aaminion00
Stoned
A Brief History of Sarajevo
This whole article (or close to 95%) was written by me, as part of a larger document on the city of Sarajevo that I plan to post on an online encyclopedia. In effect, this is basically a sneak preview of the history section that I am giving the civfanatics history community, and I would appreciate it if nobody copied it or used it without my permission. Sarajevo is a very interesting city, and has a rich history that is hard to condense. Numerous details and tidbits of it's past have been left out, as considering the intent I had at writing, this was mostly meant to cover all the major periods of the city's history and major points of interest. My sources for this are:
- www.wikipedia.org
- www.sarajevo.ba (in Bosnian)
- Noel Malcom's, "Bosnia - A Short History"
Thank you and I hope you like this.
- Harun.B (AAminion00)
--------------------
The present day site of Sarajevo has a long and rich history dating back to the Stone Age. There were no people in the region in the Paleolithic era, although the remains of ancient animals have been found, such as those of the ancient bear species, Ursus Spelaeus. Excavation for the period has never been very comprehensive however, and if the Sarajevo area was indeed inhabited during the Paleolithic era, the residents were probably Neanderthals.
As far as certified finds, archeology can safely say that the Sarajevo region has been continuously inhabited by humans since the Neolithic age. The most famous example of a Neolithic settlement in the Sarajevo area is that of the Butmir culture. The discoveries at Butmir were made on the grounds of modern day Sarajevo suburb Ilida in 1893 by Austrio-Hungarian authorities during construction of an agricultural school. The areas richness in flint was no doubt attractive to Neolithic man, and the settlement appears to have flourished. The most stunning aspects of the settlement are the unique ceramics and pottery designs which identified the Butmir people as a very unique culture. This was largely responsible for the International congress of archeology and Anthropology meeting in Sarajevo in 1894.
The next prominent inhabitants of Sarajevo were the Illyrians. The ancient people that considered most of the West Balkans as their homeland had several key settlements in the region, mostly around the river Miljaćka and Sarajevo valley. The Illyrians in the Sarajevo region belonged to the tribe Daesitates, a war-like bunch who were the last to resist Roman occupation. Their defeat to the Roman emperor Tiberius in 9 a.d. marks the start of Roman rule in the region.
During Roman rule, Sarajevo was part of the province of Dalmatia. A major Roman road ran through the Miljaćka river valley connecting the rich coastal cities of Dalmatia and the Adriatic coast with Pannonia to the North. The importance of road can be seen by the numerous Roman artifacts found in the heart of Sarajevo itself over the years. On the left bank of the Miljaćka there were once found Roman bricks and an inscription indicating a construction yard and, nearby, a bath house. The biggest known settlement in the region however was known as Aquae S... (Probably Aquae Sulphurae) on top of present day Ilida.
During the Middle Ages Sarajevo was part of the Bosnian province of Vrhbosna near the traditional center of the kingdom. Though a city called Vrhbosna existed, the exact settlement of Sarajevo at this time is debated. During the high middle ages various documents make note of a place called Tornik in the region. By all indications however, Tornik was a very small marketplace surrounded by a proportionally small village not considered very important by Ragusan merchants. Others meanwhile say that Vrhbosna was a major city located in the middle of modern day Sarajevo. Indeed, Papal documents say that in 1238, a Cathedral to Saint Paul was built in the city. Even disciples of the famous Saint Cyril and Saint Methodus had stopped by the region, establishing a church at Vrelobosna (the spring of the river Bosna, found very close to modern day Sarajevo). Whether this city was indeed located at modern day Sarajevo or not, an important city called Vrhbosna did indeed exist at the time and the region was of great importance.
Sarajevo as we know it today was founded by the Ottoman Empire in the 1450s upon conquering the region, with 1461 typically used as the citys founding date. The first Ottoman governor of Bosnia, Isa-Beg Iaković, transformed whatever cluster of villages there was there into a city and state capitol by building a number of key objects, including a mosque, a closed marketplace, a public bath, a hostel, and of course the governors castle (Saray) which gave the city its present name. The mosque was named Carova Damija (the Tsars Mosque) in honor of the Sultan Mehmed II. With the improvements Sarajevo quickly grew into the largest city in the region. Many Christians converted to Islam at this time, and Ottoman documents of the time in the region, often mention people such as "Mehmed, son of Ivan", et cetera.
