One of the city landmarks and most iconic buildings of the Austro-Hungarian period in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the National and University Library, known as the Sarajevo City Hall, was set on fire in shelling on this day 29 years ago.

The Sarajevo City Hall was opened on April 20, 1886, little after the Austro-Hungarian Empire took over Bosnia after the Ottomans left. Since then, it stood witness to Bosnia being part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and then it survived WWII and saw the country becoming part of Yugoslavia.

It was, however, burnt down in the 1992-1995 war.

The building was first the seat of the city administration. Following WWII and until 1949, it served as the premises of the Sarajevo Court and the seat of Bosnia’s Parliament. It then became the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The building was shelled several times between 1992 and 1995. It was set ablaze in August 1992.

The fire destroyed about 90percent of books and documents containing Bosnia’s history.

Reconstruction began in 1996, and the Library was opened again on May 9, 2014.

On the 29th anniversary of its wartime destruction, head of the Bosnian National and University Library Ismet Ovcina said he hoped the building would again become the home to this institution.

“We would like to start it as soon as possible and we hope the mayor of Sarajevo will take specific steps towards that goal,” he said.

Jasmin Ademovic, the City Council Chairman, expressed strong support for this initiative.

“All relevant documents from the past indicate that the National and University Library of BiH is the one to have the most right to the City Hall building,” said Ademovic, adding that he would advocate the initiative of providing the library with 2,300 square meter area within the building.

“What matters the most is returning our cultural-historic heritage to this building, because that is our past but also the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” he added.