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Sarajevo

Top architectural sightseeing and landmarks of Sarajevo - ideas on city exploration routes

Sarajevo: Miljacka i most Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, Avaz Twist Tower, Saint Joseph Church, and Church of the Holy Transfiguration are the architectural landmarks, the names of which always remind you the words 'Sarajevo' and 'Bosnia And Herzegovina'. And this is natural, since these prominent landmarks are the ones that shape the historical and architectural look of Sarajevo. Let’s look at these landmarks from high above, namely, from a bird’s eye view – click the video and make a flight over the architectural ensemble of Sarajevo. In the main article, you can also read the most interesting facts about every famous landmark of Sarajevo.

Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, Sarajevo

» 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.

Avaz Twist Tower, Sarajevo

» 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.

Saint Joseph Church, Sarajevo

» 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.

Church of the Holy Transfiguration, Sarajevo

Location on the map:
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.

National and University Library, Sarajevo

Location on the map:
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.

Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sarajevo

Location on the map:
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.
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