Sarajevan on the White Mountain

architect Amir Vuk-Zec
project Hotel Han, Bjelašnica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
written by Lejla Kreševljaković

 

What is a han, and how did a han happen to be on Bjelašnica? The term han originates from the Ottoman Empire and means a boarding house. A han is a boarding house in a market place (bazaar), at a crossroads. Bjelašnica is not any of these: the winter Olympic beauty is not a bazaar, nor a crossroads. Bjelašnica is the end of the road. With every right, we may pose the question: How did a han happen to be on Bjelašnica? How is it possible to have a han on Bjelašnica? Is this building really a han, or was it given this name without any reason?