# Walled City of Vratnik

- **Country:** Bosnia and Herzegovina
- **Notes:** "Walled city of Vratnik" lies within wider eponymous Sarajevo neighborhood, fortified after brief 1697 terror-raid of Prince Eugene of Savoy. In 2005 it's designated national monument of BiH.
- **Location Text:** Sarajevo

The Walled City of Vratnik, also known as the Old Vratnik Fort, is a historic fortified settlement located in the Vratnik neighborhood of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Situated within the Stari Grad municipality, this architectural ensemble serves as the urban core of the wider district. Its name is derived from the Slavic word for doorway, reflecting its strategic function as a gateway. The site holds significant cultural value and was officially designated as a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Commission to Preserve National Monuments in March 2005, recognizing it as a Category 0 monument within the Sarajevo urban ensemble.

The origins of the fortification date back to the early 18th century, specifically following a devastating raid on Sarajevo by Prince Eugene of Savoy in 1697 which left the previously open city vulnerable. In response to this destruction, Governor Ahmed-paša Rustempašić Skopljak ordered the redevelopment of the area into a secure walled city in 1727. To ensure robust defense, five fortress architects were brought from Dubrovnik to supervise the project. Construction was completed in 1739, resulting in a complex that originally featured five forts and three distinctive tower-gates known as Sirokac, Ploca, and Visegrad.

Among the various defensive structures, the Bijela (White) and Zuta (Yellow) fortresses stand out as the most significant remaining elements of the original design. Today, the Walled City of Vratnik represents a crucial piece of Ottoman-era military architecture in the Balkans. It stands as a testament to the city's resilience and historical evolution from an open town to a fortified stronghold. The preserved walls and gates continue to define the character of the neighborhood, offering visitors a tangible connection to the region's turbulent past and its subsequent reconstruction efforts during the 18th century.

![Photo of Walled City of Vratnik](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Vratnik_walls%2C_Sarajevo.JPG)

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walled_city_of_Vratnik (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)