The tailors’ street was located in the area from
the Latin bridge (Princip's bridge) toward the
today's pharmacy and the sword smiths’ street
was in today's Zelenih beretki Street. Many
names of streets have been preserved up to
nowadays, such as Curciluk, Kazazi, Mudzeliti,
Kazandziluk, etc.Bakers, groceries and coffee-
sellers did not have thei own streets, since their
shops were located throughout the entire
Bascarsija. During the Ottoman period, the
craftsmen were organized into esnafi or guilds.
All craftsmen, who were engaged in the same or
cognate craft, were in the same guild. Each guild
had its own board and was completely
independent from every other guild.

Each was headed by a chief („cehaja“) elected by the craftsmen and their assistants (journeymen),
and chief was a connection between the craftsmen and the governing authorities. If he did not do
his duties efficiently, he could have always been dismissed. There were strict rules in the guilds.
Solidarity between the craftsmen was also well-known, thus, if one craftsman sold something and
his neighbor didn't, the first one would send his customer to the one who did not sell anything,
explaining that he does not have that product for sale or it was not good enough.The guilds
consisted of members of all confessions, but only a Muslim could be the chief. They organized
religious ceremonies separately, but „kušanme“ (excursions at which apprentices were pronounced as craftsmen) were held jointly. All four religions were presented in the goldsmith's
guild; there were Muslims, Catholics and Orthodox Christians in the blacksmiths’ guild, the
haberdashers’ guild had Muslims, Orthodox Christians and Jews, and the furriers' guild had a few
Muslims, while majority craftsmen were Orthodox Christians, etc.

During the Ottoman period, crafts were the main economy branch, on which majority urban population lived. By the arrival of the Austria-Hungarians,
the old crafts faced very difficult period. Some crafts began to stagnate during the Ottoman period, either because of lack of forces which would continue
the work, or because of introduction of new, modern technologies for manufacturing of certain products. With the arrival of new authority, new roads
were opened and manufactured goods, that were significantly cheaper than craft products, appeared on the market.Lifestyle and cloth fashion also
changed, thus some old crafts began to disappear.Sword smiths, gunsmiths, cutlers gradually disappeared.  By appearance of fabric materials, weavers
disappeared as well as blanket-makers, „kečedžije“ (they made saddles from cow-hides' fur), haberdashers, while furriers disappeared completely, for
which Sarajevo once had been famous by far.Only names of streets in which these crafts were located remained to remember us on it.
From the other side, many crafts have been adapted to the time, becoming modernized and surviving in this way. New crafts emerged as well, thus we
have shoe-makers, tailors, lathe operators, electricians, and mechanics of various kinds. The Austria-Hungarian authorities were, however, concerned to
preserve some of the old skills. In 1892 the National Government founded several workshops for the old crafts: a carpet-weaving workshop, a
workshop for art crafts, and an embroidery workshop. Beside these workshops, the National Government also tried to assist other crafts by opening of
vocational schools and courses.The unwritten guild rules were applied less and less, thus the guilds were cancelled by their own in this period.
Certain crafts completely vanished by further development of industry and the market, and modernization during the twentieth century, while those that
survived had to adapt their way of working to the time and demands of the market.It must be admitted that there is significant number of old craftsmen in
the Bascarsija, who, despite all setbacks, succeeded to preserve traditional appearance and offer of their products.There are also a few of those who
have retained only craft's name and store window, but in fact they deal with something completely different. Something like this must not be blamed,
because the craftsmen earn their living in their shops, and they cannot sell decorative silk ribbons and buttons and other things when no one is buying
them any more. Most of craftsmen, however, have adapted to the time within their own craft.The only way to preserve the old crafts and enable
craftsman normal life from production of traditional goods can be achieved through cooperation between the craftsmen and authority institutions,
museums, bureau for protection of monuments and the association of old crafts.Only together we can achieve so much, we can clean the Bascarsija