The city hall of Sarajevo is located near Bascarsija on the
site of the Mustaj-pasha’s mejdan and represents the most
beautiful and representative object from Austria-Hungarian
period built in pseudo-Moorish style. Majority objects from
Austria-Hungarian period were built in this style. The first
project was drafted by Karl Parzik, but minister Benjamin
Kalaj didn't like it, thus, he entrusted Alexander Wittek to
draft a new one. Wittek used mosque of Sultan Hassan II
as a model for this project, so he traveled to Cairo twice.
Since this man (allegedly because of the project) got
mentally sick and committed a suicide, the work on the
project was continued by Ćiril M. Iveković in 1894. The
draft and realization of the project lasted from 1892 to 1894. The building was formally opened in 1896.During
Serbian siege of Sarajevo from 1992 to 1995, the City Hall
was shelled several times by JNA (Yugoslav National Army)
and later on by Republika Srpska Army. According to some
sources, phosphoric bombs with high temperature of
burning were used for shelling the Hall. August 25 and 26
1992, the City Hall was burnt, along with Catalogue of the BiH National and University Library and 80 percent of librarian fund, and documents which were evidences of BiH history. Interior of the City Hall was completely ruined in fire. The first phase of reconstruction is still underway. Limited reconstruction of interior, where only certain details were restored, has been just finished. Further phases of reconstruction are not familiar.
