The Alija Izetbegovic Museum in Sarajevo is preparing to reopen to visitors following extensive restoration and exhibition works carried out by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).
Established in 2007 to preserve and pass on the intellectual and political legacy of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first president, Alija Izetbegovic, the museum operates in the Ottoman-era Ploca and Sirokac gate towers, which are recognized as national monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The restoration project was carried out in two phases, combining the preservation of the historic structures with a comprehensive renewal of the museum’s exhibition spaces.
During the first phase, the original architectural features of the towers were preserved while their physical infrastructure was strengthened. Roofs, fortress walls and stairways were repaired as part of efforts to safeguard the historic Vratnik fortification system, which once protected the eastern part of Sarajevo.
The Ploca and Sirokac towers, built between 1727 and 1739 during the tenure of Bosnian governor Ahmed Pasha Rustempasic Skopljak, represent important elements of the Ottoman defensive system in the Balkans.
TIKA President Abdullah Eren on social media highlighted the symbolic importance of the museum, describing Izetbegovic as Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first president, a thinker and a national figure whose life reflected the country’s struggle to protect its freedom, identity and homeland.
Eren said the museum was being renewed through TIKA’s restoration and exhibition works to convey Izetbegovic’s life and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s struggle for freedom to future generations more effectively.
He also paid tribute to Izetbegovic, saying he devoted his life to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s struggle for freedom and independence.
The second phase focused on renewing the museum’s exhibition and display design in line with contemporary museum standards. The renovated museum incorporates canvas prints, original graphic applications, modern display cases, LED screens and digital audiovisual content to enhance the visitor experience.
The new exhibition combines chronological and thematic storytelling across the historic site.
The Ploca Gate Tower focuses on Izetbegovic’s childhood and youth, family life and intellectual development, while the fortification line covers his trial, prison years and writings from the period.
The Sirokac Gate Tower presents Bosnia and Herzegovina’s independence process, Izetbegovic’s political career and presidency, his leadership during the war and his international political legacy through interactive displays.
Izetbegovic was the first president of independent Bosnia and Herzegovina and a central figure in the country’s independence movement. A political leader, intellectual and writer, he led the country during the 1992-1995 war and became one of the most prominent figures associated with its struggle for independence.
The museum’s location also carries a broader historical significance. The towers once formed part of Sarajevo’s defensive system during the Ottoman period, while Izetbegovic later became a symbol of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s defense and independence.
Elvis Kondzic, the museum’s first director and one of its founders, highlighted the symbolic connection between Izetbegovic and the historic towers.
"The towers and Alija lived in different times. But ultimately, they came together around the common purpose of defense and freedom,” Kondzic said.
The renewed museum aims to preserve the historical character of the site while using modern exhibition technologies to explore the relationship between memory, identity and cultural heritage.