The Association for the Protection of Cultural Heritage Isa-beg Ishakovic, informs the public that the expert commission composed of Emeritus Dr. Enes Pelidija, Dr. Behija Zlatar and Dr. Aladin Husic have prepared a professional report for the marking of Day of Establishment of the City of Sarajevo.
Isa-Beg Ishakovic, an Ottoman general and the governor of the Sanjak of Bosnia, is of a Bosnian noble origin, was a provincial governor during the 1450s and 1460s, first in charge of the Sanjak of Skopje, and then the Sanjak of Bosnia.
As governor of the province of Bosnia, Isa-Beg assured its future prosperity. He founded Sarajevo in 1461in the former Bosnian province of Vrhbosna. Between then and 1463 he built the core of the city’s Old Town district, including a mosque, a closed marketplace, a public bath, a hostel, and the Governor’s castle.
The expert commission suggested that the date of the establishment of the City of Sarajevo be 01.02.1462, which is the first day of the month in which the legalization was made and for this date to be included in the official calendar of the city as “Day of the establishment of the City of Sarajevo”.
It was suggested to the City Council, that, in the month of February, which was named as the Month when vakufnama (a document which contains details about the endowment) of the City of Sarajevo was signed, by the founding act, to organize the event entitled “City Days”, which would last for a full month and would be filled with certain cultural content, with a view to affirming such a significant date in the history of Sarajevo.
The Association for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, Isa-beg Ishakovic submitted the proposal to the Sarajevo City Administration for the purpose of launching an official procedure for establishing the exact date of establishment of the City of Sarajevo.
In 1468, at the time when Isa Bey was serving as Bosnian Sanjak Bey, his property was worth over one million Akche (Ottoman coins), which corresponded to the standing of a great vizier in the Ottoman State.
It is known that he was on excellent connections with the citizens of Dubrovnik, who considered him a true ruler of Bosnia.
