URBAN_FLEXIBILITY

Historical Building Period in Sarajevo

First Building Period

In the begining Turkish comanders lived very likely in the fort itself. Later, however, they transformed these objects to residential zones moving areas of the fort to new location next to river Miljacka, which is crossing through Sarajevo.

Seckond Building Period

In the year 1521 Gazi Husrev Bey was appointed to the office of the Sandjak Bay. He ruled the country with short breaks till the year 1541. Husrev Bey´s term mark

the beginning of the golden age of the architecture of old Sarajevo. First of all hi promoted the development of the business center in old town, where he build a group of various religious

buildings and so-called Bey´s mousque; furthure a huge bezistan (covered market), with 60 stores in business center. Husrev Bey´s examples was followed by other well-to-do

people, so that soon lively architectural activity set in. Mosque after Mosque was build high up in the old town of Sarajevo. The population streaming at that time

from the rural areas to the town, settled first in the neighbouring villages which belonged to the near by Mahalas (neigbourhood units) of the town. But as soon

new mosque was build in a village it became Mahala. The names of these Mahalas shows that they evolved from from villages.

Third Building Period

This last period of architectual activity begins with the death of Husrev Bey in 1541 and comes close in to the 16th century.

The residential area called ”Carsija”, had in the main been completed already before that time. Toward the close of the 16th century Sarajevo had about 50,000

innhabitants, 100 mosques, 2 churches, 1 synagogue, several public places, 3 high schools, 6 public baths, 3 markets, several store houses, numerous hotels,

about 1000 shops and 10 000 dwelling houses and gardens. The town water was supply from numerous near and far sources. When in the seckond half of the 16th

century Sarajevo ceased to be capital of Bosnia, it expanded no further. Yet the town remained, in spite of all viccisitudes, the most progressive town in Bosnia, a

fact which was due chifely to its favorable location.