Historical Landmarks & War History Tour with Walkative!

Sarajevo, located in the very centre of Bosnia and Herzegovina, has witnessed many important historical events. It first entered the pages of great history with the attack on the Austrian heir to the throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, in 1914. The assassination of Franz Ferdinand and his wife was the immediate cause of the outbreak of the First World War. More than half a century later, Sarajevo was again in the headlines around the world. The first time was in 1984 when the city, then ruled by the communist government of Yugoslavia, became the host of the 14th Winter Olympics. The event, which became known as the first Winter Olympics held in a socialist country, attracted 1,273 athletes from 49 different countries. The second time was eight years later, in 1992 during the longest and bloodiest siege in European history after the Second World War - the siege of Sarajevo. A city with a standard of living similar to that of western European countries became a war zone for 44 months. Besieged and constantly bombarded by Bosnian Serb troops who had taken up strategic positions in the hills around it, Sarajevo was almost completely cut off from the world. Its inhabitants were deprived of almost everything starting with electricity, food and water. The only escape route from the besieged city became a tunnel that its defenders dug underneath Sarajevo. It was named the Tunnel of Hope.