. It is the market sector of Sarajevo's old down, characterized by it's many shops, mosques, restaurants, and Ottoman architecture. The Baščaršija is probably the area of Sarajevo that is most appealing to tourists.

Other notable neighborhoods include the Ciglane in Centar Municipality. The Ciglane mostly consist of apartment buildings, which are famous for their recognizable building shape. Skenderija, also in Centar Municipality, was the center of Olympic activity and possibly the location of the old Sarajevo cathedral in the 13th century.

Most neighborhoods in Novi Grad and Novo Sarajevo consist of numerous apartment buildings placed one next to each other. The Old Town is probably the only neighborhood where small houses outnumber apartments. Centar's residential areas are mixed between the two, but the area is mostly known for its commercial and political areas.

Sarayliyas have for a long time had a reputation as good neighbors. One notable example of this is a nieghborhood in the old town, created during Ottoman times, where all the houses (built on a steep street) were constructed so that one's neighbor would have as good of a view at the city as they would.

The people of Sarajevo are known as “Sarayliyas” (Spelled Sarajlijas in Bosnian). Sarayliyas are known for being very proud and patriotic of their city. The song by popular singer Kemal Monteno, “Sarajevo Ljubavi Moja” (Sarajevo Love of Mine) has come to somewhat epitomize this feeling among the people, and to this day remains something of an unofficial anthem for the city.

If one were to describe the stereotypes of Sarayliyas in one word, it would be cosmopolitian. Sarayliyas are known for being modern cultured city dwellers. Bosnians from outside Sarajevo are thought to have the sense that Sarajevo receives too much attention, but this is more of a sibling rivalry than an actual dislike for Sarajevo and its people. Within the city itself, the people of the various Municipalities have somewhat taken up the stereotypes of the regions they live in. Sarajevo is also known for having a very communal feel, despite its large population.

Famous Sarayliyas

Sarajevo has had a nunmber of famous citizens over the years. They include an Academy Award winner, two Nobel Prize winners, legendary musicians, novelists, and politicians. Sarajevo has also produced presidents for three countries. People from Sarajevo who have achieved fame or note include:

• Ivo Andrić (1892-1975), writer
• Mula Mustafa Bašeskija (1731-1809, traveling writer
• Beriz Belkić (born 1946), politician
• Deen (born 1982), singer
• Goran Bregović (born 1950), composer
• Branko Crvenkovski (born 1962), politician
• Mustaj-Beg Fadilpašić (1830-1892), mayor
• Asim Ferhatović (1933-1987), athlete
• Alija Izetbegović (1925-2003), politician
• Miljenko Jergović (born 1966), writer
• Hasan Kaimija (1625-1691), dervish
• Nehemija Kije Kajon {1650-1726), Jewish mystic
• Silvije Strahimir Kranjčević (1865-1908), poet
• Hamdija Kreševljaković (1888-1959), historian
• Emir Kusturica (born 1954), director
• Fra Grgo Martić (1822-1905), priest
• Muhamed Nerkesija Es-Seraji (1592-1634), poet
• David Pardo (1719-1792), rabbi
• Vladimir Prelog (1906-1998), chemist
• Sima Milutinović Sarajlija (1790-1847), poet
• Muhamed Fadil-Pasha šerifović (1802-1882), religious man
• Abdulah Sidran (born 1944), writer
• Boris Tadić (born 1958), politician

Tourism is one of Sarajevo's major industries, and is constantly growing now with stability in the region. Sarajevo's mountain ranges and Olympic facilities make it an ideal location for winter sports. Another reason for Sarajevo's popularity among tourists is its 600 years of accumulated history, which have been impacted by both Western and Eastern empires.

Ever since the 1984 Olympics, Sarajevo has been a popular tourist attraction (save for the war years in the early 1990s). Indeed, even long before that Sarajevo was a popular stop for travelers in the Ottoman and Austria-Hungarian empires, and is mentioned in traveling books from all sides of Europe and the Middle East. One of the first structures built in the city was an inn.

Sarajevo overall has some 50 major hotels, along with numerous smaller motels and hospitality businesses. A variety of travel agencies in the city can help organize a visit. The most famous hotel in Sarajevo is the Holiday Inn, whose distinctive color and location has made it something of a city icon.

Various types of tourism are popular in Sarajevo. War tourism focuses on the war years, and the famous spots of the siege of sarajevo. Some are interested specifically in the historical aspects of the city, while thousands come for the area's nature. Summer is the busiest season for Sarajevo tourism, as thousands of tourists visit from foreign countries. Many of these are from the neighboring Balkan states, while a very large number are former residents who fled the city during the war.

