Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Street in Sarajevo Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sniper Alley was the wartime name for Zmaja od Bosne street and Meša Selimović Boulevard, Sarajevo's main road linking the industrial district and the airport with the old town and its landmarks. During the siege of Sarajevo (1992 to 1995), snipers of the besieging Serb forces covered it from the high-rise buildings along it and from the surrounding hills, and crossing it became a daily danger for civilians. People still had to move around to survive, fetching water and bread, going to work or hospital. They sprinted across junctions or waited for UN armoured vehicles to walk behind, and signs reading Pazi – Snajper! (Watch out – Sniper!) appeared on walls. Figures gathered in 1995 say snipers wounded 1,030 people and killed 225, dozens of them children. Today it is a busy modern boulevard with trams and new buildings, including the yellow Holiday hotel where journalists stayed during the war, the National Museum and the History Museum. Walking it with its story in mind changes how you see the city and its people.
It is always open; the best way to take it in is to ride the tram along it, or join a local guide who lived through the war. Combine it with the History Museum, the War Childhood Museum and the Tunnel of Hope to understand the siege. Treat the memorials along the way, such as the red-painted Sarajevo Roses in the pavement, with respect.
Hours and prices change — check before you go. Source: en.wikipedia.org
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MosqueSarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
