Articles

Metamorphosis of a City: From Constantinople to Istanbul

Istanbul, an example of the cultural exchange between civilisations occurring throughout the history of humankind, is a witness to how Byzantine sacred monuments were preserved by the Ottomans after the conquest of Constantinople in 1453. It therefore grants us the privilege of admiring masterpieces of Byzantine architecture today.

Ottoman Bridges in Sarajevo

Of all the cities in Bosnia, the biggest concentration of the bridges in city area was in Sarajevo, the capital city divided by the river Miljacka where most of the bridges were built on. Also, the bridges were built in the peripheral part of the city on rivers Željeznica and Bosnia. The exact number of bridges is unknown but there was at least seven stone bridges from the Ottoman period, of which four are preserved.

The Old Ottoman Bridge at Plandiste in Sarajevo

The bridge is not monumental but is nonetheless aesthetically pleasing, particularly due to elegance of how it fits perfectly into its natural environment. Built of cut limestone, it possesses seven arches. The landmark bridge at Plandište spans 52 m; it is 4.5 m wide and 4.5 m tall at its highest or middle point.

The Carpet Collection from the Gazi Husrev Beg Mosque

The new decade for the Gazi Hisrev Beg Mosque, when it comes to rugs, begins in the period of Yugoslavia (1945-91). Considering that Yugoslavia was part of the political bloc of non-aligned, it was often visited by presidents and monarchs from Muslim countries.

The Art of Carpet Weaving in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The fact that kilim became a status among Bosniak Muslim nobility is documented by the travel writers. Thus, one of the members of the delegation of Austrian Emperor Ferdinand I, in 1530, wrote that near Sarajevo they were received by the Bosnian regent of Gazi Husrev Beg in his tent whose floor was covered with 'a very beautiful carpet'.