Baščaršija
Baščaršija is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Sarajevo audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~60 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type market
- Suggested visit ~60 min
- Sarajevo Sarajevo guide
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About Baščaršija
The old Ottoman bazaar and beating heart of Sarajevo, a maze of cobbled lanes of coppersmiths, cafes and grills around the wooden Sebilj fountain, where mosque, church and synagogue stand almost side by side.
Baščaršija is the old Ottoman bazaar and the historic heart of Sarajevo, built up in the fifteenth century after the Ottoman governor Isa-beg Ishaković founded the city. Its name is Turkish for 'main bazaar', and its cobbled lanes were once organised by trade: the saddlers' street, the coppersmiths' street, the covered markets. Today those lanes are full of shops selling hammered copper and brass, woodwork and sweets, and cafes serving Bosnian coffee and grilled ćevapi.
At its centre is Baščaršija Square, nicknamed Pigeon Square, with the Sebilj, a wooden Ottoman-style public fountain; the present one of 1891 replaced an earlier fountain of 1753, and local belief says that whoever drinks from it will return to Sarajevo. Within this small quarter stand a great mosque, an Orthodox church and, close by, the old Sephardic synagogue, the heart of the city's reputation as the 'Jerusalem of Europe'.
Did you know? Baščaršija is Sarajevo's old Ottoman bazaar, laid out in the fifteenth century and once organised by trade; its lanes still hold coppersmiths, craft shops and ćevapi grills.
How long should you spend at Baščaršija?
Plan about ~60 min at Baščaršija. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is Baščaršija worth visiting?
Baščaršija is one of the 13 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Sarajevo, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Sarajevo
Sources and further reading
Where to check the facts about Baščaršija and read more:
Day 2 of the Sarajevo in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of Baščaršija
Preview the Sarajevo tour free in the Gingerguide app.