From April 1992 to February 1996, the Holiday Inn Sarajevo was the focal point of the world’s media during the siege of Sarajevo and the Bosnian war. Hundreds of war correspondents, photographers and TV crews were besieged in Sarajevo and lived inside the hotel. The Holiday Inn became one of the fiercest frontlines of Sarajevo, a ground zero of the siege, while it was inhabited by journalists, aid workers and UN personnel. It’s location on the so-called “Sniper’s Alley” meant part of the hotel was abandoned due to daily sniping and shelling, but the other side was functioning albeit under highly unusual circumstances. The hotel management provided fuel, water, food twenty four hours a day, largely from the black market war economy. Many sad stories played out in the besieged hotel, but stories of love, friendship and brotherhood flourished too. The now-famous war correspondents, photojournalists and hotel’s staff reflect on their life inside the Holiday Inn during the longest siege in the modern history.
