Sarajevo in the Habsburg Empire
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| This article is part of the History of Sarajevo series. |
| Ancient Times |
| Middle Ages |
| Early Ottoman Era |
| Late Ottoman Era |
| Habsburg Empire |
| Yugoslavia |
| Modern Sarajevo |
In 1878, the Treaty of Berlin officially gave Bosnia and Herzegovina to Austria-Hungary. Although in the long run it is generally agreed that this was very beneficial to the country, you wouldn't have known it from the reaction of Sarajevo residents that year. A nation wide revolt was initiated from the city, and when Austrian troops entered it they were quickly welcomed by gunfire "from every house, from every window, from every doorway.. even women were taking part". However, the Austrian occupation of the country was swift, and Sarajevo soon found itself part of the Habsburg realms.
The Habsburg period of Sarajevo's history is characterized by industrialization, development, westernization, and political and social change. The political change came first, as the Austrians did away with the outdated Ottoman political divisions of the city and put in place the typical Austrian system, centered on major roads.
Meanwhile, architects and engineers who endeavored to rebuild Sarajevo as a modern European capital rushed to the city. They were unexpectedly aided by a fire that burned down a large part of the central city area (čaršija). This has resulted in a unique blend of the remaining Ottoman city market and contemporary western architecture. For the first time in centuries, the city significantly expanded outside its traditional borders. Much of today's Centar was constructed during this time.
Architecture in Sarajevo quickly developed into a wide range of styles and buildings. The Cathedral of Jesus' Heart was built at this time, using elements of neo-gothic and Romanesque architecture. The National Museum, Sarajevo brewery, and City Hall were also constructed at this time.
Part of a far more modern and advanced nation than the Ottoman Empire, Sarajevo was quickly westernized and adapted to the standards of the age. A western education system was installed at this time, and Sarajevo's inhabitants first started writing in Latin script. In an experimental mood, Austrian officials made Sarajevo the first city in Europe to have a tramway. By 1910, Sarajevo had some 51,919 people.
The most famous and remembered event in the history of Habsburg Sarajevo, and perhaps all of Sarajevo's history, is the Assassination in Sarajevo. Young Serb extremist, Gavrilo Princip, shot and killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary, in their visit to the city, starting a chain of events that would lead to World War I. By the time the Great War was over, so was Sarajevo's time in Austria-Hungary, as the city and country entered a new period of their history.