after the flame

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The Olympic flame that lit up Sarajevo in 1984 left a warm, lasting glow. For years, the city basked in its success, using its new world-class facilities to welcome the world. But just eight years later, that bright legacy was plunged into darkness. The 1992-1995 war and the Siege of Sarajevo transformed these symbols of peace and unity into battlegrounds, leaving deep scars on the city and its Olympic venues.

A Golden Afterglow

After the athletes went home, the Olympic spirit lived on. The Games had been a spectacular success, and in 1985, Sarajevo saw a record number of tourist visits. The brand-new venues on the surrounding mountains, which had already hosted World Cup and European championship events as dress rehearsals in 1983, were poised to make Sarajevo a premier winter sports destination. The infrastructure was in place, and the city’s reputation for hospitality was legendary. For a brief, shining period, the future built by the Olympics seemed boundless.

From Celebration to Siege

The dream came to a devastating halt in 1992. As Yugoslavia broke apart, war engulfed Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Sarajevo endured the longest siege of a capital city in modern history. In a tragic twist of fate, Sarajevo became the only Olympic host city to ever experience a civil war after staging the Games. The mountains that once hosted cheering crowds became strategic frontlines. Venues built to bring people together were tragically repurposed for conflict, turning into artillery positions, defensive strongholds, and no-man's-lands. The world that had celebrated here now watched in horror as the city fought for survival.

Scars on the Olympic Venues

Nearly every Olympic site was caught in the crossfire.

  • The Bobsled Track: This very track on Mount Trebević, offering a commanding view of the city, was fortified and used as an artillery position during the siege.

  • Zetra Olympic Hall: The elegant Zetra complex, which had hosted the iconic Torvill and Dean performance, was shelled repeatedly and burned to the ground.

  • Koševo Stadium: The site of the joyful Opening Ceremony took on a somber new role. Its auxiliary grounds were turned into a graveyard, a final resting place for many Sarajevans killed during the siege.

  • The Olympic Villages: The athletes' village at Mojmilo and the journalists' village at Dobrinja saw some of the fiercest fighting, leaving the apartment blocks destroyed.

  • The Ski Slopes: The mountains told a divided story. Jahorina, where the women's alpine events were held, was on the Serbian side and remained largely undamaged. In contrast, Bjelašnica and Igman served as a crucial lifeline for the besieged city. Their Olympic facilities were devastated: the ski jumps were destroyed, and the auxiliary Olympic village, Hotel Igman, was burned to the ground, leaving it in ruins.