SARAJEVO - In Your Pocket

30 What to see
Sarajevo Museum 1878-1918 B-4, Zelenih Beretki
1, tel. (+387) 33 533 288, info@muzejsarajeva.ba,
www.muzejsarajeva.ba. Located on the spot where
Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand
- the heir the Austro-Hungarian throne and namesake
of at least one modestly successful Scottish rock band
- which of course led to a declaration of war on Serbia
and the beginning of World War I. Opened in 2007 after
extensive renovations, the well-designed, visitor-friendly
museum details the years of Austro-Hungarian rule in
Sarajevo and the effects it had on the city, from political
and administrative changes to art and architecture, and
everything in between. Q Open Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat
10:00-15:00, Closed Sun. From 15 Oct - 14 Apr closes at
16:00 on weekdays.
Tunnel Museum Tuneli 1, Ilidža, tel. (+387) 33 62
85 91. It might be small, but it’s definitely sincere - few
museums move visitors to tears but the Tunnel Museum
packs a powerful punch. Dug during the war, the tunnel
linked the besieged city to the free zone beyond the airport,
providing a life and supply line through which passed the
aged and the injured, food and fuel, soldiers and cigarettes.
Today, only about 20 metres of the original 700 metre length
is accessible but even so crouching your way through the dim,
dank passage gives a tiny taste of how a full-on crossing may
have felt. The museum proper is inside one of the two houses
which provided the entry/exit points. In addition to wartime
memorabilia, visitors can view video footage of the siege
and the tunnel’s construction and operation. Usually the
video plays to a pin-drop silence interrupted only by intakes
of breath as visitors watch shells shoot across the Sarajevo
sky and slam into apartment blocks, the National Library
ablaze, and soldiers and civilians alike making their way
through this dirt and timber lifesaver. Moving, memorable,
not to be missed.
Parks
Vrelo Bosne Ilidža. A lush green oasis at the source of
the River Bosne, the park may only be 12km southwest
of the city centre in the suburb of Ilidža, but it’s a world
away from the hustle and bustle of Sarajevo. Even without
the urban contrast it’s quite an idyllic place with swans,
waterfalls, Austro-Hungarian palaces and horse-drawn
carriages all competing for attention, and if you’re there on
a Saturday you’re more likely than not to see at least one
wedding party. It’s easily combined with a trip to the Tunnel
Museum, and there are several outdoor cafés selling drinks
and lights snacks. Catholic Cathedral
Sights
Avaz Tower B-1; B-2; C-2, Tesanjska 24b. It’s a case
of ‘I can see my hotel from up here’ when you are standing
on the observation deck of the Avaz Twist Tower. Sarajevo is
quite a sight when viewed from 172 metres up the ‘twister’
as this column of smoky blue glass is known. Situated near
the train station in Marin Dvor, and that’s enough directions
as it’s hard to miss, the lookout floor, with both indoor and
outdoor areas, provides stunning views of the city below and
the mountains fading off in the distance. One floor down is a
cafe-bar where you can drink in a hot or cold beverage with
the view. Open every day from 8:00 until 23:00 the tower
offers a unique twist on seeing Sarajevo and it only costs a
mark to take the fast trip to the top.
Baščaršija B-5; B-4, . Get used to pronouncing the name
Baščaršija (Bosh-CHAR-shee-ya) as this mouthful of letters
is not only the heart and soul of Sarajevo and a striking
reminder of its Ottoman past, but also home to - or at least
the point of reference for - a majority of the city’s hotels,
restaurants, sights and nightspots. While the area was the
centre of trade and commerce during the Ottoman’s lengthy
rule (the name itself means central market in English),
nowadays its rebuilt lanes are packed with a mix of locals,
independent travellers and tour groups virtually around
the clock: eating, shopping, drinking or just soaking up the
atmosphere during an evening stroll.
Catholic Cathedral (Katedrala Srca Isusova)
B-4, Ferhadija bb. The Cathedral of Jesus’ Heart is the
largest church in the country, and an impressive fixture of
Sarajevo’s skyline. Well restored after being heavily damaged
in the war, it was built in 1889 by Josip Vancas, the same
architect who designed the post office. Outside, the steps
provide a popular meeting and resting place. Inside, with
the pastel blue and cream walls and some beautiful stained
glass, busy Ferhadija seems a hundred miles and a hundred
years away. The sense of peace so often found in places of
worship permeates the cathedral so if you enter make sure
your cell phone is firmly switched to ‘off’.
Eternal Flame B-3, Maršala Tita. At the junction of
Ferhadija and Marsala Titova streets, the Eternal Flame
and cupola behind it commemorates the partisans who
fought in WWII. It’s nice, and in a focal part of town, but it
needs a brush-and-scrub, a bit of doing-up and a couple
of smartly-uniformed police officers on guard duty to
give tough and short shrift to the tedious Roma children
that beg nearby.
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