Olympic Bobsled Track (Trebević)

The Olympic Bobsled Track on Mount Trebević above Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, was built for the 1984 Winter Olympics and is one of the city's most striking reminders of both the Games and the siege that followed. The concrete track, roughly 1.3 kilometres long with curving banked turns, was used for bobsled and luge events in 1984. During the war of the 1990s the Trebević area was a front line, and the track was used by military forces as an artillery and defensive position, which left it damaged. Today it is abandoned and covered in colourful graffiti and street art, and has become an open-air gallery and a popular walking destination. Visitors can walk along and sometimes inside the curved concrete channel, climb onto the banked turns and view the forest around it. Some turns are still used by cyclists, and local initiatives clear litter and maintain the area. A visit takes about an hour. The best photo angles are from inside the track looking along a curve, and from above the banked turns with the forest behind. Late morning in dry weather is best, as the concrete is slippery when wet and the surface can be uneven. The track is reached by taking the Trebević cable car to the summit and walking about 20 minutes downhill, or by taxi to the track. It is free and open daily. Weekends bring more visitors, while weekday mornings are quiet. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes and watch for broken concrete and glass, and should stay on marked paths in the surrounding forest because of the area's wartime history.