Architecture of Bosnia & Herzegovina. Must see and must visit landmarks

» The Evangelical single-domed church is a cultural oasis. There is the Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo.
»  The building was built in the late 19th century, in the period of the Austro-Hungarian War. Many Protestants came to the city at that time.
»  According to the architect’s project, it was decided to construct the complex on the river embankment that would include a church, a preacher’s house, and a school. The main building is linked with side constructions by passages.
»  In 1899, there was a lack of money for completing the construction. The house for the preacher and the chancellery were built in 1905. The school was founded six years after.
»  The church has the shape of the cross. Much attention is paid to its dome.
»  The First World War ended. The number of people visiting the Protestant Church decreased. It was difficult to keep the cathedral, so it was gifted to the municipality.
»  There are academy classes inside. Artists, sculptors, designers, and future art experts study here.
»  The memorial plate says about the purpose of the educational institution.
»  The Academy of Fine Arts was opened in 1972.
»  The historical building of the Academy is a protected object of the Cultural Heritage Institute.

» The city construction is officially named the Olympic Stadium Asim Ferhatovic Hase. Originally, it was named Kosevo.
»  The biggest sports ground hosted the opening ceremony of the 14th Winter Olympics.
»  The construction of the Olimpijski stadion Asim Ferhatoviс Hase began in 1946 and was completed in 1947.
»  In 1954, Yugoslav and Turkish played competed here. 12 year later, runners from Southeast Europe fought for the champion title.
»  The new administrative building and the restaurant were built exactly for this event. The lighting system was updated too. Wooden benches were removed and replaced by separate plastic seats.
»  The stadium is named after Asim Ferhatović. When he was young, the forward played had played for the second team for 2 years. He played 70 matches and scored 52 goals.
»  The full capacity of the stadium is 37 500 fans. During concerts, it can accommodate 80 000 spectators.
»  The stadium belongs to the city council of Sarajevo.
»  The playing field is covered with natural grass. Its total area is 105x68 m.
»  The stadium was reconstructed twice.

» There is a skyscraper in the city. Avaz Twist is one of the highest new buildings in the Balkans. The construction with a 30-meter antenna is 172 m high.
»  The construction lasted 36 months (2006-2009).
»  The curled Avaz Twist Tower attracts with its mirror facade. It looks like a solid monolith faced with blue glass. 40 floors are full of life. Remarkably, all the levels apart from the upper two floors are hexangular and the others are round.
»  During the construction, 23 m3 of concrete mixture and 3000000 kg of iron were used.
»  The total area of the building is 32 m2.
»  You can use any of 38 lifts. Lifts go with a speed of 5 m/s.
»  There is an observation platform at a height of 150 m. You need to up 780 steps to reach it. The terrace has a panoramic view of the surroundings. In the warm season, the platform is visited by 10 000 travelers.
»  There is also a food outlet.
»  The media group has a headquarter and an editorial office here. The tower is named after the publishing house.
»  There are its offices. The five-star Radon Plaza Hotel is located in a separate area.

Location on the map:   Interesting facts: » There was an old dilapidated building (1882) at the site of the modern Church of St. Anthony of Padua. Its foundation was made of stone. The house was built of wood. Over time, the House of God was dilapidated and could be a danger to worshipers’ life.
»  The funds for the new construction had been collected for 8 years. In March 1912, the first brick was solemnly laid in the foundation. The construction lasted 7 months.
»  The choir was founded in 1925. Chants are accompanied by organ music.
»  The building was restored in the 60s. Famous architects have painted the church for 20 years.
»  The vault is 15 m high.
»  The 50-meter tower with a belfry was added to the main building. There are 5 bells on it. One of them weighs 4 tons.
»  The interior is very luxurious. You can see artistic canvasses, sculptures, mosaic walls, and frescoes made by Croat masters. The collection of paintings consists of 100 masterpieces of different epochs.
»  The cathedral is also famous for its history and cultural heritage. It was a place where faithful citizens loved spending their time.
»  The House of God has been opening its doors to followers of all religions for a century.

