Twilight Arrival and Historical Echoes: My Sarajevo Experience

This location marks the site of the assassination and the present-day memorial.

In Mostar, I visited the train station one evening, waiting for my train to Sarajevo. The scheduled departure was at 19:00, but it was running a bit behind schedule. By the time it arrived, the sun had set, and darkness had settled in. It was an unexpected turn, and I realized that I would miss the scenic ride through the mountains.

Upon reaching Sarajevo at night, I made my way from the train station to the hostel. It was quite a lengthy walk, but eventually, I reached my destination and checked in. I got my bed, and it was already time for quiet hours. The hostel was well-managed with strict rules, and the lady in charge treated us like her own. I felt comfortable and secure there, with nothing to complain about.

The following day, I explored Sarajevo, and two things struck me immediately. Firstly, there was a noticeable level of pollution in the air, leaving a dusty taste on my tongue and an irritation in my throat. Secondly, the climate was much colder than expected.

Sarajevo holds historical significance due to two major events—the Yugoslavian War in the 1990s and its role as the setting for the incident that triggered World War I. During this period, Sarajevo was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and a significant figure, along with his pregnant wife, was assassinated. This assassination had a profound impact on changing the course of world history.

As for what happened when they were killed, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife, Sophie, were assassinated on June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip, a member of a nationalist group known as the Black Hand. This assassination ultimately led to a series of events that escalated into World War I.

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