Under the wise leadership of people such as Gazi Husrev-Beg (the citys greatest donor who built most of what is now the Old Town) Sarajevo grew at a rapid rate. Sarajevo became known for its large marketplace and numerous mosques, which by the middle of the 16th century were over a hundred in number. At its height, Sarajevo was the biggest and most important Ottoman city in the Balkans after Istanbul itself. By 1660, the population of Sarajevo was estimated to be over 80,000. Comparatively, Belgrade in 1838 had a mere 12,963 inhabitants, and Zagreb as late as 1851 had a lowly 14,000 people. Things went mostly downhill for Sarajevo from there. In 1699 prince Eugene of Savoy set the entire city to the torch. Numerous other fires weakened the city as well, so that by 1807 it only had some 60,000 residents (although this was still considerably more than New York City at the time).
In the 1830s the area around the city was ground to several battles of the Bosnian rebellion, led by Hussein Kapetan Gradaćević. Today, a major city street is named Dragon of Bosnia in his honor. The rebellion however, failed, and the crumbling Ottoman state remained in control of Bosnia for several more decades. Finally in 1878, Bosnia was occupied by Austria-Hungary. Architects and engineers who endeavored to rebuild Sarajevo as a modern European capital rushed to the city. They were unexpectedly aided by a fire that burned down a large part of the central city area (čarija). This has resulted in a unique blend of the remaining Ottoman city market and contemporary western architecture. Sarajevo hosts some shiny examples of Secession and Pseudo-Moorish styles that date from this period.
The Austria-Hungarian period was one of great development for the city as the Western power brought its new acquisition up to the standards of the Victorian age. Various factories and other buildings were built at this time, and a large number of institutions were both Westernized and modernized. For the first time in history, Sarajevos population began writing in Latin script.
In the event that triggered World War I, Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria and his wife were assassinated in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914 by Serbian radical Gavrilo Princip. Anti-Serb violence flared up throughout the city, although Bosniak religious leaders urged restraint and even personally gave refuge to some Serb families. After the four bloody years that followed, Sarajevo found itself part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. There it remained until World War II when Sarajevo was occupied by Nazis until it was liberated by Partisan forces in the mid 40s.
Following World War II, Sarajevo grew rapidly as it became an important regional industrial center in Yugoslavia. Modern communist-city blocks were built west of the old city, adding to Sarajevo's architectural uniqueness. The peak of city growth occurred in early 1980s, when Sarajevo was elected to host the 1984 Winter Olympics. The games were a tremendous success and tourism skyrocketed. The euphoria of the Olympics and a good economy would seem very distant in what was to come.
In April 6th, 1992, Sarajevo was surrounded by forces of Bosnian Serbs. The warfare that lasted until the October of 1995 resulted in large scale destruction and dramatic population shifts. Serbian weaponry had severely damaged almost every part of the city. Centers of the media were all heavily damaged and/or destroyed, as were skyscrapers, centers of government, mosques, residential areas, concert halls, synagogues, libraries, and a wide array of other buildings.
Reconstruction of Sarajevo started as soon as the war ended, in 1996. By 2003 most of the city was rebuilt, with only a few remaining visible ruins in the city center. Modern business buildings and skyscrapers were constructed throughout the city, and the development of the Bosmal City Center by the Bosnian Malaysian firm of the same name is nearing completion, upon which it will be the tallest building in the Balkans. Sarajevo has launched bids to host numerous winter Olympic Games, and analysts say that within a few more years of reconstruction and development, its candidature will stand a strong chance. Today Sarajevo is still very much a meeting place for the cultures. Sarajevo is the only city in the world where a Mosque, a Catholic Church, an Orthodox Church, and a Synagogue are within 100 meters of each other.
