About Sarajevo

Sarajevo

is the political, social and cultural center of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a prominent center of culture in the Balkans, with its region-wide influence in entertainment, media, fashion, and the arts.

The Jerusalem of Europe

It is one of only a few major European cities which have a Mosque, Catholic church, Orthodox church and Synagogue in the same neighborhood.

Sarajevo Canton generates 25% of the country’s GDP. Sarajevo’s large manufacturing, administrative, and tourism sectors make it the strongest economic region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sarajevo’s giants include BH Telecom, Bosnalijek, Energopetrol, Sarajevo Tobacco Factory, and Sarajevska Pivara (Sarajevo Brewery).

Sarajevo has a wide tourist industry and a fast expanding service sector thanks to the strong annual growth in tourist arrivals. Sarajevo also benefits from being both a summer and winter destination with continuity in its tourism throughout the year.

Sarajevo is internationally renowned for its eclectic and diverse selection of over 50 annual festivals. The Sarajevo Film Festival was established in 1995 during the Bosnian War and has become the premier and largest film festival in South-East Europe. It has been hosted at the National Theater, with screenings at the Open-air theater Metalac and the Bosnian Cultural Center, all in downtown Sarajevo. The MESS International Festival is an experimental theater festival and the oldest living theater festival in the Balkans. The annual Sarajevo Youth Film Festival showcases feature, animated and short films from around the world and is the premier student film festival in the Balkans. The Sarajevo Winter Festival, Sarajevo Jazz Festival and Sarajevo International Music Festival are well-known, as is the Baščaršija Nights festival, a month-long showcase of local culture, music, and dance.

The first incarnation of the Sarajevo Film Festival was hosted in still-warring Sarajevo in 1995, and has now progressed into being the biggest and most significant festival in south-eastern Europe.

The Sarajevo Jazz Festival is the region’s largest and most diverse of its kind. The festival takes place at the Bosnian Cultural Center (aka “Main Stage”), just down the street from the SFF, at the Sarajevo Youth Stage Theater (aka “Strange Fruits Stage”), at the Dom Vojske Federacije (aka “Solo Stage”), and at the CDA (aka “Groove Stage”).