Sarajevo City Hall, Federacija Bosne i Hercegovine, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sarajevo City Hall despite being one of the landmarks of the city was closed to visitors on my first visits in 2006 & 2007. Housing the National Library it was targeted with munitions, set on fire, and almost burnt to the ground. The damaged building remained derelict and closed off to the public.
With funding and donations the building was able to be restored and reopened to the public in recent years. Despite is Moorish looks it was actually built by the Austrians during the Hapsburg rule from 1878-1914 not by the earlier Ottoman Turks.
Entrance is 10 BM (5 Euros). First there is a small exhibit on War Crimes Tribunal, Chief Prosecutors, and individuals indicted for war crimes.
Some are still living out their sentences at The Hague
The interior is very impressive and worth visiting. I had only seen it in early pictures from its early years or after its restoration
There was a gallery of all the past Mayors, typical of political buildings. It was interesting to see the change of dress from Ottoman to more European, and the fashions of recent decades
There is the current council chamber we can only view from behind a rope. There is also a small exhibit of the visit of Franz Ferdinand before his assassination in 1914
In the basement was the most interesting part. This has been converted into a museum of the history of the building
Understandably there are exhibits about the war damage, fire, and years of derelict years
This was something I had not seen inside on my last two visits and very impressive
See also Vlog - (12 mins) - https://youtu.be/ViXclZj0cjc
2025-05-22