Sarajevo Sights from Ottoman Times to 1984

October 29, 2026

The sights of Sarajevo line up almost like a timeline. Walk west along the river and you pass from the Ottoman market of the fifteenth century to the Habsburg streets of the late nineteenth, and then to the Olympic mountain of 1984. The central sights sit within about two kilometres of each other, so the order below is also a sensible walking order. Prices are in convertible marks (BAM), and a few desks accept cash only.

1462 onward: Baščaršija and the Sebilj

Baščaršija, the old bazaar, dates to 1462. Its meeting point is the Sebilj, a timber drinking fountain put up in 1891 on an eighteenth-century design. Close by are Kazandžiluk, where coppersmiths work, and Morića Han, built in 1551 and the only caravanserai from the Ottoman period still standing in the city.

1530: the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque

Commissioned in 1530, this is the leading Islamic institution in Bosnia, with a domed prayer hall, a courtyard fountain, a madrasa and a clock tower that keeps lunar time. Interior visits cost 3 BAM and include an English-speaking guide. From 1 April to 31 October the windows are 09:00 to 12:00, 14:30 to 16:00 and 17:30 to 19:00; from 31 October to 1 April the mosque opens 09:00 to 11:00 only. It closes at prayer times, women are expected to cover their heads, and everyone should dress modestly. Booking by phone is recommended, and the mosque’s own page is begovadzamija.ba .

1798: the Latin Bridge

The Latin Bridge is an Ottoman stone arch over the Miljacka. On the corner beside it, Gavrilo Princip shot Archduke Franz Ferdinand on 28 June 1914. The Museum of Sarajevo 1878 to 1918 stands on the opposite side, at Zelenih beretki 1. Reported hours are Monday to Friday 10:00 to 16:00 and Saturday 10:00 to 15:00, with a ticket of about 4 BAM. The footprints and photo display outside are free.

1878 to 1918: the Habsburg quarter

After 1878 the Austro-Hungarian administration reshaped the west of the centre. On Ferhadija, a line in the paving marks the change from Ottoman stone shops to stucco facades. The Sacred Heart Cathedral dates to 1889, and the Eternal Flame has burned since 1946.

The Vijećnica, finished in 1896 in Moorish Revival style, was the national library until 25 August 1992, when shelling set it on fire and millions of books were lost. It reopened in 2014. Visitors see the glass-domed atrium and an exhibition about its destruction and rebuilding. It is open daily from 09:00 to 17:00, and adults pay about 10 BAM (vijecnica.ba ).

Founded in 1888, the National Museum is a group of four pavilions set around a botanical garden. Adults pay about 20 BAM, and it is closed on Mondays. The Sarajevo Haggadah is shown in its own room at limited times, so check with the museum before planning around it.

1992 to 1996: reminders of the siege

The siege of Sarajevo lasted from 5 April 1992 to 29 February 1996. Zmaja od Bosne was known as Sniper Alley, and trams run along it today. The red resin set into pavement scars across the centre marks places where civilians were killed by shells. Sarajevo Roses are memorials, so step around them and keep your voice down. The Tunnel Museum and Galerija 11/07/95 are covered on the attraction tours page .

1984: Mount Trebević

The Winter Olympics left the city a concrete bobsled track on Trebević, reached by cable car from Bistrik. The summit has views over the whole valley. Keep to the marked paths and paved areas, stay out of abandoned buildings and the woods, and remember that mines from the 1990s remain in the hills.

Guided sightseeing

For a guide to the old town, a search such as Sarajevo sightseeing tours lists current choices.