Scattered across Sarajevo are around 200 memorials embedded in the pavement, known as Sarajevo Roses. Each preserves the scar left when a mortar shell exploded during the Siege of Sarajevo between 1992 and 1996. The crater was later filled with red resin, preserving the damage rather than removing it and turning part of the ordinary pavement into a memorial.
The name comes from the pattern produced when a mortar shell struck concrete or asphalt, sending cracks and fragments outwards in a shape resembling the petals of a flower. Officially marked roses generally identify places where at least three people were killed, with the red filling representing the bloodshed. Many have faded, been damaged or disappeared during later resurfacing, while others have been restored and protected.
It was Jonathan that pointed these out to me and they are a strikingly visual reminder of the suffering Sarajevo endured during the siege. What felt quite powerful about these memorials is that they are not separated from everyday life behind railings or inside a museum. They remain beneath people’s feet, quietly forcing the violence of the past into the present day and for visitors, that can come at quite unexpected times when exploring the city.