Prepare your tissues because this is a sad one. Sarajevo is a city that survived a 1425-day-long siege from 1992 to 1995. As a result, 1601 children died. This monument dedicated to dead children honors them.

I do not know how to describe this place without being overly sentimental. Whenever I walk by, it gives me goosebumps. It also reminds me how lucky I was to survive the horrors of war and makes me appreciate life even more.

This monument dedicated to dead children is symbolic. It consists of 2 vertical pillars, the taller and the shorter one. They represent a parent and a child. The parent is leaning over the child, trying to shield it from the war. The concrete ring that surrounds this monument is filled with children’s footsteps. It represents the streets of Sarajevo. The outer ring is made of recycled metal from all the grenades and bullets that shelled the city. Next to the monument, you can find the names of every child that died during the siege. They are written on rotating cylinders that play music as you spin them.

Many tourists walk past this monument without even knowing what it stands for. I hope this article changes that a little bit, and there are more people dedicating a couple of minutes to honor our fallen brothers and sisters.