Sarajevo Tunnel

The Sarajevo Tunnel, often called the Tunnel of Hope, is a wartime passage constructed during the 1992-1995 siege of Sarajevo to bypass the blockade and provide access to food, medicine, and supplies. It is a key physical reminder of the siege period.

The original tunnel measured roughly 800 meters and was built in 1993 by Bosnian forces and civilians to maintain a link between the besieged city and the airport area. Today a small museum preserves part of the tunnel and exhibits related items.

After the war the tunnel was sealed for safety and a preserved section was converted into a museum that presents photographs, artifacts, and documentary material about the siege and the tunnel’s construction. The museum is visited for its historical significance and educational displays.

The tunnel entrance and museum are located in the neighborhood of Dobrinja on the western outskirts of Sarajevo, adjacent to the old military airport area and within the metropolitan area of the city.

• Length and purpose: The original tunnel was approximately 800 meters long and was constructed during the 1992-1993 siege to link Sarajevo with territory beyond the encirclement.
• Visiting museum: A short preserved section is open to visitors and forms part of a museum that explains life during the siege and the tunnel's logistical role.

What to See #

• Tunnel Museum (Tunnel of Hope): A preserved section of the original wartime tunnel and an interpretive museum exhibiting photographs, artifacts, and explanations of construction and wartime use; the open tunnel segment on display measures about 20 meters.