Gazi Husrev-beg Museum

Sarajevo


The 1537 Kuršumlija Madrasa building is distinctive for its pointed chimneys and the lead roof from which it takes its name. Although built as a religious school, it now hosts a small exhibition about the colourful life and philanthropic legacy of Ottoman governor Husrev-beg, who received the honorific 'Gazi' (meaning hero) for his role in the conquest of Belgrade. There's little in the way of artefacts but the video is well worth watching.

Within the same courtyard is a strikingly modern library. Hidden behind the museum lies the pretty, colonnaded Haniqah; originally built as a Naqshbandi Sufi philosophical school, it is now an exhibition space.