Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
might be the most touristy street in Sarajevo, so the prices aren't a bargain, but it's a fun
stroll.
Walk all the way down Coppersmiths' Street—jogging right at the end—until you pop
out around the corner, on
Locksmiths' Street
(Bravadžiluk). Most locals call this lane
“
Ć
evapi
Street”foritsmany
ć
evabdžinica
(shopssellingthetastyminced-meat,grilledsaus-
agescalled
ć
evap
č
i
ć
i
).You'llalsoseeseveral
buregdžinica
(shopssellingthesavoryphyllo-
dough pastry called
burek
; my favorite, the recommended Buregdžinica Sa
č
, is just down a
side lane off of this street).
Look left, to the yellow-and-brown-striped building at the end of the block. This is
one of the city's main landmarks, the
City Hall
(Vije
ć
nica)—the best example of Austrian
Historicist-style architecture from the 40 years of Habsburg rule. While it looks Islamic,
it was designed by a Czech architect who went to Morocco to find inspiration—so it has
no connection at all to local culture. Later converted into the City Library, this landmark
building—and its books—were destroyed by shells in 1992; today it's being restored, and
is scheduled to open as a museum in 2014. This building is also the place where, on June
28,1914,thatempire'sheir,ArchdukeFranzFerdinand,beganafatefuldrivethroughtown.
(We'll see where that trip ended later on this walk.)
Now turn right and walk a half-block down Locksmiths' Street, popping out at the bot-
tom of the square where we started this walk. On your right is the
Baš
č
aršija Mosque,
the
first of many we'll see throughout town (though this one is closed to the public). Kitty-
corner from the mosque, notice the copper domes on the roof of the covered market hall
(Brusa Bezistan). Dating from 1551, this market hall now holds the
City History Museum,
with a great model of late 19th-century Sarajevo and other good exhibits (worth visiting for
an introduction to the city, and described later under “Sights in Sarajevo”).
