The first tavern in Sarajevo was opened in 1534, even 120 years before the ones in London. After that, they started appearing in other European cities such as Paris, Vienna, Split etc. There where all over the town on Miljacka River. Some of them are forgotten and have completely disappeared, and some are preserved in the memory of the people of Sarajevo or photos that had been taken long time ago.
“Among those that are still remembered is one tavern from the center of Bascarsija. It spontaneously arose in the last century. The former Yugoslav government approved the space for Mountaineering Club “Treskavica”, which was established back in 1950. In order to have their own little income and to be self-sustaining, this society opened tavern “Treskavica”. It had its own backyard, and it was made of wood and brick,” said Mufid Garibija, architect and expert in the history of the city.
The specialty of the tavern “Treskavica” was that it offered roasted meat, which was widely known as Bosnian specialty. Old guilder and traders knew that very well. It was remembered after popular Dedo, who prepared this meat in his own way, and his skill and culinary secrets gave meat from the “Treskavica” tavern a different taste.
However, the Sarajevans of that time did not know, and neither did historians, that the tavern stood on the most expensive foundations in BiH. It was known that in the immediate vicinity were old walls of Firduza-hammam and that tavern is leaning on them, but the secret was in the plateau where the tavern was built.
“Incidentally, during the reconstruction of the Prote Bakovic’s street in 2008, the remains of Firduza-hammam were found. They determined during the excavation that complete plateau ground of hammam was preserved and that is located under the tavern “Treskavica”.
Plumbing which was made by Firduz Bey, supplied madrasa and the area of Gornja Varos, where was located the Old Orthodox Church and the aforementioned hammam. Unfortunately, due to lack of maintenance and deterioration, Firduz Bey’s hamam was destroyed before World War I, and the Austro-Hungarian authorities demolished parts of it and by doing that- they have preserved the plateau with the embankment.
That famous tavern is no longer here, but the foundation of Firduz Bay’s hammam is still present, as well as the hope inthe reconstruction of this national monument of the entire country.
(Source: hayat.ba)
