Trg Oslobođenja - Alija Izetbegović, Central square in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Trg Oslobođenja - Alija Izetbegović is a central square in Sarajevo that links Ferhadija Street with Zelenih Beretki Street and is landscaped with trees and seating. The open area is crossed daily by pedestrians and contains multiple spots to sit and rest.
The square was laid out in the interwar period on the site of the former city tram and train station and customs house. In 1934 it was renamed after King Petar I the Liberator, and a 1938 competition for his equestrian monument was won by Zagreb sculptor Fran Kršnić. During the 1941–1945 NDH occupation it bore the name of Stjepan Tomašević. It has been called Trg oslobođenja – Alija Izetbegović since October 2005.
The square's name changed with each political era: Ofizierkasino-Platz, Klemansovljev trg, Trg Petra I Oslobodioca, Trg Stjepana Tomaševića, Trg slobode, Trg oslobođenja, and since October 2005 Trg oslobođenja – Alija Izetbegović. The giant chess set in front of the Orthodox Cathedral is a daily meeting place for elderly Sarajevans.
The square sits along a walkable route with benches scattered throughout for rest and observation. Nearby cafés, restaurants, and shops are within easy reach for refreshment or a quick visit.
The giant chess set in front of the Orthodox Cathedral is a daily meeting place for elderly Sarajevans. The square's trees survived the 1992–1995 siege without being cut. A 2021 municipal plan approved three floors of underground parking for 242 cars and the felling of most trees older than 50 years, against which the Bosnian Association of Landscape Architects spoke out.
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