In the night from the 25th to the 26th of August 1992, Sarajevo City Hall was bombed by the forces of JNA and the Army of the Republic of Srpska. Flames devoured 2 million books and 300 manuscripts of priceless value. One of the most beautiful and the most representative buildings from the Austro-Hungarian period burnt down to the ground. In only couple of hours, the flame swallowed the national treasure of the National and University Library of B&H which has been available to citizens almost for half of a century.
Firefighters unsuccessfully tried to extinguish the fire, citizens were taking out the books and trying to save what had been an inseparable part of the culture of the people of B&H throughout the history. Process of reconstruction lasted for 18 years.
Restored City Hall was officially opened on the 9th of May 2014, on the Day of Victory over Fascism, and thousands of tourists and citizens are visiting the Old lady and admiring her inner and outer beauty ever since.
(Source: nap.ba)
