The first set of photos below were taken in and around a street in Sarajevo nicknamed Sniper Alley. This major thoroughfare was located on the front lines of a siege on the city which began in 1992 and lasted almost 4 years as part of the Bosnian War. It's been about 20 years since that war but many buildings in this area continue to stand damaged.
Walking this street was a major goal of mine during my short stay in Sarajevo - a goal which seemed to perplex my tour guide, who was keen on rushing me past this area. But as a visitor who didn't live through these years personally, seeing this place was one of the only ways I could find my connection to the events. And there were plenty buildings to find bearing the scars of the war. Bullet holes often share the wall space with ritzy retail stores and other new developments as the city tries to find its way forward.
I hope these pictures serve to give interested readers just a small window into the city of Sarajevo and the ways in which it has changed or stayed the same since the war.
Other parts of Sarajevo
Walking this street was a major goal of mine during my short stay in Sarajevo - a goal which seemed to perplex my tour guide, who was keen on rushing me past this area. But as a visitor who didn't live through these years personally, seeing this place was one of the only ways I could find my connection to the events. And there were plenty buildings to find bearing the scars of the war. Bullet holes often share the wall space with ritzy retail stores and other new developments as the city tries to find its way forward.
I hope these pictures serve to give interested readers just a small window into the city of Sarajevo and the ways in which it has changed or stayed the same since the war.
In and around Sniper Alley (Officially Zmaja od Bosne)
Other parts of Sarajevo
A small section of Sarajevo tunnel, built during the war to link the city of Sarajevo with the free Bosnian territory on the other side.
Standing in Sarajevo's bobsled run built for the 1984 Olympics. On one side, it's vandalized with graffiti.
On the other, damaged by artillery and mortar fire during the war.
Standing in a former hotel.
Old Orthodox Church of St. Archangel Mikhail and Gabriel. Some portions of it are said to date back to the 5th and 6th centuries.
A view of the church's interior.
I'm not even going to pretend I've got the journalistic skill to go into any more detail about the Bosnian War in this post. If you'd like to know more about the history, I found this other guy's blog has a concise account with just the right amount of detail for a reader with no prior knowledge of the events.
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