Wikipedia travel invitingly describes Sarajevo as one of the most historically interesting and varied cities in Europe. Set in a mountain valley, it is astounding to look out over the city and realize that for 1,300 days between 1992 and 1995 the city was under a medieval-style siege determined to cut off food, water, electricity and telephones. It was the longest lasting siege in modern European history. Then its population was about 300,000 and today it is still not a huge city.
We came in after a very long drive out of Bulgaria, across Serbia and into Bosnia finally climbing down alpine mountains and through narrow valleys into a city under lock down traffic control–the City Hall was opening after renovation and repair from the siege–all of Sarajevo was turned out to celebrate!! Redirected by the police and helped many times by locals we are in and settled surrounded by the buzz of celebration.
For the most part, the city has physically recovered from the majority of the war damage caused by the Yugoslav Wars. About 400.000 people live in its very livable, vibrant and busy urban areas. The bridge in Sarajevo is directly across the street from where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was killed by a Serbian assassin, setting in motion the beginning of and World War I.
Last Stretch of Road into Sarajevo
The View from our Room