Location on the map:   Interesting facts: » The only Orthodox cathedral is the Church of the Holy Transfiguration. It is a religious monument. It was founded in 1940. The building was blessed by Patriarch Gabriel V.
»  There are a lot of arched doorways on the ground floor. At the second level, there are many oval windows. They decorate the entire domed tower. There is a cross on the central doors.
»  The Serbian temple was repeatedly looted by violators. Vandals broke windows and stole citizens’ donations. Over 20 incidents have taken place here for 8 years.
»  The church is named after the event taking place on Mount Favor. Christ disclosed the miracle of his greatness and glory here. That is why clergymen wear white clothes during celebrations.
»  Up to 50 thousand followers of orthodoxy from the entire region come to this sacred place.
»  In times of interethnic issues, the church was damaged. It started to be reconstructed after the war. Frescoes needed to be additionally restored. The reconstruction started in 2004.
»  The Church of the Holy Transfiguration was designed by a famous architect. He based on the Serbian and Byzantium architectural style.

Location on the map:   Interesting facts: » The Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was constructed in 1863 on the petition of the Orthodox Community that asked the government of the Ottoman Empire for building the House of God.
»  The sultan donated 556 gold coins to the construction of the temple. Merchants of Sarajevo paid the missing amount. The Russian Government gifted church utensils, theological books, robes for churchmen, and icons. The best artists were invited to paint the walls.
»  There is a 45-meter chapel near the church. It is decorated with carving.
»  Tin bells were used as cannons during the First World War. Now, the tower is crowned by the unusual dome.
»  The interior is decorated with frescoes. They depict the same patterns as arched and vaults do.
»  This is how the first religious building appeared.
»  Groups of negatively predisposed Muslims wanted to sabotage the blessing. The sultan sent the guard and artillery there for the safe rite.
»  The single-domed church attracts with its red and yellow facade. Windows have shaped frames. Some windows are stained glass.

Location on the map:   Interesting facts: » In the city district, there is a mosque built in 1562.
»  Ferhat Pasha donated for the construction but demanded ransom for the General Auersperg’s son he captured. The construction of many houses cost 30 000 golden ducats.
»  The nearby school, the canteen, and fountains were destroyed by fire. There are preserved 20 gravestones in the territory.
»  The famous Mullah Mustafa Bašeskija wrote the chronicles and worked in the school at the mosque.
»  The dome was damaged during military operations of the last war in 1993 and removed. The Muslim building was blown up and its remains were delivered outside the settlement.
»  The restoration process was quite painstaking. During the restoration, items of the architectural style that was common for buildings of the 16th-17th centuries were found.
»  The niche in the wall that turns to Mecca dates back to the 16th century.
»  In 2016, the new mosque opening ceremony was visited by 8 000 people, including representatives of confessions from other countries.
»  The Ferhadija Mosque differs from other mosques in its architectural plan. The house is multi-domed and has the shape of a pyramid. The stairs become narrower at the entrance. You can enter the prayer room from the outdoor gallery.

» The Beg Mosque, as it is called by the citizens, is a building of white stone and the monument of Muslim architecture. It was built in 1531.
»  The money for its construction was donated by Gazi Hüsrev Bey. He was the representative of the sultan in Sarajevo and the city reached its high point when he ruled. The exterior of the building reminded the ruler of Istanbul.
»  The House of God impresses with its strict lines and the absence of excessive decorative elements on the facade. Wall panels are decorated with the eastern ornament of geometric figures and flowers.
»  The 26-meter dome is supported by the walls that are 2 m thick.
»  There is a belief that Gazi hid golden coins into the bricks. He bricked up so many coins that they could be used to pay for the construction.
»  There are 51 windows. Rectangles give much natural daylight.
»  There are only three round windows. They are quite common for Islamic architecture. This is how the architect left a memory of himself.
»  The inner room has the shape of the square. Each wall is 13 m long.
»  There is a marble fountain bowl in the territory of the complex. It is used for washing. Once, the water was heated for the first time here.
»  In the courtyard, there are graves of eminent people of a bygone era.

