Sarajev

By Zeynep Heyzen

(for Skylife - 2005)

Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina, is a multicultural European city where Bosnians, Serbs and Croatians co-exist.

Nestled among the mountains, verdant Sarajevo is a city that with its rainbow of flowers adorns not only itself but the world as well. Even surrounded by snow one cannot help yielding to the spell of the trees. The color white becomes this city, as does green in its various shades-although the bullet holes one discovers on careful examination of the building walls lend Sarajevo a strange kind of melancholy...
Sarajevo is a Muslim city of Eastern Europe which in the 15th century became a city as we understand the term today, and whose growth and development came in the 17th century. If you strain your historical memory you may recall that for a considerable length of time this little city was under Ottoman rule, that for a brief period it was controlled by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and that it was the place where World War I began.

Thus in Sarajevo one encounters not only Ottoman architecture but also, frequently, architecture of the classical German variety.Even though some of them are under restoration, the Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Baroque buildings are sure to charm you.

NEITHER WESTERN
NOR EASTERN
The rail system is highly developed in Sarajevo, and the city is full of streetcar stops. I suggest that you board a streetcar at random and, without looking for any particular spot in the city, that you take whatever 'tour' falls your way. Get off wherever the fancy strikes you and pick a café, again at random, where you can try the famous Bosnian coffee. On inspecting the buildings in Sarajevo, one is immediately struck by their hybrid aspect. They are neither Western nor Eastern. Mosques, churches and synagogues (few though the last-named may be in number) are all found together, showing how much at peace Sarajevo is with itself.

In one of his books, the Czech architect Jan Kotera says that this city, in which examples of modern architect are also found, would benefit greatly by restoration and city planning on the Prague model. And he may be right, considering that both cities are small but cosmopolitan. However, the fact that Sarajevo is at the same time an industrial city means its urban fabric would resist such renewal. For Sarajevo has long since created its own texture...

RICH IN HISTORY
According to Evliya Çelebi 'Bosna Sarayi' (as he calls Sarajevo) is the most flourishing city in the Balkans next to Belgrade. With its Bogummil remains (the Bogummils are considered the ancestors of the Bosnians), its Stecaks (medieval gravestones), its Roman bridges and the Roman Citadel later restored by the Ottomans, this is a city that takes one far back in history. At the same time, with its Orthodox Church, Catholic Church, old synagogue and Gazi Hüsrev Bey (Begova) Mosque it is a genuine nexus of tolerance.

In the country as a whole there are more than one hundred mosques, all of them erected since the time of the Ottomans. 4.5 million people live in Bosnia-Herzegovina, whose capital is home to 380,000, a great majority of them Bosnians. The rest of the population consists of Croats and Serbs.

A CULTURAL CITY
"I can no longer look at any map. The names of the cities have a burnt smell." So says Canetti in his book 'Die Provinz des Menschen,' and the words seem to have been written with Sarajevo in mind. What a shame that the city has been virtually destined to live out inhumane dramas. These are people who adorn their front yards and balconies with flowers, who set swans gliding across their lakes; yet think of the tragedies they have suffered. Because of this there
is an ineradicable melancholy under all the gaiety. Despite all the calamities, however, Sarajevo today is, through and through, a home to culture. Graced by such figures as the Nobel Prize-winning author Ivo Andric,

he renowned musician Goran Bregovic and the famed director Emir Kusturica, Sarajevo, which also plays host to the Poetry Days where poets from all over the world come together, is one of the shining cities of this planet. Archeologically speaking, too, Sarajevo has much to offer. Artifacts unearthed in the city and its environs are on display in the Sarajevo National Museum, where one may see a wealth of beautiful objects dating from prehistoric times and the Middle Ages. If you feel that having come here you'd like to walk around and spend some time outdoors, my advice is that you start with the Old Town and the Bascarsija-the Main Bazaar. Reminiscent in its layout of bazaars in the East, the Bascarsija has shops with a multitude of goods for sale and will provide you with some pleasant moments as well as making sure you don't go back to your loved ones empty-handed... Another building which I feel you absolutely must see is the Fine Arts Academy. Originally built in the 19th century as a church, the structure is today part of the university.It may be damaged, but you haven't really seen the city until you have something to drink at the little café inside.

'A GIFT OF THE TURKS': MOSTAR

I hadn't had such tasty fruits and vegetables for a long time, and then I learned that much of the farming in Bosnia-Herzegovina is organic, so you should definitely try the vegetable dishes. It takes a while to get used to the oil Bosnians use in cooking, but the grilled and fried foods are scrumptious, and dishes like Cevapcici and Burek are ideal for lunch. Pushed to name a favorite food I wouldn't hesitate to mention the köfte or meat balls. They are served differently than in other countries, wrapped in pide (flat bread) with onions. But they are sooo good, especially when grilled... In an article like this we can't possibly overlook Mostar, a city just as famous as Sarajevo. Situated on the Neretva river, Mostar can be visited on a day-trip basis by taking the morning train from the Central Station, and derives its name from the word 'most,' meaning bridge. Indeed, up until 1993 the city was identified with the bridge built by the architect Hayreddin, a student of Sinan's.

Smashed by Croatian artillery fire during the War of Bosnia, the bridge was rebuilt, faithful to the original, in 28 months by the Turkish company ERBU with the support of a Turkey-led international consortium, and now carries traffic as before. Today the Mostar Bridge is pointed out as a symbol of peace, and among the populace is known as the 'Turks' gift to Bosnia.' Once again, in all its old glory, the city hosts orchestras, accompanies concerts, and conceals lovers. If you plan to visit Sarajevo for a week or longer, Mostar is a serious alternative... Sarajevo is no longer associated with wars but with culture, art and tolerance. You can be sure it will prove this to you when you go there...