History · Sarajevo · Bosnia and Herzegovina
8 historic sites to see in Sarajevo
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Julian Nyča, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, Latin Bridge and Museum Sarajevo 1878–1918 and Sarajevo City Hall (Vijećnica). Together the 8 picks below take roughly 7–8 hours across 4 areas; 2 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 7–8 hours
- Areas
- Baščaršija, Ferhadija and the Austro-Hungarian centre and Ilidža
Historic sites in Sarajevo
Religious site · Baščaršija
1.Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque
It was part of a complex that still includes a madrasa, a library and the covered market.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
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Historic site · Baščaršija
2.Latin Bridge and Museum Sarajevo 1878–1918
The small museum on the corner covers the assassination and Sarajevo under Austro-Hungarian rule.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Iconic
- Rainy day
Architecture · Baščaršija
3.Sarajevo City Hall (Vijećnica)
It burned in August 1992 during the siege, with most of its collection lost, and reopened in 2014 after restoration. Today it hosts exhibitions, concerts and a museum of the building's history.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Street · Ferhadija and the Austro-Hungarian centre
4.Ferhadija and the Meeting of Cultures
Within a short walk are the Ferhadija Mosque, the Catholic Sacred Heart Cathedral, the Orthodox Cathedral of the Nativity of the Theotokos and the old synagogue, now the Jewish Museum.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Religious site · Ferhadija and the Austro-Hungarian centre
5.Sacred Heart Cathedral
Outside, a Sarajevo Rose marks where a mortar shell struck during the siege.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
Historic site · Ilidža
6.Tunnel of Hope (Sarajevo War Tunnel)
A short section is preserved at the Kolar family house in Butmir, with a museum explaining how it was built and used.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Kovači and Vratnik
7.War Childhood Museum
It received the Council of Europe Museum Prize in 2018 and now also collects testimonies from other conflicts.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
Gallery · Ferhadija and the Austro-Hungarian centre
8.Galerija 11/07/95
It also covers the wider siege of Sarajevo.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Baščaršija | Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, Latin Bridge and Museum Sarajevo 1878–1918 and Sarajevo City Hall (Vijećnica) | 30 minutes + 45 minutes + 1 hour |
| Ferhadija and the Austro-Hungarian centre | Ferhadija and the Meeting of Cultures, Sacred Heart Cathedral and Galerija 11/07/95 | 1 hour + 20 minutes + 1–1.5 hours |
| Ilidža | Tunnel of Hope (Sarajevo War Tunnel) | 1–1.5 hours |
| Kovači and Vratnik | War Childhood Museum | 1 hour |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 2 free, 5 low cost, 1 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Tunnel of Hope (Sarajevo War Tunnel); group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 2 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Baščaršija and Ferhadija and the Austro-Hungarian centre): Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque → Latin Bridge and Museum Sarajevo 1878–1918 → Sarajevo City Hall (Vijećnica) → Ferhadija and the Meeting of Cultures → Sacred Heart Cathedral, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Ferhadija and the Austro-Hungarian centre, Ilidža and Kovači and Vratnik): Galerija 11/07/95 → Tunnel of Hope (Sarajevo War Tunnel) → War Childhood Museum, at least 3 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- February: highs of 6°C (43°F), about 11 rainy days, quiet crowds. Still snowy and cold, good for combining a city break with skiing in the Olympic mountains.
- March: highs of 11°C (52°F), about 11 rainy days, quiet crowds. Thawing and changeable; the first sunny café terraces appear, though snow can still fall.
- January: highs of 4°C (39°F), about 12 rainy days, quiet crowds. Cold with frequent snow; the city looks beautiful in white, but inversions can bring heavy smog to the valley.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Baščaršija — The Ottoman old bazaar of copper workshops, mosques and ćevabdžinicas
- Ferhadija and the Austro-Hungarian centre — Pedestrian streets, cafés and Habsburg façades west of the bazaar
- Kovači and Vratnik — Old Ottoman hill neighbourhoods rising to the Yellow Fortress
- Ilidža — Spa suburb near the airport with a tree-lined avenue to Vrelo Bosne
More of Sarajevo
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Sarajevo?
Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque. Built in 1530–1531 for the Ottoman governor Gazi Husrev-beg, this is the most important mosque in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a tall stone minaret, a fountain courtyard and the founder's tomb.
+Which of these are free in Sarajevo?
Ferhadija and the Meeting of Cultures and Sacred Heart Cathedral.