Baščaršija

> ***"The čaršija has in everything, one thousand and eighty stores that are a model of beauty. The čaršija is very attractive and built according to plan."***
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> Evliya Çelebi - Upon his arrival in Sarajevo in late-17th century.
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### Significance

The root of Sarajevo. Cultural center of the city

**Baščaršija** is the oldest area of Sarajevo located in the municipality Stari Grad. Baščaršija lies within the north bank of the Miljacka river. On Baščaršija there are several important historic buildings, such as the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque and Sahat-kula. Today Baščaršija is the major tourist attraction of Sarajevo.

## History

Baščaršija was the beginning of the Sarajevo itself. It was built by Isa-Beg Isaković who founded the city. The first mosque in Sarajevo was built in 1457 at Baščaršija.

Around the main entrance, the *Bazerdžani čaršija* was formed. The *čaršija Kazaz* is situated to the west, and to the north sit both the *čaršija Sedlar* and *Sarača*. The most significant buildings constructed during this period were mosques. Baščaršija's famous mosque was built by Havedža Durak in 1528, and Gazi Husrev-beg built his mosque in 1530.

Gazi Husrev-beg raised a madrassa, a library, a haniqah, the Gazi Husrev-beg Hamam, the Gazi Husrev-beg bezistan, the Morića Han, Sahat-kula and other tourist attractions in Baščaršija. Gazi Husrev-Beg was buried in the harem of his mosque, beside the harem is the Türbe of his freed slave and the first mutevelija of his vakuf, Murat-beg Tardić.

Along with Islamic places of worship erected at that time, Baščaršija is also the location of the Old Orthodox Church, built sometimes during 16th century and first mentioned in Ottoman sources from 1539, and also the first Sephardi temple, called Old Synagogue which is built between 1581-87. Just next to the Old Synagogue (Bosnian: *Stari Hram* = Old Temple) some time later was built New Synagogue (Bosnian: *Novi Hram* = New Temple).

Today the Jewish community uses the more recently erected synagogue just across the Miljacka river, while both Old and New synagogue buildings are used as Jewish cultural centers. The New Synagogue was donated by the Jewish community to the city of Sarajevo and serves as a gallery called Novi Hram. The Old Synagogue building was turned into the Jewish Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is considered to be one of the finest exhibition spaces in the former Yugoslavia.

During the 16th century a number of commercial facilities was built, such as bezistans, hans, and caravanserais. Sarajevo was an important center of trade in the Balkans and had three bezistans (today the Gazi Husrev-Beg and Brusa bezistans are still standing). There were colonies of Venetian and Ragusan traders, and Baščaršija had approximately 12,000 commercial and craft shops.

Sarajevo was burned in 1697 and devastated by the troops of Prince Eugene of Savoy. Travel writer Evliya Çelebi wrote:

> *"The čaršija has in everything, one thousand and eighty stores that are a model of beauty. The čaršija is very attractive and built according to plan."*
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The city of Sarajevo didn't expand significantly until the 19th century. With the Austro-Hungarian occupation in 1878, foreign architects wanted to re-build Sarajevo into a modern European city. A fire contributed to this process, destroying parts of the Stari Grad.

With the liberation of Sarajevo in 1945 after the Second World War, a committee decided that the market should be gradually demolished, believing that it had no role in a modern city. However, the plans were cancelled, and the buildings were left standing.