Places to Visit

• Cultural sites of interest
  • National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • People's Theatre
  • Sarajevo Art Gallery

• Historical sites of interest
  • Baščaršija
  • Gazi Husrev-Beg's Madrassa
  • Goat's Bridge
  • Hotel Evropa
  • Latin Bridge
  • Morića Han
  • Roman Bridge
  • Sarajevo City Library
  • Sarajevo Clock Tower
  • Sarajevo Sebilj
  • White Fort^

• Modern sites of interest
  • Bentbaša Pool
  • Bosmal City Center^
  • Gazi Husrev-beg Library^
  • Olympic Stadium Koševo
  • Sarajevo Holliday Inn
  • Skenderija
  • Unis Towers
  • Zetra Sports Center

• Natural sites of interest
  • Bjelašnica
  • Igman
  • Vrelo Bosne

• Religious sites of interest
  • Ali Pasha's Mosque
  • Cathedral of Jesus' Heart
  • Gazi Husrev-Beg Mosque
  • Old Sarajevo Orthodox Church
  • Saborna Orthodox Chutch
  • Saint Josip's Church
  • Tsar's Mosque

^ Under construction/reconstruction

Geographic and historical factors have combined to make Sarajevo a very small city for its population. Due to this and a lack of parking structures, it is very difficult to find places for parking. This is especially true in the summer months when the number of people in Sarajevo is significantly higher due to the number of tourists. Sarajevo makes up for this with its traditional old world city planning, which allows for pedestrians to easily walk to wherever they need to go. Bicycling is also practiced, but is not very common.

Public transportation is very common and has a long tradition in Sarajevo. The chief methods of this are tramways, trolleys, and buses. Tramways in fact, were first introduced to Europe in Sarajevo during the late 19th century by Austria-Hungarian officials. The Sarajevo tramway is 16 kilometers long.

Overall in Sarajevo there are 7 tramway lines, 4 trolley lines, and 9 bus routes. Most of these run east-west, and are found on the northern bank of the Miljacka. These disproportions however are merely due to the city's layout and practical reasons. During the last years of Yugoslavia, a subway was planned as well but never implemented.

The railroad has always been very important in Sarajevo. The main Sarajevo railroad station is located in the north central part of the city. From there railroad tracks head west before branching off in different directions. The railroad for years was crucial to the industry of the part of town it ran through. This has left a lasting impression on the region, ranging from stereotypes to soccer teams. Historically, Sarajevo was a very important center of the railroad industry in Southeastern Europe, although it has been greatly hurt by the war.

Sarajevo International Airport (intl. code SJJ) is located just a few kilometers southwest of the city. During the war the airport was used for United Nations flights and humanitarian relief. Since the Dayton Accord in 1996, the airport has welcomed a thriving commercial flight business.

The two main streets within Sarajevo are "Alija Izetbegovic" street and "Zmaj od Bosne" (Dragon of Bosnia) street. Most traffic out of the city is directed to the west, as that is where most important cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina are located. Also, the Republika Sprska is directly to the east, and most people have little desire to go there. A highway that connects Sarajevo with Budapest and central Europe is being modernized, but presently it is at some spots little more than a paved countryside road. The speed limit at most parts is 60 or 80 km/h.

The most important thing to know about Sarajevo regarding sports is that it was the location of the 1984 Winter Olympics. However, sports and sporting events played an important part in Sarajevo life well before the city hosted the games. For instance, one of the city's best-loved sports is football (soccer). The two football clubs, FK Sarajevo and NK Željezničar Sarajevo, both have a long tradition of competing in European and World Cups tournaments.

Another is basketball. The basketball club Bosna Sarajevo won the European championship in 1979. The chess club Bosna Sarajevo has been a championship team since the 1980s. Sarajevo often holds international events and competitions in various other sports as well, such as tennis and kickboxing.

Overall, Sarajevo has sports clubs to Athletics, Bicycling, Boxing, Football, Wrestling, Judo, Karate, Kickboxing, Skating, Basketball, Bowling, Volleyball, Swimming, Rugby, Gymnastics, Diving, Handball, Chess, Skiing, Snowboarding, Archery, Tennis, and numerous others.

Notable Sarajevo sports facilities include the Zetra Sports Center, Olympic Stadium Koševo, and Skenderija. In the surrounding mountains there are further facilities for a wide array of winter sports. Numerous other sports related buildings are currently planned.

