Fin-de-Siecle Sarajevo: The habsburg Transformation of an Ottoman Town Cover Image

Fin-de-Siecle Sarajevo: Habsburška transformacija osmanskog grada
Fin-de-Siecle Sarajevo: The habsburg Transformation of an Ottoman Town

Author(s): Robert J. Donia
Subject(s): History
Published by: Institut za istoriju
Keywords: Bosnia and Herzegovina; Sarajevo - (1878-1918)

Summary/Abstract: During Austro-Hungarian rule (1878-1918), Sarajevo acquired a western-oriented face superimposed on its previous profile as a classical Ottoman town. Viennesetrained Josip von Vancaš was the primary architect of these changes. He shared with Benjamin von Kallay, the monarchy’s Joint Finance Minister, the aspiration to transform Sarajevo into a showplace of superior Habsburg administration in Southeast Europe. Religious structures were built to strengthen the status of confessional leaders, and secular buildings were erected to valorize the monarchy’s ruling officials and their policies. Until the turn of the century, most buildings were Neo-historicist in style, including many structures of Neo-Orientalist design. Shortly after Secession architecture gained favor in Vienna, it was adopted by Vancaš and other leading architects of the city. Parallel with the building campaign, Habsburg officials developed a governing structure with the aid of local leaders. In the forty years of Habsburg rule, Sarajevo grew rapidly both as the administrative capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina and as a center of political movements that arose to challenge Habsburg policies.

  • Issue Year: 2003
  • Issue No: 32
  • Page Range: 149-178
  • Page Count: 30
  • Language: Bosnian