This whole article (or close to 95%) was written by me, as part of a larger document on the city of Sarajevo that I plan to post on an online encyclopedia. In effect, this is basically a sneak preview of the history section that I am giving the civfanatics history community, and I would appreciate it if nobody copied it or used it without my permission. Sarajevo is a very interesting city, and has a rich history that is hard to condense. Numerous details and tidbits of it's past have been left out, as considering the intent I had at writing, this was mostly meant to cover all the major periods of the city's history and major points of interest. My sources for this are:
- www.wikipedia.org
- www.sarajevo.ba (in Bosnian)
- Noel Malcom's, "Bosnia - A Short History"
Thank you and I hope you like this.
- Harun.B (AAminion00)
--------------------
The present day site of Sarajevo has a long and rich history dating back to the Stone Age. There were no people in the region in the Paleolithic era, although the remains of ancient animals have been found, such as those of the ancient bear species, Ursus Spelaeus. Excavation for the period has never been very comprehensive however, and if the Sarajevo area was indeed inhabited during the Paleolithic era, the residents were probably Neanderthals.
As far as certified finds, archeology can safely say that the Sarajevo region has been continuously inhabited by humans since the Neolithic age. The most famous example of a Neolithic settlement in the Sarajevo area is that of the Butmir culture. The discoveries at Butmir were made on the grounds of modern day Sarajevo suburb Ilida in 1893 by Austrio-Hungarian authorities during construction of an agricultural school. The areas richness in flint was no doubt attractive to Neolithic man, and the settlement appears to have flourished. The most stunning aspects of the settlement are the unique ceramics and pottery designs which identified the Butmir people as a very unique culture. This was largely responsible for the International congress of archeology and Anthropology meeting in Sarajevo in 1894.
The next prominent inhabitants of Sarajevo were the Illyrians. The ancient people that considered most of the West Balkans as their homeland had several key settlements in the region, mostly around the river Miljaćka and Sarajevo valley. The Illyrians in the Sarajevo region belonged to the tribe Daesitates, a war-like bunch who were the last to resist Roman occupation. Their defeat to the Roman emperor Tiberius in 9 a.d. marks the start of Roman rule in the region.
During Roman rule, Sarajevo was part of the province of Dalmatia. A major Roman road ran through the Miljaćka river valley connecting the rich coastal cities of Dalmatia and the Adriatic coast with Pannonia to the North. The importance of road can be seen by the numerous Roman artifacts found in the heart of Sarajevo itself over the years. On the left bank of the Miljaćka there were once found Roman bricks and an inscription indicating a construction yard and, nearby, a bath house. The biggest known settlement in the region however was known as Aquae S... (Probably Aquae Sulphurae) on top of present day Ilida.
During the Middle Ages Sarajevo was part of the Bosnian province of Vrhbosna near the traditional center of the kingdom. Though a city called Vrhbosna existed, the exact settlement of Sarajevo at this time is debated. During the high middle ages various documents make note of a place called Tornik in the region. By all indications however, Tornik was a very small marketplace surrounded by a proportionally small village not considered very important by Ragusan merchants. Others meanwhile say that Vrhbosna was a major city located in the middle of modern day Sarajevo. Indeed, Papal documents say that in 1238, a Cathedral to Saint Paul was built in the city. Even disciples of the famous Saint Cyril and Saint Methodus had stopped by the region, establishing a church at Vrelobosna (the spring of the river Bosna, found very close to modern day Sarajevo). Whether this city was indeed located at modern day Sarajevo or not, an important city called Vrhbosna did indeed exist at the time and the region was of great importance.
Sarajevo as we know it today was founded by the Ottoman Empire in the 1450s upon conquering the region, with 1461 typically used as the citys founding date. The first Ottoman governor of Bosnia, Isa-Beg Iaković, transformed whatever cluster of villages there was there into a city and state capitol by building a number of key objects, including a mosque, a closed marketplace, a public bath, a hostel, and of course the governors castle (Saray) which gave the city its present name. The mosque was named Carova Damija (the Tsars Mosque) in honor of the Sultan Mehmed II. With the improvements Sarajevo quickly grew into the largest city in the region. Many Christians converted to Islam at this time, and Ottoman documents of the time in the region, often mention people such as "Mehmed, son of Ivan", et cetera.
