Exploring Sarajevo (news, events, travel...)

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Sarajevo is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with 436.000 people in urban area (the four municipalities that make up the city proper and urban parts of City of East Sarajevo), and a metro-area population of 641.000 . It is also the capital of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity, as well as the center of the Sarajevo Canton (465.000). Sarajevo is located in the Sarajevo valley of Bosnia, surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River.

→ The city used to be famous for its traditional religious diversity, with adherents of Islam, Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Judaism coexisting there for centuries. Due to this long and rich history of religious diversity, Sarajevo was often being called the "Jerusalem of Europe" or "Jerusalem of the Balkans".

→ Although settlement in the area stretches back to prehistoric times, the modern city arose as an Ottoman stronghold in the 15th century. Sarajevo has attracted international attention several times throughout its history. In 1885 Sarajevo was the first city in Europe and the second city in the world to have a full-time electric tram network running through the city, the first being San Francisco, California. In 1914 it was the site of the assassination that sparked World War I. Seventy years later, it hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics. For nearly four years, from 1992–1996, the city suffered from a siege during the Bosnian War for independence.

→ Today the city is undergoing post-war reconstruction, as a major center of culture and economic development in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The travel guide series, Lonely Planet, has named Sarajevo as the 43rd best city in the world, and in December 2009 listed Sarajevo as one of the top ten cities to visit in 2010.

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original by BNX

Summary

I. Ancient Times :

• Neolithic period.

• Illyrian period.

• Antique period.

II. Middle Ages :

• Bosnian Church heritage.

III. Ottoman Empire :

• Bascarsija.
• Sebilj fountain.
• Kazandžiluk street.
• Baščaršija Mosque.
• Bravadziluk street.
• Gazi Husrev-beg's mosque.
• Sahat Kula.
• Gazi Husrev-beg's Tomb.
• Gazi Husrev-beg's Madrasah.
• Gazi Husrev-beg's Brusa Bezistan.
• Gazi Husrev-beg's Bezistan.
• Morića han.
• Hadji Sinan's Tekke.
• Svrzina house.
• Konak.
• Ali Pasha's Mosque.
• Emperor's Mosque.
• Old orthodox church.
• The Old Temple / Jewish Museum.

IV. Austro-Hungarian Empire :

V. Yugoslavia :

VI. The Siege :

VII. Modern Sarajevo :

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I. Ancient Times : Neolithic period.

Ceramics founded at Ilidža.

The mountain ravine in which Sarajevo is located slopes down and spreads from the east to the west, running into the Sarajevo plain with its lowest elevation at Ilidža. This is the place where, near the thermal springs and source of the river Bosna, the Neolithic settlement of Butmir was established in the second part of third millennium B.C.

This settlement existed for several hundred years and was notable for the fact that its inhabitants created the first civilization of craftsmen in this region. They were very skilled in the use of adaptation of hard stone for making tools, and they also made high quality and artistic designed pottery and dishes.

Ornaments founded on Ilidža.

Butmir is oldest and best-known late Stone Age archaeological site in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was discovered as long as 1893,and gave its name to entire cultural group of the late Neolithic in central Bosnia, the Butmir culture. The original spiritual culture of its inhabitants places archaeology of Bosnia and Herzegovina on a par with that in Europe. On the basis of absolute chronology,the assumption is that the settlement was inhabited from 5500 to 4500 BC. Pottery decoration was mostly spiral, but other geometrical shapes were present as well. These things were exchanged for agricultural goods. They lived in dugout caves or sod huts with roofs made of thatched or interwoven branches.

This settlement suddenly disappeared, apparently destroyed by aggressive invaders from north. Dr. Alojz Benac as an ultimate authority on Neolithic period in Bosnia, excavated several of these sites, and published numerous works on Neolithic "Butmir" culture.

More on Butmir Culture with great materials, 3D animations, etc. see here.

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I. Ancient Times : Illyrian period.

There are many places in present-day Sarajevo that were settled during the Bronze Age. One such place is known as "Debelo Brdo" in the area of the old town. Further to the west there is "Soukubnar" as well as "Zlatište". On the east side, there is „Fortica“ at „Ravne Bakije“, „Obhodja“, „Gradac“ and „Kokorevac“. All of these locations belong to the so-called „halstadt“ period, when the Illyrian population who inhabited these settlements built fortesses of wood with stone and earthen attackers.

According to the excavations and findings, inhabitants of these settlements, specially Debelo Brdo, knew much about the ceramics, which they produced for their own needs, as well as for trade. Aside of ceramics they were good at agriculture, livestock, and metal refinement, so it was possible to do some minor/basic mine diggings.

Residents of this period were Illyrian (even some historians say they were Panonians) who came from the east areas and are admitted as relevant owners of the “halstadt” culture. Also there are some indications that before Illyrians on these areas lived Thracians. Тhis period lasted from the end of the Neolithic period through the sixth century A.D. In the fourth century B.C. there was an immigration of Gauls and Kelts who created a mixture of people who where conquered by the Romans.

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I. Ancient Times : Antique period.

After two centuries of Roman resistance, 9 A.D. Illyrians have been conquered, and Sarajevo valley become part of Roman empire.

The Romans directed military expeditions at this area, known as Illyria, from the middle of the second century B.C. Gaius Julius Caesar conqured the area which was settled by Illyrian clans Japodi, Dalmati, Panonnians and others in the year 63 B.C. The only information we have about Illyrian population comes from Ancient Greeks and Romans, who often came into conflict with Illyrian pirates on the Adriatic Sea. After what was known „Boton’s rebelion“ (6 – 9 A.D.) the Romans completely subdued the Illyrian population and this area become a part of Roman province of Dalmatia.

