Without a doubt, one of the most beautiful and intriguing buildings erected during the Austro-Hungarian occupation of BiH is Sarajevo’s Vijećnica – City Hall. This building is not simply an architectural masterpiece, but also bore witness to the historical dramas which played out in Sarajevo from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 21st century.
Vijećnica is the very embodiment of the unique Pseudo-Moorish architectural style – a perfect blend of Orient and Occident – and the city itself, where Vijećnica stands, has served as a center where East and West have been intermingling for centuries. For this reason Vijećnica represents a unique world symbol of the meeting of civilizations.
Initially, the Vijećnica project was headed by Czech architect, Karl Paržik, but because of a disagreement with one Imperial Minister, Kalaya, the project was handed over to Alexander Wittek, a famous architect and one of the greatest chess masters in Europe at that time.
The architect was in search of inspiration and so he traveled to Cairo (in 1892 and 1893), where he studied the monumental structures of Islamic architecture. Wittek had decided to use the Mosque and Medresa of Sultan Hasan II as a model, but due to a serious illness he was unable to continue, so the project was completed by Ćiril Iveković, who made only minor changes.
Vijećnica was officially opened on April 20, 1896 and since then it has become the most important symbol of Sarajevo, serving as an iconic motif for many photographs. Its striking appearance and the contrast with its surroundings served as the perfect backdrop for photos that were taken when street lighting was installed, when the first electric tram started running, when the first automobile arrived in Sarajevo, as well as when Emperor Franz Joseph made his first visit.
Vijećnica was the last place that the Heir Apparent, Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, visited before they were assassinated by Gavrilo Princip. This incident triggered a tragic series of events which then led to the outbreak of the First World War, a conflict which would completely change the face of the world at that time.
As its name suggests, Vijećnica’s purpose was meant to serve as the seat of city officials. By the end of World War II, it had become a “temple” of culture and art – first housing the City Museum, then the Academy of Sciences and Arts of BiH and finally the National and University Library of BiH.
For decades to follow, countless students and scholars enjoyed the building’s ambience and the two million titles which adorned its interior…until the nights of August 25-26, 1992. Exactly 100 years after the idea for its construction had been conceived, Vijećnica was set ablaze.
Nearly 90% of the library’s collection, which was housed inside, vanished into the thick grey smoke which hung over Sarajevo for days. Vijećnica became a symbol of the Siege and tragedy of Sarajevo.
The careful reconstruction of Vijećnica, which got underway in 1996, has taken a full 18 years to complete.
Sarajevo Vijećnica’s official opening took place on May 9, 2014, the same day that Europe Day and the Day of Victory over Fascism are celebrated. This has sent a message to the world that Vijećnica remains a bastion of humanity’s noblest virtues, which serve as the foundation of modern Europe, and that fascism, which lashed out at Vijećnica on several occasions, failed to destroy those values.
Vijećnica’s renovation also includes plans for it to house part of the City of Sarajevo Administration, part of the National and University Library’s collection and the Vijećnica Museum.
(Source: visitsarajevo)
taken from http://sarajevo.travel/en/things-to-do/vijecnica-city-hall/174
