"Wounded cities" always emit a mysterious fascination, Ancestral cases. One of these is Sarajevo: marked by an ancient history, Disputed between three empires, influenced by peoples, different religions and ethnicities and mutilated by a war whose scars are still very visible on the facades of the buildings and on the faces of the people. Inevitably, A city that cannot be left indifferent.
The first thing that catches my attention today is his vivacity: Young people in bars near the fountain Selfish They give indications to the lost tourists who try to recognize the narrow streets of the old town. The heart of the capital Bosnia is a lattice of squares, streets and walks that develop around low white wall houses. Crossing these places, The history of the city where the West and East is found and, unfortunately, They collide: Remains of the Roman era, Eslava, medieval, Ottoman and Hasburg 1992-95.
I start my visit in the upper area of the city. Here the Muslim cemetery arises Alifakovac, whose tombs are oriented towards mecca, As the Islamic tradition indicates and where you enjoy a panorama whose beauty is sumptuous. But, All Sarajevo's uniqueness is expressed in its diversity: In just five kilometers I find the synagogue Ashkenazi, The third largest in Europe; The Cathedral of the Heart of Jesus, built in 1889 In Gotico style; And the wonderful cathedral of the Nativity of the Mother of God, the 1868. And: The emperor's mosque, Built in 1457 In honor of Sultan Mehmed; The Church of San Antonio de Padua in neo-Gotic Style; and the Latin bridge, famous for the attack of Sarajevo de 1914.
Walk through narrow streets, Bazares and Cafes, You can give an idea of what life was in the Ottoman Sarajevo
The Baščaršija (main market) It is the heart of the old city: today, of the old and large market there is only a small part. But, walk through narrow streets, Bazares and Cafes, You can give an idea of what life was in the Ottoman Sarajevo. Right in the center of the Baščaršija, Next to the clock tower, The scene is dominated by the Gazi-Huss Bey Mosque, masterpiece of the Islamic tradition of 1531.
Lunch with the classics Sarajevo Sahan, Some vegetable rolls with meat and spicy sauces, served with potato puree and nut, Turkish derivation bread and accompanied by Serajevska brewery, The beer that occurs in the city. Then, I'm walking for the Ferhadija, The commercial street that ends with the eternal flame, lit in memory of the fallen during World War II. The Ferhadija joins the Marsala Tito Street, the street entitled to Marshal Tito and whose purpose coincides with the Mali Park. At the entrance of the park, In wrought iron cylinders, the names of the ñiños dead during the siege of Sarajevo are impact.
Passing next to the beautiful Academy of Fine Arts, On the right bank of the Miljacka River, One of the city's symbols is reached: The Bosnia-Herzegovina National Library. An incision in the marmol at the entrance says: "In this place the Serbian criminals during the night between the 25 and 26 August 1992 They burned more than two million books, newspapers and documents. Not to forget ". Between 1997 and 2004 the Town hall It was rebuilt and today it is possible to admire its wonderful rooms, The glass ceiling and the stones columns.
The afternoon in the Baščaršija It is marked by the cups of Turkish tea served with the baklava
The afternoon in the Baščaršija It is marked by the cups of Turkish tea served with the baklava, A FILOS PASTA CAKE, hazelnuts and invited, One particularly sweet syrup. I visit the covered market of Again, where everything is sold: From the classic souvenirs to the works of local artists, Eastern fabrics and spices. In one of the typical Ćevabdžinicawith, The traditional ones eat Ćevapčići, A dish based on minced cow, salt, spices and aromas, served with bread nut, White onion and ajvar, A red peppers sauce.
Sarajevo is even more attractive at night: The bars are full and the sweet perfume of the Narguile smells like it and the Boska set up (bosnian coffee) in the fanti, the cups of turkish origin. Coffee is the national drink in Bosnia: in 1571, one hundred years before London or Paris, Sarajevo was one of the first cities in Europe with premises for the purchase and consumption of coffee.
The next morning I see the Casa Incidence, A classic Ottoman housing of the 18th century, which represents the last example of traditional Bosnia architecture perfectly preserved (The dining room, The bedroom, The guest room, etc.). But the most exciting stage is the Gallery 11/07/1995, A photographic and audiovisual exhibition dedicated to the Srebrenica massacre and the siege of Sarajevo. The photos of Ron Havav and Tarik Samarah tell those long days of terror and despair, leaving the visit particularly touched by the rawness of the images and testimonies of the survivors.
The photos of Ron Havav and Tarik Samarah tell those long days of terror and despair
Another significant place is the "tunnel of hope", On the outskirts of Sarajevo. During the siege, Through the tunnel, Bosnians managed to get food, medications and weapons to the civilian population, overcoming the area occupied by Serbian militias and preventing the city from being completely isolated from the world. At the foot of the mosque of the Baščaršija, When the lights of the bazaars and the stores light, I try the Bosnian pot, A meat -based soup, potato, onions, Carrots, pepper and salt.
I think of the phrase written on the floor of the street Ferhadija: “Sarajevo meeting of cultures”. Here is the most exciting and tragic aspect of a city that you feel immediately. The images of the elders who play chess with the big pieces in the Plaza de la Cathedral Orthodox come to mind to mind, of the Muedines that from the minarets call the faithful to prayer, of people's slow gestures on the street, of the unraveled facades of the buildings.
Sarajevo is a city that completely absorbs you with its perfumes, its colors - sometimes dark and gloomy - its history, Its diversity. Tormented city, enchanting, mysterious, painful ... whose generous inhabitants are trying to recover the element that has characterized them for centuries: The harmony between differences. The leitmotiv of a trip to the capital Bosnia is undoubtedly "Sarajevo, My love”, paraphrasing the title of a famous book by Jovan Divjak. And if a Serbian says ...
Practical information
Currency: Marco Bosnio (1 € = 2 BAM)
Official languages: Bosnia, Serbia, Croatian
Religions: Islam, Serbian-orthodox Christianity, Catholic Christianity, Judaism
When going: Spring/summer
Where to sleep: “Accommodation Magaz” en Tahcicasokak, 7
Where to eat: "I'm Kuhja" 35; “Dveri” en Prote Bakovica 12
Than eating: Sarajevo Sahan, Baklava, Cvapcici, Pita, Bosnian pot
Museos: Sarajevo City Museum (Green berets 1); Casa Incidence (Glodina 8); Gallery 11/07/1995 (TRG between maritic rump 2); Waiting Tunnel (Tunnel 1 Ilidge)
Movies: “No Man's Land” de Danis Tanovic; “Welcome to Sarajevo” de Micheal Winterbottom
Books: “Sarajevo, My love "by Jovan Divjak; “Sarajevo Marlboro” de Miljenko Jergovic