Under the wise leadership of people such as Gazi Husrev-Beg (the citys greatest donor who built most of what is now the Old Town) Sarajevo grew at a rapid rate. Sarajevo became known for its large marketplace and numerous mosques, which by the middle of the 16th century were over a hundred in number. At its height, Sarajevo was the biggest and most important Ottoman city in the Balkans after Istanbul itself. By 1660, the population of Sarajevo was estimated to be over 80,000. Comparatively, Belgrade in 1838 had a mere 12,963 inhabitants, and Zagreb as late as 1851 had a lowly 14,000 people. Things went mostly downhill for Sarajevo from there. In 1699 prince Eugene of Savoy set the entire city to the torch. Numerous other fires weakened the city as well, so that by 1807 it only had some 60,000 residents (although this was still considerably more than New York City at the time).
In the 1830s the area around the city was ground to several battles of the Bosnian rebellion, led by Hussein Kapetan Gradaćević. Today, a major city street is named Dragon of Bosnia in his honor. The rebellion however, failed, and the crumbling Ottoman state remained in control of Bosnia for several more decades. Finally in 1878, Bosnia was occupied by Austria-Hungary. Architects and engineers who endeavored to rebuild Sarajevo as a modern European capital rushed to the city. They were unexpectedly aided by a fire that burned down a large part of the central city area (čarija). This has resulted in a unique blend of the remaining Ottoman city market and contemporary western architecture. Sarajevo hosts some shiny examples of Secession and Pseudo-Moorish styles that date from this period.
The Austria-Hungarian period was one of great development for the city as the Western power brought its new acquisition up to the standards of the Victorian age. Various factories and other buildings were built at this time, and a large number of institutions were both Westernized and modernized. For the first time in history, Sarajevos population began writing in Latin script.
In the event that triggered World War I, Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria and his wife were assassinated in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914 by Serbian radical Gavrilo Princip. Anti-Serb violence flared up throughout the city, although Bosniak religious leaders urged restraint and even personally gave refuge to some Serb families. After the four bloody years that followed, Sarajevo found itself part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. There it remained until World War II when Sarajevo was occupied by Nazis until it was liberated by Partisan forces in the mid 40s.
Following World War II, Sarajevo grew rapidly as it became an important regional industrial center in Yugoslavia. Modern communist-city blocks were built west of the old city, adding to Sarajevo's architectural uniqueness. The peak of city growth occurred in early 1980s, when Sarajevo was elected to host the 1984 Winter Olympics. The games were a tremendous success and tourism skyrocketed. The euphoria of the Olympics and a good economy would seem very distant in what was to come.
In April 6th, 1992, Sarajevo was surrounded by forces of Bosnian Serbs. The warfare that lasted until the October of 1995 resulted in large scale destruction and dramatic population shifts. Serbian weaponry had severely damaged almost every part of the city. Centers of the media were all heavily damaged and/or destroyed, as were skyscrapers, centers of government, mosques, residential areas, concert halls, synagogues, libraries, and a wide array of other buildings.
Reconstruction of Sarajevo started as soon as the war ended, in 1996. By 2003 most of the city was rebuilt, with only a few remaining visible ruins in the city center. Modern business buildings and skyscrapers were constructed throughout the city, and the development of the Bosmal City Center by the Bosnian Malaysian firm of the same name is nearing completion, upon which it will be the tallest building in the Balkans. Sarajevo has launched bids to host numerous winter Olympic Games, and analysts say that within a few more years of reconstruction and development, its candidature will stand a strong chance. Today Sarajevo is still very much a meeting place for the cultures. Sarajevo is the only city in the world where a Mosque, a Catholic Church, an Orthodox Church, and a Synagogue are within 100 meters of each other.
