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Stage 5: Journey through the Balkans
Introduction: Discovering Sarajevo’s past
Visiting Sarajevo, I took two unique tours that explained the recent story of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In Sarajevo, you’ll easily find various tour companies, with the average price for a 4-hour tour being around 25-30 Euros, and about 50 Euros for a full-day tour (around 6-8 hours).
The more I travelled through the Balkans, the more I learned about its recent history. So this is a good moment to introduce the recent Balkans’ history. In my visit to Belgrade, I had already explored the NATO bombing sites (related to the Serbia-Kosovo conflict) and listened to locals in cafes sharing stories about Serbia’s wartime experiences, including those involving Marshal Tito.
Winter Olympic Games in Sarajevo 1984
Let’s begin our journey with an event that left a significant mark before the conflicts erupted – the 1984 Winter Olympic Games held in Sarajevo.
Did you know you can visit an abandoned bobsleigh track in Sarajevo from the 1984 Olympic Games?
To get there, simply hop on a cable car in Sarajevo that will take you to the top of Trebevic mountain. You will have great views of the city and I was also really impressed by the old Olympic track that still remains. It was one of the steepest and most challenging in the world at the time. Unfortunately, the track did not survive the war and today you can walk around these ruins. Now it is mainly used as a big canvas for graffiti artists. It also has this kind of post-apocalyptic era feeling, a perfect location for a film set.
Exploring Sarajevo with a War Veteran Guide
We visited the ruins of the Olympic track in Sarajevo as part of the Bosnian & Yugoslav Wars tour. Our guide was a war veteran who had served in the Bosniak army during the 90s. He had also been trapped in the Sarajevo Siege, and his firsthand stories provided a rare and valuable opportunity to learn more about this side of the history. We learnt from him that he chose to leave the army after the conflict and has since been working with various organisations to promote peace in the region.
Understanding the Balkans Conflict
Before we go further, let me briefly introduce the complex political context of the Balkans in the 1990s and how Yugoslavia was fragmented into different states. Disclaimer: Keep in mind that this is just a simplified summary, and the reality was far more intricate and it would not be fair or accurate to simplify all history in a couple of lines.
The Yugoslavia fall
In the late 1980s and 1990s, long-standing ethnic and religious tensions among various groups in the region, such as Serbs, Croats, Bosniaks, and Albanians, worsened as Yugoslavia dissolved. Yugoslavia was composed of six republics: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia. As communism was collapsing in Eastern Europe in the late 1980s, nationalist sentiments and political shifts in Yugoslavia led to demands for independence by its republics.
In 1991, Slovenia and Croatia declared independence, sparking conflicts with the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA). The Bosnian War (1992-1995) followed as Bosnia and Herzegovina also declared independence. This brutal conflict involved Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims), Croats, and Bosnian-Serbs, including city sieges (such as Sarajevo), and the infamous Srebrenica massacre. The Dayton Agreement in 1995 marked the end of the Bosnian War, establishing Bosnia and Herzegovina as a federation comprising the Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Later, Kosovo, an autonomous Serbian province, experienced conflict in 1998-1999, resolved through NATO intervention.
Aftermath: The wars in the Balkans resulted in significant loss of life, displacement of populations, and the redefinition of borders. The region coped with the challenges of post-war reconciliation, reconstruction, and the establishment of stable governments.
After this glimpse into Balkans history, do not be afraid of visiting Sarajevo or the region. Now, after almost 30 years, it has become an incredibly interesting place to explore and learn important lessons from the past.
The Sarajevo Siege
Following our visit to the Bobsleigh track, our guide led us to another abandoned spot on one of Sarajevo’s hills, an abandoned restaurant that had once served as a front line for Bosnian-Serbs during the siege of Sarajevo. Our guide vividly described his experiences on the other side in the front line and how this location provided a perfect vantage point for snipers, a mere 800 metres from the city. Today, the views from here offer a perfect perspective of the city from above.
