N.Zagora, D. Šamić
Summary
The objective of this historical exploration was to determine the link between historical transitions and urban development, focusing on the genesis and evolution of open public spaces and public facilities in Sarajevo. Transitions and fragmented histories generally assume political instability and a lack of socio-cultural continuity. In Sarajevo, the legacy of such a dynamic historical trajectory was embodied in its valuable architectural heritage and cultural pluralism. The question that permeates this chapter is: how have the periodical changes of regimes affected the mind-set of the citizens of Sarajevo, their collective spirit and their shared values, and ultimately, their attitude towards the notion of their shared, public space? The creation of public spaces was scarce in the city’s 15th-century transition from the medieval town of Vrhbosna to Ottoman Sarajevo. The Ottoman era clearly favoured the intimacy of private life over the collectivity of public life. One omnipresent architectural element – the wall – served as the acoustic and visual divide between public and private spaces, communal and family life, and secular and spiritual realms. All Ottoman typologies – houses, bazaars, hans and mosques – followed the typical meander compositional schemes with interior atriums, enabling a gradual sequencing of spaces from the public exterior to the private interior realm. By the end of the 19th century, Sarajevo had become the venue of a genuine encounter between East and West. The transition of urban development is legible in the city: Ottoman and Habsburg areas sit side-by-side in chronological alignment. During the latter era, Sarajevo was modernised and westernised according to the models of European cities, and gained 48
