The citizens of Sarajevo, along with its visitors, experienced a very positive surprise in August 2014 when the legendary tram number 15 appeared at Marijin Dvor. The distinctive bell, which last rang back in 1960, now welcomes passengers and signals the departure towards the Museums and the New Railway Station. This means a lot to the locals; for many, the tram remains a fond memory—especially for the older generation and nostalgic souls who remember and will forever cherish those good old days. This tram, dubbed “Nostalgia,” was modeled after the first electric tram from 1895 (more about trams from that era can be found at the following link: https://vremeplov.ba/2025/?p=4161), which took its first “steps,” and continues to do so, precisely along the tracks of Marijin Dvor.
The “Nostalgia” tram, organized by the Embassy of Hungary and the Hungarian Memorial Committee, is part of the program commemorating the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I. The replica of the tram from 1895 has been adapted for modern driving conditions in Sarajevo, featuring 16 seats and about ten standing places. It operates daily on the route Baščaršija – Railway Station. This renovated museum exhibit, handcrafted by skilled GRAS artisans, is expertly driven while standing by two elderly tram conductors dressed in traditional Bosnian folk costumes.
Experiencing this scene emotionally, symbolic messages emerge (unfortunately in the outlines of closed museums), which say that today we are part of a cultural journey through time and a key attraction, despite the Sarajevo Film Festival event taking place. For those who cherish this moment of re-encounter with an object from the past, they quickly grab their mobile devices and record regardless of how the moment is captured. A question arises: “Is nostalgia the only thing that remains in our consciousness or a way that spreads beyond this circle of the same?” The ultimate realization is that nostalgia is within that circle, wrapped in a soft veil of awareness in present living, which stops in our eye—tangible and immediate regardless of how much it can be imagined.
There is no dilemma; I decisively return home to get my camera, in a kind of parade, so that through the lens I am inside the circle together with tram number 15. (with a period) and capture moments of the ride through the beautiful parts of Sarajevo. How serious this photo story in the comments will be, whether it’s a valid theory of the “enchanted” circle of nostalgia consciousness or a theory of the emotional value of the attached photographs, I leave it up to you to judge. And I think to myself: I love the tram, I love this city, the city of Sarajevo.
With love, Your Srećko