I’d also like to share more about the Siege of Sarajevo, that took place from 1992 to 1996 during the Bosnian War. This was a devastating conflict characterised by the bombardment of Sarajevo, by Bosnian Serb forces. Lasting nearly four years, the siege inflicted significant civilian casualties. The city endured daily shelling and sniper attacks, leading to a humanitarian crisis. Finally, in 1996, the siege came to an end, marking a significant event in the Bosnian War and the dissolution of Yugoslavia.
Exploring the Sarajevo Tunnel of Hope.
Our next destination was the Sarajevo Tunnel of Hope, known as “Tunel spasa” in Bosnian. This historically significant underground passage played a vital role during the Sarajevo Siege and has now become a museum open to visitors.
This tunnel was built in secret during the War and the siege of Sarajevo in 1993. It was used to smuggle essential supplies, food, medicine, and weapons into the city, which was surrounded by Bosnian-Serb forces. The tunnel extended 800 metres and had a height of 1.65 metres. Its starting point outside the city was hidden beneath a family’s house who generously allowed its use. Our guide, who experienced the war firsthand, shared stories of crossing the dark and sometimes flooded tunnel.
Walking through Sarajevo’s Survival Stories
In our second tour focused on the Siege of Sarajevo, we had a guide who was just a child during the conflict. This perspective provided us with a different point of view of the recent history. We wandered through the city’s streets as our guide shared stories of how people coped or survived during that period.
Symbols of Resilience
One significant detail that took my attention was the sculptures hanging over the river, known as Enes Sivac’s Equilibrists. These sculptures were created during the war, serving as a testament to the creative ways people found to improve their lives during war times. The sculptures were installed over the river and they remain in the same location today.
Sarajevo Roses
One thing you will notice after a day of walking in Sarajevo are the red marks on the ground, often referred to as “Sarajevo roses.” These marks are actually mortar shell impact craters from the Siege, filled with red resin as a commemoration of the locations where people lost their lives in the attacks.
Hotel Holiday Inn: A Witness to History
During this tour, we also passed by the Hotel Holiday Inn, where all the international press were located during the War and continues to operate as a hotel today. Our guide explained how people had to navigate the streets carefully to avoid sniper shots, sometimes seeking cover behind UN tanks to move to other parts of the city. Our guide, who was a child during this period, also shared stories of how people organised school classes in various building basements.
The Can of Meat Monument
During the Siege of Sarajevo, one of the essential food supplies provided by the UN and other international organisations was canned meat. Our guide remembered this food due to its monotonous taste, but he never complained. An artist created a satirical 1.5-meter monument of this canned meat, placed in front of the UN offices in Sarajevo. As I found online, the monument serves as a commentary on the hardships and absurdities faced by the citizens of Sarajevo during the Siege.
Conclusion
These two tours provided an interesting insight into the recent history of Sarajevo. I totally recommend taking one of these tours and also visiting the abandoned Bobsleigh track from the 1984 Winter Olympic Games.
If you have more time, consider exploring other sites in Sarajevo. I did not have enough time but the following places were on my list. The Yellow Fortress, built in the 18th century, offers stunning sunset views and is just a 15-minute walk from Pigeon Square. Near the fortress, you will find the Martyrs’ Memorial Cemetery Kovaci. It stands as the primary resting place for those who lost their lives during the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s. This cemetery, with tombs dating as far back as the 15th century, serves as a multi-ethnic burial ground, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of the people of Sarajevo, including Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims), Croats (Bosnian Catholics), and Serbs (Bosnian Orthodox).
This was my last day visiting Sarajevo, a city that certainly deserves at least three days of exploration, although many tourists only visit for a single day. You should consider extending your stay in Sarajevo and explore other places in Bosnia-Herzegovina. On my next stage of this Balkan journey, I was heading to Srebrenica to learn more from the region’s history, its struggles, and the horrors of war. We were lucky to know that our previous guide, the war veteran, would be our guide for the upcoming visit to Srebrenica on the next stage of our journey through the Balkans.
Next: Srebrenica
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