Sarajevo’s extensive culture is represented in various ways. Numerous cultural festivals occur every year, such as the Bašćaršija Nights, Sarajevo Winter Festival, and the Sarajevo Jazz Festival. Numerous theatres are present in Sarajevo as well, such as the National Theatre of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The first ever Bosnian opera was held in Sarajevo in 2003. Historically, Sarajevo was home to several famous Bosnian poets and thinkers during the times of the Ottoman Empire. Nobel Prize winners Ivo Andrić and Vladimir Prelog were educated in the city, as was academy award winning director Danis Tanović.

Sarajevo is also home to the Sarajevo Haggadah, one of the oldest surviving such texts, originating from the 14th century and brought by Jews fleeing the Spanish inquisition. As of late, modern art has flourished in the city as well.

Cultural Institutions

Sarajevo is home to a number of cultural institutions, dedicated to upkeeping the city's culture. The notable Bosniak institute is housed in an impressive building in central Sarajevo, and features various interesting exhibits dealing with the city's and country's culture and history.

• the Bosniak Institute
• International Center for Kids and Youth, New Sarajevo
• Center for Sarajevo Culture

Theatres

Theatres are an important part of Sarajevo culture. The first great Sarajevo theatre was the national theatre of Bosnia and Herzegovina, built in 1919 and surviving to this day. Prior to that, plays were often held in parks or beyond the large houses of wealthy families. The first Bosnian opera was held in Sarajevo in 2003.

• National Theatre of Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Sarajevo Youth Theatre

Museums

The most famous and largest museum in Sarajevo, and all of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was established in 1888, from an idea dating back to the first half of the 19th century. The Sarajevo Haggadah is held there.

• Ars Aevi Museum of Contemporary Art
• Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Museum of the City of Sarajevo
• Bosnian and Herzegovinian Museum of Literature
• National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Libraries

Sarajevo houses many of the most famous historical texts in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They were largely held in the Sarajevo City (and University) Library, that was built in 1896. Unfortunatly Serbian ultranationalists purposely fired upon the building with incendiary shells. They succeeded in setting the building on fire, and along with it thousands of irreplaceable text. Today an international effort is underway to replace what was lost.

In Ottoman times, the Gazi Husrev-beg library was probably one of the largest and greatest in the Balkans. Destroyed since, it is currently being rebuilt in a stunning modern form that will house many of the oldest texts found in the city.

• Sarajevo City Library
• Interliber
• Gazi Husrev-begs Library

Music

Sarajevo has a rich musical history. Many regard it as the most musically influental city in the Balkans, especially during the 20th century. "Kad ja pođoh na Benbašu", is a great example of traditional Bosnian music, and is one of the city's unofficial anthems.

During the second half of the 20th century, Sarajevo was the center of Yugoslavian pop and rock music. Some of the bands, such as Bijelo Dugme (White Button) and Indekis (the Indexes), are arguably the greatest Yugoslavian rock bands of all time but are only the tip of the iceberg. After them come a wide array of other bands and preformers considered "greats" and "legends", such as Crvena Jabuka (Red Apple), Plavi Orkestar (Blue Orchestra), Dino Merlin, Zabranjeno Pušenje, and Kemal Monetno. Monteno's song, "Sarajevo Ljubavi Moja" (Sarajevo Love of Mine), is another unofficial anthem of Sarajevo.

Folklore

As an historic city, Sarajevo has numerous myths and folklore surrounding it. The character Nasrudin Hodza is popular throughout the former lands of the Ottoman Empire, and Sarajevo is no exception. Numerous stories about him dealing with Sarajevo have been written over the years. A famous piece of Sarajevo folklore is the story of the Sarajevo Orthodox Church. It was said that when a request came to build it, authorities required that it go no higher than the tallest minaret in Sarajevo. A wise old man was then said to have advised for the church to be built into the ground. Thus the building reached a proper height but met the restrictions.

Numerous other famous bits of Sarajevo folklore survive representing many different eras of Sarajevo's history. One of the earliest is the story of the Goat's Bridge. As the story goes, an old herder was tending his goats by the river Miljacka when one of them started ferociously digging at a certain spot of the ground. Mystified, he walked over for a closer look only to find numerous sacks of gold. With the gold, he then built a great bridge over the river that would for years be the main crossing for travelers on their way to Istanbul.

Far more recent is the story of Sarajevo's Romeo and Juliet. It is said that during the siege of sarajevo a young Serb boy and Bosniak girl decided to flee the city together. They got as far as no man's land before the boy was shot dead and the girl wounded. Rather than flee alone however, she turned to stay by her lover's side, where she too eventually died.

