BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Casa Europa Mexico presents...
Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country divided into two main regions: Bosnia in the north and Herzegovina in the south. Located in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe, it borders Croatia, Serbia, and Montenegro. It has a small coastline on the Adriatic Sea, in the municipality of Neum, with only 20 km of coastline, won from Croatia in a dispute. Its rural areas, with villages dating back to medieval times, rivers, and lakes, are part of the Dinaric Alps. The capital is Sarajevo, the scene of several historically significant events, such as the origin of World War I in 1914, when Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was assassinated on the "Latin Bridge".
For English, click → Bosnia and Herzegovina
This country, where the official languages are Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian (all with Slavic linguistic roots) and where the dominant religions are Islam and Christianity, both Orthodox and Catholic, has been the scene of wars, occupations, and conflicts of various geopolitical kinds. It was part of the now-defunct Yugoslavia, whose capital was Belgrade (now the capital of Serbia, which we will visit soon). It also was part of the Soviet Union until 1992 when it managed to establish itself as a federal republic, triggering another series of armed conflicts until the European Union intervened and declared a protectorate that remains in effect to this day.
Sarajevo Although this Balkan region has been very conflictive, the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo helped give the city and the country a different face. Little by little, especially since the fall of the Iron Curtain, tourism has discovered that the jewel of Bosnia-Herzegovina is its capital, with its old Ottoman sectors, such as Baščaršija (the bustling Turkish quarter), the Muslim sectors, the sectors reminiscent of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the modern sectors. In its tours, every visitor finds the famous Sebilj Fountain, of pseudo-Ottoman style and surrounded by pigeons. Legend has it that whoever drinks water from this fountain will eventually return to Sarajevo.
Alleys, bridges, and tunnels give the city a special charm. For a break, a snack, or a good meal, let's go to Stari Grad, a corner of the old city, the ideal place for its atmosphere, almost like any city in the East, among its bars and cafes with open-air seating where you can eat the traditional Bosnian cevapi (accompanied by yogurt), a typical Ottoman baklava with Turkish-style coffee, and smoke shisha.
Casa Europa Mexico recommends...
The traditional and national music of Bosnia-Herzegovina is Sevdah or Sevdalinka, influenced by the folk rhythms of Croatia, Montenegro, and Serbia, among others. Sevdah generally expresses sadness and tells small anecdotes and war situations that the country has suffered over the years since its independence.
If you fancy classical music, in this case, nothing better than listening to Vedran Smailović, born on November 11, 1956, in Sarajevo. He is known as the "Cellist of Sarajevo" for his class, achievements, and career. Click on the following link to listen to a sample of his music:
If you want to learn more about the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, we recommend the movie "The Assassination" on Netflix: