The Fountain

This ornamental drinking fountain, looking more like an enclosed oriental gazebo, dates from 1891. Such fountains were common in the lands that were ruled by The Ottoman Empire.

The fountain marks the centre of Baščaršija's central square. Baščaršija in the very heart of old Sarajevo and its name is derived from the Turkish for “main market”. Today, the square still lined with stalls, lively (if tourist-centric) coppersmiths' alleys, grand Ottoman mosques, caravanserai (inn) restaurants and lots of inviting little cafes.

Ringed by mountains, Sarajevo is a singular city with an enticing East-meets-West vibe all of its own. It was once renowned as a religious melting pot, earning it the epithet ‘the Jerusalem of Europe’. Within a few blocks you can still find large Catholic and Orthodox cathedrals, Ashkenazi and Sephardic synagogues, and numerous mosques. The scars of the longest siege in modern European history are still painfully visible, yet Sarajevo is once again a wonderful place to visit – for its intriguing architectural medley, vibrant street life and irrepressible spirit.