For several years in the early 1990s, in the wake of the breakup of Yugoslavia, this small country in the Balkans was constantly in the news because of the brutal civil war it suffered between the Muslim Bosniaks and the Orthodox Christian Bosnian Serbs. It has been at peace since December 1995, and more travelers have been discovering its myriad natural, historical, and cultural appeals. But others come for "dark tourism," a trend which involves visiting places associated with tragedy, death, or the macabre. Think war zones, concentration camps, and sites of natural disasters. And despite its current peace and prosperity - and even on track to join the European Union - with its tumultuous past, Bosnia and Herzegovina offers an authentic experience for those intrigued by this type of travel. We´ve had more than seven years of deep diving into the world of dark tourism, so here´s our take on this beautiful little country´s somber recent history.
Sarajevo, a Survivor
The Bosnian capital (pop. 347,000) is lively and engaging, but also holds remnants of its wartime past, when during its siege by the Serbian army from 1992 to 1995 it was a tense, sometimes hellish landscape of shelling, sniper fire, and shortages. The main one is the Tunnel of Hope, dug under the airport runway, it was a lifeline during the siege, a symbol of indomitable will, and And of course there´s plenty about the war in the Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina., including the permanent exhibition "Besieged Sarajevo."
Mostar: The Old Bridge and More
Two hours southwest of Sarajevo this city of about 113,000 people is famous for its atmospheric 16th-century old quarter and especially its stunning, Stari Most (Old Bridge), which was destroyed in 1993, rebuilt in 2004, and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. Apart from the bridge, much of the damage was in the newer districts, which has largely been cleaned up. Meanwhile, tour operators offer walking tours including testimony from locals about those terrible years, and a Museum of War and Genocide Victims 1992-1995 near the bridge lays it all out in graphic detail as well.
Srebrenica: A Memorial of Genocide
The name of this pleasant town of around 11,000, two hours and 20 minutes northeast of Sarajevo, will long live in infamy because of Bosnian Serbs´ massacre in 1995 of some 8,000 Bosniak men and boys - Europe´s largest mass murder since the Holocaust and classified as an act of genocide. It´s memorialized by the moving Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial as well as an extensive war cemetery. There are fewother "sights" to see here per se, but its mountainous surrounding region of Crni Gruber is full of attractions for nature and outdoors enthusiasts, including the beautiful Studenica River Canyon; picturesque Lake Perućac in the Drina River Valley, which attracts visitors during the summer and offers lots of water sports; and impressive, 2,019-meter (6,624-foot) Rakoč Peak, with sweeping vistas.
The Haunting Legacy of Tito's Bunker
Though not directly related to the Bosnian war, the once secret bunker complex Army War Command (Ark) D-0, in the town of Konjic (pop. 11,000) less than an hour´s drive southwest of Sarajevo, is a sombre remnant of the Cold War era, built between 1953 and 1979 to protect Yugoslav president Josip Broz Tito and some 350 of his top régime members during a nuclear attack, now stands as a stark reminder of the fears and tensions of those times. Delving into the depths of this massive underground complex is a chilling experience, imagining a world on the brink of nuclear disaster.
The Ethical Debate
Finally, let´s address the elephant in the room - the ethics of dark tourism. There's a fine line between education and voyeurism. While locals in Herzegovina often see dark tourism as a way to tell their stories and educate visitors, some visitors may approach these sites with a 'thrill-seeking' mindset, which can be problematic. Some may also view it as sensationalized and morbid, but it's all about respect and understanding the gravity of these places, and how such horrors may be avoided in the future. Bosnians themselves come down on both sides of this debate. But in the end, it´s not about glorifiying war and mass murder but about confronting and understanding the past. There are plenty of other wonderful sides to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the dark side is fortunately just a small part of it.
For more information about tourism in Bosnia and Herzogovina, visit Tourism BiH.com.
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