The Illyrian fortresses were destroyed, but Romans built very important roads from the Dalmatian coasts to the Pannonian Plain (around the Danube River) which passed through the Sarajevo Plain. The importance of the road can be seen by the numerous Roman artifacts found in the heart of Sarajevo itself over the years.

On the left bank of the Miljacka there were once found Roman bricks and an inscription indicating a construction yard and, nearby, a bathhouse. It was then that the Romans first built their settlements in this area.

The most important Roman settlement was at the sulfur apas of Ilidža. It held rank higher than a minicipium, possibly as high as the Roman cities of Salona, Narona or Epidaurum. The biggest known settlement was known as ‘’Aquae S...’’ (Probably Aquae Sulphurae), as told, on top of present day Ilidža. The Ottomans have given it name Ilidža (Iladž, tur. cure, medicine), having in mind its spa (medical) role.

Roman ruins have been founded at Marijin Dvor, near Vrbanja Bridge, near the Ali-Pasha's mosque and in other settlements on the hills. The Roman pagan religion was very early under the influence of the Greek polytheism, but the Romans allowed the conquered people to maintain their own culture, provided that they paid their respects to the three greatest Roman Gods – Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. Likewise, the Illyrian pagan religion made it possible, thanks to the Illyrian veteran soldiers of the legions, to introduce from the Orient the popular cult of God Mithra This cult has spread from Persia and India to all of Europe.

The cult of Mithra was respected even in the Roman capital city itself, even after Christianity become recognized as the official religion of the Roman empire. In Bosnia and Herzegovina the cult of the god Mithra was maintained and served as a basis for accepting the religions which came from east, including Manichean and, ultimately, Islam.

The Sarajevo valley gained no heritage from the Ostrogoths who, with their king Theodoric (456 – 526 A.D.) conquered and occupied Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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II. Middle Ages : Bosnian Church heritage.

Bosnian Kingdom

Christianity survived here until the beginning of the 7th century, when the Slavs, as vassals of the Avar and Obra tribes, came as far as south and west as the Adriatic Sea.

In much same way as the pagan barbarians had, they destroyed all the towns and Christian temples, such that all traces of civilization and Christianity were wiped out, as if they never existed. The best evidence for this is the spread of Christianity among the Slavs in the 9th century, during the time of the Byzantine King Vasili of Macedonia who sent Cyril and Methodius to perform their missionary effort as if Christianity had never been in these areas before. However, with the acceptance of Christianity, many of the rituals from the earlier pagan religion were maintained, which survived through the Middle Ages. Thus Bosnia was never a place which was firm in its religion, and therefore it became a crossroad for sect of those branded as heretics because they did not fit into the Orthodox Christian or Catholic Christian religion.

Monumental tombstones – the "Stećci"

In the second part of the 9th century, Bosnia was a part of the kingdom of Duklja and Bosnian Church was under auspices of archbishop of the region of Bar (south of Dubrovnik, in Montenegro).

In the 12th century Bosnian Banovina was established, which was periodically dependent on Hungary. Its capital was the town of Visoko, with the St. Peter’s cathedral of the parish of Vrhbosna, mentioned in records dating back to 1379 A.D. It has been established that this was located at the place Koševo stream flows into the Miljacka river.

In 11th and 12th century Roman-style columns were discovered in the area of the present Skenderija which might be the remains of cathedral. Due to the strengthening of the Bosnian Church, considered heretical by Catholic Church, the Bishop’s seat was moved to Djakovo in Slavonia (north of the northern border of Bosnia). In medieval Bosnia there were no significant settlements where craftsmanship and trade could develop. There were smaller fortified tows with living quarters made of wood, which were frequently destroyed in the feudal conflicts, forcing the inhabitants to take refuge inside the fortifications.

Monumental tombstones – the "Stećci"

With the division of Christianity into Catholicism and Orthodoxy, the line between them running from Budva on the Adriatic to the Drina and along the Drina to the Sava River, this left the claim of the Sarajevo valley as belonging to the Catholic Church. Evidence for this is supported by the records of the Ottoman Turks – that all churches and monasteries located west of the above-mentioned geographical lines were Catholic, while the Orthodox were to the east.

Monumental tombstones – the "Stećci"

On the other hand, the Bosnian Church or heretical sect did not leave any trace in the form of temples or cathedrals, because they did not build such structures. The only material traces we have of their presence are the monumental tombstones – the „Stećci“ – of which there remain more than 40 thousand. Their locations serve as an indication of where the Bosnian Church dominated. It was supposed that this church was part of the Bogumil Manichan sect came from Bulgaria.

Monumental tombstones – the "Stećci"

Manicheism is named after Manes (also known as Minacheus) (216 – 276 A.D.) – a Persian Bebylonian scholar and religious reformer who wanted to unite the theachings of Zarathustra, Buddha, and Jesus into a Gnosticism. He borrowed the dualism principle of good and evil from Persian Mazdaism, took the principles vegetarinism and asceticism from Buddhism, and the teachings of Paul from Chiristianity.

This teaching spread around Europe under different names. And while these heretical movements in France and Italy were wiped out by the Inquisition, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Bosnian Church co-existed as a leading religious sect together with Catholicism, until the Ottoman occupation when the Bosnian Church disappeared and a gradual conversion to Islam occured.

The development of Mithraism during Roman period no doubt had a significiant influence upon these developments.