From wikipedia about Sarajevo
Sarajevo is the capital and largest city of
Bosnia and Herzegovina, with an estimated population of over 311, 161 people within its administrative limits. It is also the capital of the Federation of
Bosnia and Herzegovina entity, as well as the center of the Sarajevo Canton, which has a population of 438, 757. Sarajevo is located in the Sarajevo valley of Bosnia, surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans.
Sarajevo is the leading business and cultural centre of
Bosnia and Herzegovina, and its influences in politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, and the arts contribute to its status as Bosnia and Herzegovina's major economic centre.
The city is historically famous for its traditional religious diversity, with adherents of Islam, Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Judaism coexisting there for centuries. Malcolm, Noel. Bosnia: A Short History ISBN 0-8147-5561-5. Due to this long and rich history of religious diversity, Sarajevo is often called the "Jerusalem of Europe"Stilinovic, Josip (3 January 2002)., Catholic World News. The city’s principal mosques are the Gazi Husreff-Bey’s Mosque, or Begova Džamija (1530), and the Mosque of Ali Pasha (1560–61). Retrieved on 5 August 2006. or "Jerusalem of the Balkans".
Although settlement in the area stretches back to prehistoric times, the modern city arose as an Ottoman stronghold in the 15th century. Valerijan, Žujo; Imamović, Mustafa; Ćurovac, Muhamed. Sarajevo. Sarajevo has attracted international attention several times throughout its history. In 1885 Sarajevo was the first city in Europe and the second city in the world to have a full-time electric tram network running through the city, the first being San Francisco, California. for independence.
Today the city is undergoing post-war reconstruction, and is the fastest growing city in
Bosnia and Herzegovina. Kelley, Steve., has named Sarajevo as the 43rd best city in the world, Lonely Planet (March 2006). The Cities Book: A Journey Through The Best Cities In The World, Lonely Planet Publications, ISBN 1-74104-731-5. and in December 2009 listed Sarajevo as one of the top ten cities to visit in 2010.
In 2011, Sarajevo became the first city outside the European Union to be nominated for the European Capital of Culture in 2014.