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Sarajevo (Town, Sarajevo Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Last modified: 2023-09-02 by rob raeside
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[Flag] image by Željko Heimer, 31 December 2012

See also:

Flag of Sarajevo

The symbols of Sarajevo are prescribed by Decision Odluka o grbu i zastavi Grada Sarajeva, adopted on 21 November 2000 by the Town Assembly and published in the Canton official gazette Službene novine Kantona Sarajevo, No. 25. This replaced the Provisional Decision Privremena odluka o grbu i zastavi Grada Sarajeva, adopted on 28 March 1998 and published in Službene novine Kantona Sarajevo, No. 6.
The rules of use of the symbols are prescribed by Decision Odluka o upotrebi grba, imena i isticanju zastave Grada Sarajeva, published in 2004 in Službene novine Kantona Sarajevo, No. 11. This replaced Provisional Decision Privremena odluka o upotrebi grba i zastave Grada Sarajeva, adopted on 28 March 1998 and published in Službene novine Kantona Sarajevo, No. 6. The Decision was subsequently amended by Ispravak člana 7. Odluke o upotrebi grba, imena i isticanju zastave Grada Sarajeva, published in 2004 in Službene novine Kantona Sarajevo, No. 14, Odluka o izmjenama i dopunama Odluke o upotrebi grba, imena i isticanju zastave Grada Sarajeva, published in 2005 in Službene novine Kantona Sarajevo, No. 31, and Odluka o upotrebi grba, imena i isticanju zastave Grada Sarajeva (prečišćeni tekst), adopted on 31 January 2006 and published in Službene novine Kantona Sarajevo, No. 5.

The flag (photo) is defined in Article 3 of the Law on the symbols as follows:

The flag of the Town is light blue. The coat of arms is in the center of the flag. The flag can be made in different sizes, provided proportions 2:1 are retained.

The position (vertical or horizontal) of the flag is not specified, but there is little doubt that both are used.

Željko Heimer, 31 December 2012

Coat of arms of Sarajevo

[Arms] image by Željko Heimer, 31 December 2012

The coat of arms is defined in Article 2 of the Law on the symbols as follows:

The coat of arms represent the elements of the typical roofs that in the same time symbolize the hills. The symbol of the town is made of civic walls with doors. The lower part of the coat of arms makes the terrain configuration - valleys with a bridged river over which the city is set.

Željko Heimer, 6 May 2000

Former flags of Sarajevo, 1990s

1990s

[Flag]    [Arms]

Flag and arms of Sarajevo, 1990s - Images by Željko Heimer, 31 December 2012

In the war period, the star was removed from the Socialist coat of arms and replaced with a fleur-de-lis or and the colour of the base of the shield was changed to blue.

Željko Heimer, 14 November 1999

1960s-1990s

[Flag]    [Arms]

Flag and arms of Sarajevo, 1960s-1990s - Images by Željko Heimer, 31 December 2012

The old coat of arms of Sarajevo, in use from 1878, was replaced in 1965.
The coat of arms shown on a postage stamp released in 1970 to commemorate to 25th anniversary of the liberation of the town (6 April 1945) differs from the today's coat of arms in some colors and graphical elements. The shield is white (silver) and the roofs are green as today, but the walls are red, while the river in base is green. The shape of the bridge is somewhat different, too, there having three arches and the "dots" closer to center). In chief, inbetween the roofs there was set a red five-pointed star.
A photo taken in Sarajevo shows the flag as red with the coat of arms in the middle.

Željko Heimer, Aleksandar Nemet & Amer Sulejmanagić, 14 July 2009

Universities

University of Sarajevo

[Flag] image by Ivan Sache, 1 June 2018

University of Sarajevo (Univerzitet u Sarajevu - Universitas Studiorum Saraievoensis - UNSA; website) was established in 1949 by the Assembly of the People's Republic of Bosnia.
UNSA is composed of 6 Groups: Social Sciences (6 Faculties and 1 Institute); Humanities (4 Faculties and 3 Institutes); Medical Sciences (5 Faculties); Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Bio-Technical Sciences (3 Faculties and 1 Institute); Technical Sciences (5 Faculties); and Arts (3 Academies).

The flag of UNSA (photo) is blue with the university's seal, which features the building housing the Rectorate and the Faculty of Law, built in the 1850s.

Ivan Sache, 1 June 2018

International University of Sarajevo

[Flag]    [Arms]

current and former version - Images by Ivan Sache, 1 June 2018

The International University of Sarajevo (IUS - Internacionalni univerzitet u Sarajevu - Uluslararası Saraybosna Üniversitesi; website) was established in 2003 by the Foundation for Education Development Sarajevo (est. 2001 by a group of businessmen from Turkey and several intellectuals from Bosnia and Herzegovina).
IUS is composed of 5 Faculties: Engineering and Natural Sciences, Arts and Social sciences, Business and Administration, Education, and Law.

The flag of IUS (photo) is described in Articles 5 of the university's Statutes (text), adopted on 12 September 2013, as follows.

(1) The University has its logo and a flag.
(2) The logo of the University is blue (color code: Pantone 294 M / CMYK 100/58/0/2) on a white background and round with the abbreviation "IUS" at the bottom of circle. In center of the logo is a contour of [fountain] Sebilj at Baščaršija with radial pattern in the background, which symbolizes the source of knowledge. At the bottom of Sebilj is written number "2004", which indicates the year of establishment of the university. Above the Sebilj in an arched pattern along the border is inscribed the name of the university in English. At the very bottom of the logo horizontally is written the name of the university in three alternative versions: in Bosnian language and in Latin script, in English language, and in Turkish language.
(3) The flag is white with the university logo in the center.
(4) Faculties within the university, as its organizational units (hereinafter: faculties), have the right to use the name of the university, its logo and the flag besides the name of the faculty.

The former flag of IUS (photo) was white with the former emblem of the university.

Baščaršija (Turkish, Main Market), established in the 15th century by İsa-Beg Ishaković, the founder of Sarajevo, and Gazi Husrev-Beg, left an exquisite endowment as a legacy to the town. In addition to these two benefactors, some other regents and wealthy merchants contributed with their donations.
With rise of the Ottoman Empire, the town progressed as well. Thus, Baščaršija was finished by the end of the 16th century, and the town soon after witnessed its Gilded Age. Along with İstanbul, Salonica, Edirne and Athens, it became one of the five largest towns in the Balkans, as the town of trading and wealthy and powerful community. The square spread into several trading and craftsmen alleys, it comprised 45 markets and over 80 crafts. Tiny cobbled alleys intertwined and spread towards mosques, inns, bedestans, hamams, schools and tekkes, fountains, caravanserai.
The first water supply system, built in the mid 15th century, significantly extended in the 16th century. By the end of the Ottoman period, there were 156 spouts and several stone fountains built mainly as an endowment.

Sebilj Fountain, built in 1753, is a symbol of Sarajevo. A legend says: "Whoever drinks water from any of Sarajevo’s fountains and spouts will come to Sarajevo”.
It is central spot of the Baščaršija Square, which spreads into several trading and craftsmen alleys named after a particular craft hood. Looking from above, the Baščaršija Square is surrounded by residential communities with beautiful authentic houses and tiny gardens, as well as the business and cultural center. Thus, Baščaršija, stands there as an open antique amphitheater with old alleys, quarters and houses scattered around.
[ Sarajevo Tourism website]

Ivan Sache, 1 June 2018

Sarajevo School of Science and Technology

[Flag] image located by Paul Bassinson, 27 August 2023

Source: https://www.facebook.com/UniverzitetSSST