CRAFT STREETS IN SARAJEVO

The development of crafts in Sarajevo began immediately after the arrival of the Ottomans in our region. It is well known that Sarajevo as an urban center began to develop at the site of the medieval village in the 15th century. Because of  the armed services, construction and maintenance of new facilities began to develop trades. Many crafts in our city developed to perfection and they are rightly considered as our tradition.

The first crafts are mentioned in the oldest known cadastral defter of 1489. The earliest occurring crafts were serving the needs of the military, such as blacksmiths, saber, boot makers, saddlers, as well as butchers, bakers. Thirty years later, the number of trade has more than doubled. Each craft or related trades had their one or more streets. Many of the street names have been preserved to this day, such as ,,Ćurčiluk”,,,Kazazi”, ,,Mudželiti”, ,,Kazandžiluk”. In the Ottoman period crafts were the main branch of the work from which lived most of the urban population. With the arrival of the Austro-Hungarian old crafts came in a very difficult position. With the arrival of the new government opens new pathways and appears on the market manufactured goods, much cheaper than craft products. Fashion is amended so is lifestyle and clothing, and due to that that some old crafts virtually were disappearing. We have to admit that on our Baščaršija there is a significant number of old artisans who, despite all odds, managed to keep the traditional look and offer.

The only way to preserve traditional crafts and to allow artisans to have comfortable life with traditional products is the cooperation of government institutions, the Museums, the Institute for Protection of Monuments, the association of traditional crafts and, of course, the very craftsmen. Only together we can do a lot, clean the Baščaršija from everything that is not traditional and urban, and that will be an influence in the formation of purchasing awareness of domestic products and will  increase purchases of foreign customers. At the same time, Baščaršija is always at your service for various kinds of small services, corrections, tips, that nowhere else you can find.