Sarajevo Jewish Tour

The first Jews reached Bosnia in the middle of 15th century from Spain and Portugal. As tens of thousands of Jews fled the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions, Sultan Bayezid II of the Ottoman Empire welcomed Jews who were able to reach his territories. Sephardi Jews fleeing Spain and Portugal were welcomed in – and found their way to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Thrace and other areas of Europe under Ottoman control. Sarajevo became an important center for the Jews of Balkans.

In the Ottoman Empire Jews were generally well-treated and were recognized by law as non-Muslims. Despite some restrictions, the Jewish communities of the Empire prospered. They were granted significant autonomy, with various rights including the right to buy real estate, to build Synagogues and to conduct trade throughout the Ottoman Empire. Jews, along with the other non-Muslim subjects of the Empire, were granted full equality under Ottoman law by 1856.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Meet Bosnia Travel, Gazi Husrev Begova 75 Crossroad of Mula Mustafe Baseskije and Logavina Streets, Sarajevo 71000 Bosnia and Herzegovina

Meeting point, hotel pickup can be organised upon request.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Jewish Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mula Mustafe Baseskije 40, Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina

The tour starts at the Jewish Museum. This museum is housed in the oldest synagogue in Bosnia and Herzegovina, built in 1581. Here we will watch 20 minutes movie of Sarajevo Haggaddah, the famous book that is kept in National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Ferhadija Street Eternal Flame is at end of Marsala Tita street and beginning of Ferhadija street, Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina

Explore some of greatest Jewish investments and find out where the first hotel in Sarajevo was opened, where and what shops Jews were running in Sarajevo. See where the first Jewish school was opened in Sarajevo and where the "singing" synagogue used to be with the local guide from Sarajevo.

Duration: 30 minutes

Pass By: Sarajevo National Theatre, Obala Kulina bana 9, Sarajevo 71000, Bosnia and Herzegovina

See the National Theatre square and its connection to the Jewish community in Sarajevo

Stop At: Bosnian Cultural Center, Branilaca Sarajeva 24, Sarajevo 71000, Bosnia and Herzegovina

One of the largest Sephardic synagogues in Europe today has another function.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Ashkenazi Synagogue, Hamdije Kresevljakovica 59, Sarajevo 71000 Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Ashkenazi Synagogue is the center of Jewish life in Sarajevo today.

Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Jewish Cemetery Sarajevo, Gabrielle Moreno Locatelli, Sarajevo 71000 Bosnia and Herzegovina

The OId Jewish Cemetery is almost 500 years old cemetery in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Established by Sephardic Jews during the Ottoman period, it also became the burial ground for Ashkenazi Jews after they arrived in Sarajevo with the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the late 19th century.


Duration: 30 minutes