With the end of the construction season, the restoration work on the facade of Isa-bey’s Hammam in Sarajevo has been completed. The founder of Sarajevo, Isa-beg Ishaković, built numerous significant public buildings during his thirty-year rule, including the first mosque—the Emperor’s Mosque, the first public city bath, the first bridge over the Miljacka River, numerous inns, shops, and other structures. In the early 1890s, the Land Waqf Commission decided to build a steam bath using funds from the Gazi Isa-bey Waqf, in line with the demands of modern times and public health standards, on the site of the former hammam near the Emperor’s Mosque.
Isa-bey’s Hammam in Sarajevo is one of the oldest and most important cultural and historical landmarks in the city. Over its long history, the hammam has undergone various phases of transformation, reflecting the development of urban Sarajevo.
From a traditional Turkish hammam to a modern bathhouse designed by the renowned architect Josip Vancaš, Isa-bey’s Hammam has remained a lasting symbol of Sarajevo’s identity. Like the City Hall building, the hammam was constructed in a pseudo-Moorish style and is located on the right bank of the Miljacka River.
In 2004, Isa-bey’s Bathhouse was declared a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Commission for the Preservation of National Monuments. The last renovation, completed in 2015 and funded by the Waqf Directorate with support from the T.R. Directorate General Of Foundations, restored the hammam to its original appearance and grandeur. However, due to unfavorable weather conditions and humidity, the facade—one of the most prominent elements of this national monument—suffered significant damage.
The recent restoration of Isa-bey’s Hammam’s facade was made possible by the financial support of the Waqf Directorate in Sarajevo and the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sports. The restoration work was carried out by the construction company Građevinar Fajić d.o.o. This restoration represents a significant contribution to the preservation of the cultural and historical heritage of Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
