Alifakovac is also known as Musafirsko (guest) cemetery, because people from other regions, who were destined to die in Sarajevo, were buried here. There were buried Sarajevo kadi (judges), muderrises (professors), Muftis, guilders, and other prominent Sarajevans.
The city of Sarajevo has been and remained a place of arrival and retention of people from different parts of the world from its founding, as well as the area of conquest of different states and rulers. As a result of all this, various tombstones can be seen in Sarajevo.
The cemetery in Kovaci, today known as Sehidsko (Martyr’s) cemetery Kovaci, is located between Jekovac and Sirokac, and represents only part of the complex of the former large necropolis. Sarajevans were buried in this cemetery from the 15th century to the Austro-Hungarian occupation in 1878, when it was turned into a park. Burial ground was reactivated at the beginning of the war in 1992 and it’s called Martyr’s cemetery ever since.
The Legend of the Yellow Hafiz
The legend about this cemetery tells a story of an old grave on the left side of the cemetery, where, according to the legend, was buried Yellow Hafiz. It was believed that if one goes next to the grave, and does not pray for Hafiz’s soul, his feet will hurt. If that happens, it was necessary to take some dirt from the grave, take it home and pray over it, and the disease will pass. If you fail to return the dirt the next day to the tomb where it was taken, it was believed that the man will not have peace until he returns the dirt.
Cemetery Alifakovac is one of the oldest Sarajevo cemetery with about 300 tombstones. Two tombs built in the 18th century, which Jahjaefendic judge made for his son and a friend Yusuf Pasha, give additional beauty to this place, as well as a beautiful fountain which has been preserved to this day.
Besides cemeteries, many mosques have strange and mysterious tombstones in their harems, and each street has its own story about them. Sarajevo mosque with unusual name Rogo Zade was built back in 1660 in Old Town. Next to the mosque is a mausoleum with three graves, and it is believed that Hungarian Muslims who came to this area 300 years ago were buried there. There is a legend that the tomb was often visited by young men from Sarajevo, who prayed for the soul of the unknown deceased who was buried in the mausoleum. It was believed that he would protect them from recruitment in the Austro-Hungarian army in which, by law, they have to go.
(Source: faktor.ba)
