The residency Konak is a facility over 147 years old, built in the time of the Ottoman Empire for the needs of Sultan’s representative. At that time, it was one of the most beautiful and highest facilities and the only three-story building in Sarajevo.
When you enter, you cannot avoid feeling awe for the builder of that facility which leaves people breathless with its architecture and details. Spacious halls and rooms and ceremony lounges were uniquely designed and decorated in its own way. Through history, this inn hosted high officials and prominent individuals from around the world; significant meetings and negotiations took place there.
Significant meeting have been held in this inn until 2013. Ambassadors stayed there as well. Thus, the first tripartite meeting of heads of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was held at this residence on July 15, 2002.
The project for the residence was made by Topal Šerif Osman Pasha and it was built by Franje Linardov and Franjo Moise from Split. It was the seat of the vali and the administration of the Bosnian Vilayet. The last vizier to have occupied this inn was Abdurrahim Pasha, the Bosnian vizier during 1826 and 1827.
During the Austro-Hungarian rule, in 1906 certain construction works have been conducted on the facility and its immediate surroundings, together with courtyard landscaping and setting of two pairs of lion figures carved in stone. It served as the headquarters of the Provincial Governor for B&H during the Austro-Hungarian rule.
This inn hosted the Austro-Hungarian regent Oskar Potiorek, the Austro-Hungarian emperor Franz Joseph, all members of the Habsburg family, great prefects and bans, president of Yugoslavia Josip Broz Tito, former Italian president Sandro Pertini, emir of Kuwait Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, and many others.
(Source: klix.ba)
