When planning a vacation in Sarajevo, one faces a city that has made memory one of its deepest identity elements.
Among the places that testify to the drama of the siege (1992-1996), war cemeteries hold a special place: not only as burial sites but as true spaces of collective memory that tell the story, pain, and resilience of a community. This article explores the significance of these sacred places, from their physical configuration to their role in building the civic and cultural memory of Sarajevo.
The Landscape of Memory: Cemeteries on the Hills
Sarajevo lies in a valley framed by hills. Hills that since the 1990s have been dotted with cemeteries: patches of land clearly visible from every perspective, expanses of white tombstones on green grass. On the gravestones, the same dates repeat like a mantra, testifying to the four years of siege during which nearly 14,000 people, both civilians and fighters, are estimated to have died.
As writer Miljenko Jergović observes, "every cemetery is on a slope above the city, so if you climb to the top" you can tell the life of a deceased by showing their path: here they were born, there they worked, over there they were killed. This geographical arrangement is not random: cemeteries on the heights become privileged observation points over the city, places from which the gaze embraces the urban landscape and, with it, the lives of the people who inhabit it.
The Kovači Cemetery: Memorial of the Defenders
Among the most significant places of memory in Sarajevo stands the Kovači cemetery, a memorial dedicated to the fallen Bosnian soldiers during the siege of the city (April 1992 - December 1995) . Located on a hill overlooking Baščaršija, this cemetery is the main burial site for the defenders of Sarajevo.
The gravestones, all white and perfectly aligned, tell a story of collective sacrifice. The view from here is spectacular: the red roofs of the historic center, the mosques, and beside them, thousands of young dead between the ages of 18 and 30. At the top is the commanders' cemetery, including that of Alija Izetbegović, the first president of independent Bosnia. It is a site of national pilgrimage, where families still come today to lay flowers and pray.
The layout of the cemetery, as observed in studies of war cemeteries, follows a pattern in which the rhythmic repetition of identical gravestones defines a recognizable and homogeneous image, in line with the ideology of collective sacrifice for shared ideals .
Cemeteries as Places of Collective Memory
War cemeteries are fundamental places for understanding how the memory of a community is constructed and passed down . Always balancing between public narrative and individual remembrance, they aim to reinterpret and present a traumatic event, moralizing it . Around the figure of the fallen, a sacredness is built that makes them an example or a warning, representing one of the most evident cases of "civil religion" .
In Sarajevo, this function is particularly evident. Cemeteries are not just burial places, but active spaces of memory where the past is continuously reinterpreted and transmitted to future generations. As emphasized by the subtitle of the poignant exhibition on the Srebrenica massacre Gallery 11/07/95, visitors are considered witnesses: "You are my witness" .
The Roses of Sarajevo and the Signs of War
Along with the cemeteries, other signs of war punctuate the urban landscape. The "Roses of Sarajevo" are commemorative symbols made by filling the mortar shell holes that, during the siege, hit the city with red resin . The jagged edges of the craters are painted red in everlasting memory of the victims .
These signs are everywhere: on the sidewalks, on the walls, in the places where grenades took the lives of civilians . At the Markale market, sadly known for two attacks in which more than a hundred people lost their lives, you can still see the huge hole from a mortar shell, inside of which a part of the device can be seen .
The signs of war have thus become an integral part of the urban landscape, "monuments" that no one wants to erase in everlasting memory of a bloody past . Bullet-riddled facades, buildings still marked by bombings coexist with trendy venues and sparkling shops, creating a contrast that tells the story of the city and its resilience .
FAQ - War Cemeteries as Places of Collective Memory
Where are the main war cemeteries in Sarajevo?
The main cemeteries are located on the hills surrounding the city. The most famous is the Kovači cemetery, situated on a hill overlooking Baščaršija, dedicated to the defenders of Sarajevo who fell during the siege . Other cemeteries dot the heights around the city, visible from every perspective .
How many people are buried in the war cemeteries of Sarajevo?
During the four years of siege (1992-1996), it is estimated that nearly 14,000 people died among civilians and combatants . The cemeteries of Sarajevo contain the remains of many of these victims, with tombstones that bear the same dates repeated like a mantra .
What is the significance of war cemeteries as places of memory?
War cemeteries are fundamental spaces for the construction of collective memory. Around the figure of the fallen, a sacredness is built that makes them an example or a warning, representing one of the most evident cases of "civil religion" . In Sarajevo, the cemeteries on the hills allow for the telling of the lives of the deceased by showing their journey in the city .
What are the "Roses of Sarajevo"?
They are commemorative symbols created by filling the mortar shell holes that, during the siege, hit the city with red resin . The jagged edges of the craters are painted red in everlasting memory of the victims . They can be found all over the city, on the sidewalks and on the walls .
Is it possible to visit the war cemeteries of Sarajevo?
Yes, the cemeteries are open to the public and are often included in tours dedicated to the history of the city's siege . It is important to visit them with respect, maintaining a solemn and appropriate behavior for a place of burial and memory.
What is the relationship between cemeteries and collective memory in Sarajevo?
The cemeteries of Sarajevo are places of active memory, where the past is continuously reworked. As observed in other contexts, "trauma sites are rarely visited to know, but to feel, for the experience more than for knowledge" . In Sarajevo, visitors are considered witnesses to the tragic events of the city .
The War Cemeteries of Sarajevo
The war cemeteries of Sarajevo represent one of the most touching and significant aspects of the city's collective memory. Spread across the hills surrounding the valley, these sacred places tell the story of a siege that forever marked the identity of the Bosnian capital. They are not just burial spaces, but true open monuments where individual pain merges with collective memory, where white tombstones stand out against a backdrop of green that dominates the city. Together with the "Roses of Sarajevo" and other signs of war that punctuate the urban landscape, these cemeteries remind us that memory is not an intellectual exercise, but a daily practice of resistance and identity. A vacation in Sarajevo that includes a visit to these places becomes a profound and transformative experience, capable of leaving an indelible mark and reminding us of the value of peace and coexistence.
To explore all aspects of this extraordinary city, consult our complete guide: Discover the places of memory during your vacation in Sarajevo.
Revision date: May 2026