Bosnia and Herzegovina – signs of war

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is a beautiful country. However memories of the war during the 1990s remain close to the surface. The information provided here is intended to give you an idea of what to expect.

Bullet holes and damaged buildings

Virtually every city and town we visited had visible remnants of the conflict, with damaged or destroyed buildings and bullet-marked buildings. It was quite confronting, as many of the buildings are residential. Our guides explained that in some cases people have chosen to keep the bullet holes as a reminder of the war, while in other instances the owners of the damaged buildings have been unable to be traced so no repairs have happened.

Sarajevo Roses

These are memorials you’ll find on the ground throughout Sarajevo. They mark the spots where mortars fell and killed people, with the scars left in the concrete filled with a red resin. We found them to be a moving reminder of the city’s recent past.

Landmines

This isn’t something most tourists generally have to worry about, but parts of BiH are still contaminated by landmines. If going hiking seek advice and stick to marked trails. 

Museums, memorials and tours

There are many throughout BiH. We visited the Museum of Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide, and the Tunnel of Hope in Sarajevo. We also saw statues such as the Bruce Lee statue in Mostar (which was created as a symbol of unification for a divide city).

Many companies also offer tours exploring elements of BiH’s war history. We did a half-day Sarajevo Siege tour with Funky Tours, and couldn’t recommend it more highly.

Stories from locals

We found that everyone who was old enough to have lived through the war had a story to tell. While it can be a sensitive topic, peoples’ memories provided deeply moving and lasting insights into this period of BiH’s history, and we were privileged to hear some of their stories.