When you visit Bosnia & Herzegovina’s capital Sarajevo today, you’ll find a peaceful city filled with beautiful architecture and streets, all ringed by lush mountains. You’ll also find scars from the city’s tumultuous history, including the violence of the World Wars and the brutal siege of the city in the 1990s, the longest siege in modern European history. We look at the history of Sarajevo and how it has rebuilt from a former war zone to a thriving destination in the Balkans.
Yugoslavia and the Bosnian War
Yugoslavia was a kingdom for most of the 20th century, encompassing the now-independent countries of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Macedonia, and Montenegro. In 1945, a communist government was established and the kingdom was renamed the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia. Later in 1963, the country transformed again as the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. However, after economic and political crises and the rise of nationalism in the 1980s, tensions grew between the different republics. On 6 April 1992, the Bosnian War broke out and would go on to tear apart the country in one of the worst wars in modern world history.
Bosnia and Herzegovina has a multiethnic population of Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims), Serbs, and Croats. The Bosnian War involved bitter fighting, ethnic cleansing and genocide. The war did not end until a cease-fire was negotiated between the groups and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) at Dayton, Ohio, U.S., in 1995.
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The lead-up to the Siege of Sarajevo
In 1992, Yugoslavia began to fall apart. In Bosnia, the Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) and Bosnian Croats (mostly Catholic) voted for Bosnia-Herzegovina independence during the 1992 Bosnian independence referendum. However, the Bosnian Serbs (mostly Orthodox) and Serbia, wanted Sarajevo and Bosnia to be part of a new Bosnian Serb state.
When Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence from Yugoslavia with United Nations recognition on 1 March 1992, Serbians declared a new Serbian state Republika Srpska, which encompassed Bosnia and Herzegovina’s territory.
The Siege of Sarajevo
On 5 April 1992, the Army of Republika Srpska (Bosnian Serbs) besieged Sarajevo. Around 13,000 Bosnian Serb troops encircled Sarajevo, taking positions in the surrounding hills. From there, they launched an assault on the city with tanks and artillery, and the city was relentlessly bombarded with mortar shells and fire from snipers. On average, more than 300 shells hit Sarajevo every day, and nearly every building was damaged including homes, hospitals and schools.
The Serb militia moved into the suburbs of Sarajevo, blockading the city so civilians could not leave. The residents would often go months without water, electricity, gas, and food during the siege. On top of the constant shelling, the snipers ensured that nowhere was safe.
While the Bosnian government had defence forces inside the besieged city, they did not have enough weapons to match the Serb militia. They could not go into the once-beloved mountains as they were occupied by the Serbs, however, they could go underground.
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The Sarajevo Tunnel of Hope
Between March and June 1993, the Bosnian army built the Sarajevo Tunnel, known as the Tunnel of Hope. The tunnel linked Sarajevo, which was now completely blockaded by the Serb forces, to the Bosnian territory on the other side of the Sarajevo airport. This area was controlled by the United Nations and allowed food, supplies, weaponry, and humanitarian aid to arrive in the city, and helped people escape.
When you travel to Sarajevo with Trafalgar, we’ll join a Local Specialist for an insider tour of the Sarajevo Tunnel. You’ll hear war stories of courage and tragedy and learn how the tunnel helped the people of Sarajevo survive and escape the siege.
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The end of the siege and the Bosnian War
The people of Sarajevo were nearing total starvation. However, in May 1995, NATO began air strikes against the Serb army. They were eventually forced to retreat and accept the Dayton Accords, breaking the siege and the war.
The Siege of Sarajevo lasted 1,425 days until 29 February 1996. It was three times longer than the Battle of Stalingrad and was the longest siege of any capital city in modern history. It tore apart the region and involved massacres and genocide against the Bosnian people.
Nearly 14,000 people were killed during the siege including over 5,000 civilians and over 1,500 children. A further 56,000 people were wounded, including around 15,000 children. In 1991, Sarajevo had a population of around 525,000 people. After the siege, the total population was anywhere from 300,000 to 380,000.
After the Dayton Accords ended the war, Bosnia and Herzegovina created a government where Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats shared power with Bosnian Serbs, although most of Sarajevo and 90% of its residents fall under the federation of Bosnian Muslims and Croats.
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The Sarajevo Roses
Sarajevo suffered immense death and destruction and 30 years on, you can still see the scars of the war across the city. After the siege, the city filled in the marks in the concrete caused by shell explosions with red resin. The resin created red floral patterns, and they became known as the Sarajevo Roses.
You can see the Sarajevo Roses on a guided walking tour with a Local Specialist through the city’s Old Town. The Roses are a moving reminder of the destruction Sarajevo endured. You’ll also see the Eternal Flame, a memorial to the military and civilian casualties of World War II.
Sarajevo 30 years on: From a war zone to a thriving city
After the war, the city began to rebuild and is now the fastest-growing city in the country. Tourism has also steadily risen over the years and in 2006, Lonely Planet ranked Sarajevo 43rd best city in the world. Lonely Planet recommended Sarajevo as one of the top ten cities to visit in 2010. Sarajevo was nominated as the 2014 European Capital of Culture and chosen to host the European Youth Olympic Festival. In October 2019, the UN designated Sarajevo as a UNESCO Creative City and it was named one of the world’s 18 Cities of Film.
Today, Sarajevo is famed as the Jerusalem of Europe, thanks to its rich religious and multicultural heritage. You’ll see centuries-old history and a multicultural patchwork of mosques, synagogues, and Orthodox and Catholic churches. As we walk through the Old Town with our Local Specialist, you’ll see the magnificent King Fahd Mosque, the largest mosque in the Balkans.
We’ll also get an insight into the real local culture when we visit a Sarajevo local family’s home to share a meal. You’ll experience the warm hospitality and delicious traditional cuisine as you swap stories with the family during this memorable evening.
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When Sarajevo made history
Sarajevo’s history extends beyond the Bosnian War. It was the first city in Europe and the second city in the world (following San Francisco) to have a full-time electric tram network running across the city. The first trams started running in 1885 and over 130 years later you can still see vintage replicas of the first trams.
Sarajevo made the news again 85 years later in 1914, after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie near the Latin Bridge. The murder sparked World War 1, and lead to the end of Austro-Hungarian rule in Bosnia and the establishment of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
Just 70 years later, Sarajevo had rebuilt after two World Wars and beat out Japan and Sweden for the right to host the 1984 Winter Olympics. When you travel with Trafalgar, we’ll dive into the history of this incredible event, first driving up Mt Trebevic and admiring the stunning view over the city. Snap a photo at the original bobsled track and hear the famous story of ice skaters Torvill and Dean and their gold medal.
You could also wander along the cobblestones of Coppersmith Street and seek out treasures in the 15th-century Old Bazaar. Explore the picturesque mountains or savour a traditional Bosnian coffee. Wherever you go, you’ll find that Sarajevo is a beautiful, vibrant city with a steadfast and enduring spirit.
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Win a trip to Bosnia and the Balkans
If you’ve dreamed of travelling to Sarajevo and the Balkans, now’s your chance. Our Travel Unlocked Awards competition is in full swing! All you have to do is share your favourite moment from your Trafalgar trip, for a chance to win a 12-day trip with flights to the Balkans. Head to our website to find out more about what you’ll experience on the trip, plus how to enter.
The competition closes on 24 February 2023, so get your entries in now!
Are you dreaming of visiting Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina? Let us know in the comments below…