Numerous events take place yearly in Sarajevo. With the various religions present, religious holidays are very popular. The month of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, Catholic and Orthodox Church Christmas and Easter are all important holidays. Muhammad's birthday, though technically not allowed by conservative Islam, is widely celebrated in Sarajevo.

The Sarajevo Film Festival has been going on since 1995 and has become the premier film festival in the Balkans. Largely due to its size and the success and popularity of cinema in Bosnia, the event has gained considerable importance and often attracts foreign celebrities. The Sarajevo Winter Festival is also well-known, as are the Bašćaršija Nights, a month-long showcase of local culture, music, and dance.

There are numerous state holidays which are celebrated, even though not on the same level as religious ones. April 1, Independence Day, and November 25, National Day, are the two most important state holidays. Numerous others minor ones vary from Municipality to Municipality. Important anniversaries are marked in the media and recieve noticeable reactions from the general populace as well.

Education has a long tradition in Sarajevo. The first university in Sarajevo was a school of Sufi philosophy established by Gazi Husrev-beg in 1531. Over the years, numerous other religious schools were established as well. The Sarajevo library, in its prime, was in the same category as the Madrassa of Beyazid II. The annexation of Bosnia by Austria-Hungary introduced Sarajevo to Western education. The first high school in Sarajevo was established in 1887. Starting in the 1940s, numerous modern faculties were added to the University of Sarajevo for a wide variety of professions ranging from economics to forestry. Sarajevo today also has 46 elementary schools (Grades 1-8), and 19 high schools (Grades 9-12). The University of Sarajevo includes faculties for medicine, law, agriculture, technical services, philosophy, and economics.

Sarajevo students are required to pass entrance exams into high schools. Unlike in the United States, high school students in Bosnia are prepared for specific occupations and industries. Among the high schools in Sarajevo, there exist those that specialize in educating students for careers in education, music, medicine, dentistry, economics, and a variety of other fields of work.

"Sorrow dealt on my soul because I am seperating with Sarajevo... an angry wound was left upon me this seperation with my Sarajevo friends. There it seems to man that he can live for a long time, for in a thousand places in Sarajevo flows water from the well of longevity. In the winter days frost grips the city, but still the serious elderly and youth meet for discussion. But when it comes time for spring and blossom, heaven becomes the sarajevo gardens of roses" - Muhamed Nerkesija Es-Saraji, poet

"An immense number of trees among the houses, of which many are large and fine, give the entire city the image of an excellent garden and it is no wonder they call it the Damascus of the North" - 17th century English traveler

"On this earth there are many cities by the name of Saray. Ak Saray, Tebe-Saray between Persia, Dzhurdistan, and Degestan, City Saray on the banks of the river Erdelya, when you pass the field Hayhat, now in the lands of Muscovy, Vize-Saray in Rumeliya, and others. But this Bosnian fortified city of Sarajevo is the most advanced, beautiful, and lively, of them all" - Elvija Chelebiya, traveling writer

"Tell me, travelling summer breeze, of my homeland, how is it? What is with the city dear to my heart? Is now like heaven Sarajevo full of beauties? How is that wonderful place with a wonderful view that shines upon it! How can I praise it when on the world there are few that are its equal? I would not be lying to say it is a second heavon. Do the springs flow and sound on all sides? Does water emerge from its cold sources?! Is the red wine the shade of dark pink drunk? Has the proud happy bunch taken upon the flowery field? Are they enjoying themselves? How must they be entertaining themselves?" - Ahmed Chelebi, poet

"And from whatever time of day and from whatever elevation you set your sights on Sarajevo, you always and without specific intention think the same thing. That is a city. A city that both nears its end and is dying, yet simultaneously is being born and growing" - Ivo Andrić, Nobel prize winning writer

"If evil happens, if they get to me tonight. Don't you cry, put a smile on your face. Dying for this city is not a disgrace" - Dino Merlin, pop singer

"When you go to Sarajevo what you experience... is life" - Mike Leigh, film director

Cities of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Banja Luka | Bihać | Bijeljina | Bosanska Krupa | Brčko | Bugojno | Cazin | Derventa | Doboj | Gračanica | Gradačac | Bosanska Gradiška | Kakanj | Ilidža | Livno | Lukavac | Mostar | Neum | Prijedor | Sanski Most | Sarajevo | Foča | Srebrenica | Teslić | Tešanj | Travnik | Trebinje | Tuzla | Velika Kladuša | Visoko | Zavidovići | Zenica | Zvornik | Živinice