» The National Theatre was built on the embankment in 1898.
»  The talented architect who chose the Imperial style was appointed to realize its project. This style features indoor galleries, columns, and vertical wall ledges. Besides this building, Karel Parik designed about 200 constructions for the city.
»  When the building came to the cultural institution, the main entrance was moved from the embankment onto the square. Theatre-goers do not hinder the traffic.
»  The opening ceremony in the Sarajevo National Theatre was held by the manager of the artistic sector of the Ministry of Education. The ceremony was accompanied by the opera Porin by Lisinski.
»  The ballet of Sarajevo was founded in 1946.
»  The building looks impressive (50x47 m). The hall with a parterre, lodges, and balconies accommodates 450 people.
»  There is also a drama team, an opera, and a ballet troupe. The city symphony orchestra gives concerts here.
»  Nowadays, the beautiful mansion is under state protection.
»  Its theatrical performances repeatedly received national and international awards.

Location on the map:   Interesting facts: » The building started to be built in 1892. The authorities paid almost CZK 1000 for the city hall. It was officially opened in 1896.
»  In 1914, the descendant of the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the doors of the room. The death of Archduke Ferdinand caused the First World War.
»  There had been a city hall in the building until 1949. Then, the construction was possessed by a cultural institution.
»  In August 1992, the part of the building was burned during the military operation. 700 handwritten texts, the first printed books, the collection of rarities of the 19th century were lost.
»  Before the siege in Sarajevo, the library fund included 1.5 million items, 155 000 of which are rare editions.
»  The citizens tried to protect them from fire and one person died at that time. It was impossible to keep many exhibits safe.
»  The building was reconstructed in late 2013. The interior was restored. Lost objects were given a new lease of life due to modern technologies.
»  The restoration cost €13 million.
»  The opening of the National and University Library in 2014 was accompanied by the symphony orchestra of Sarajevo.

Location on the map:   Interesting facts: » The building is depicted on the city flag and the state seal of Sarajevo.
»  It was constructed and blessed in 1889. The House of God was consecrated and named after the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
»  The Feast of Corpus Christi was first celebrated exactly at that time. The Sacred Heart symbolizes God’s love for all humankind.
»  In 1997, the Pope came from the Vatican City and examined the cathedral.
»  In the temple, the archdiocese of clergymen was established.
»  The architectural monument is an attraction in the settlement.
»  The carved altar is made of light Italian marble.
»  There are statues of apostles. The main statue is Christ pointing at his Sacred Heart.
»  The Slovene people presented the belfry 5 bells.
»  There are two rectangular chapels at the sides of the cathedral. They are crowned by triangular spires with crosses. The constructions are 43 m high.
»  There is a baptistery in one of the towers. The second tower leads to the belfry.
»  The interior attracts with big stained glass windows made by special order in Australian Innsbruck. Windows depict the scenes of Scripture.

» The Catholic Church is named after St. Joseph. It was built in 1936. Today, it is considered as a historic national attraction of the city. It opened its doors in 1940.
»  When the construction was completed, Pope Pius XII gifted the marble altar “The Heart of Jesus”.
»  The white stone church stands out from other urban constructions and contrasts with them.
»  The archbishop found drawings of a small church in the repository in the Vatican City. It was built in the neighborhood of Rome. The famous architect built the House of God according to this plan. The city hall even allocated a plot for this. Contemporary and traditional technologies were used during the construction.
»  Main supporting elements, such as columns, a vault, and a dome, are made of steel and concrete reinforcement. Wall panels are made of light blocks. They are 0.6 m thick.
»  When the warehouse was blown up in 1945, stained glass windows were damaged. Consequently, they were restored by sketches.
»  Many interior elements - doors, furniture, utensils, and benches - are made of wood.