The Tunnel of Life: Sarajevo's Most Powerful Wartime Site

The Tunnel of Life sits beneath a modest house on the southern edge of Sarajevo, in the suburb of Dobrinja, and it is difficult to overstate what this 800-meter passage once meant to the people trapped inside the city. Built in 1993 during the Siege of Sarajevo, the tunnel connected the besieged city to Bosnian-held territory on the other side of the UN-controlled airport runway. For nearly three years, it was the only way in or out. Food, medicine, fuel, weapons, and human beings moved through it in both directions, often under sniper fire, often at night.

Today the site operates as a museum, and it draws visitors from across the world who want to understand the Bosnian War beyond what photographs and news reports can convey. Coming here is not a comfortable experience. It is not meant to be.

Why the Tunnel of Life Matters

The Siege of Sarajevo lasted from April 1992 to February 1996, making it the longest siege of a capital city in the history of modern warfare. More than 400,000 people were effectively cut off from the outside world. The Butmir Tunnel, as it is formally known, was dug by hand over several months and completed in the summer of 1993. Construction required extraordinary coordination and secrecy, and the physical conditions were brutal: workers dug from both ends simultaneously, meeting in the middle beneath the airport runway.

The tunnel was roughly 1.6 meters high and about 1 meter wide. Adults had to crouch or crawl through sections of it. Electricity, telephone cables, and a fuel pipeline were eventually threaded through to supply the city. Historians estimate that thousands of tonnes of goods passed through it over the course of the siege. It was, in every practical sense, the city's lifeline.

The Kolar family, who owned the house at the Dobrinja entrance, maintained and operated the tunnel throughout the war. Their home still stands on the site, and members of the family have been involved in running the museum since it opened.

Quick Facts

• Address: Tuneli 1, 71124 Dobrinja, Ilidža, Sarajevo
• The original tunnel was approximately 800 meters long and completed in 1993
• The museum preserves roughly 25 meters of the original tunnel passage, which visitors can walk through
• The site includes the original Kolar family house, an exhibition room, and outdoor displays of wartime equipment
• Photography is permitted throughout the site
• General admission tickets are available at the entrance; guided tours can also be arranged
• The site is managed by the City of Sarajevo

Getting There

The museum is located in Dobrinja, near the Butmir neighborhood and the edge of Sarajevo International Airport. From the old town (Baščaršija), the drive takes around 20 to 25 minutes depending on traffic. Tram line 3 runs toward Ilidža, and from the Ilidža terminus you can take a taxi or local bus for the remaining stretch to the site. Most visitors traveling independently find a taxi or rideshare the most practical option for the final leg.

If you book a half-day guided tour from central Sarajevo, transport is typically included. Many operators combine the Tunnel of Life with a stop at the Sarajevo War Tunnel Museum shop and one or two other significant war-era sites, which can make the logistics easier if you are short on time.

Parking is available near the site for those arriving by car or rental vehicle.

The Layout and Experience

You enter through the yard of the Kolar house, which has been left largely as it was during the war. Bullet holes and shrapnel damage are still visible on the exterior walls. The outdoor area displays military equipment, including anti-aircraft guns and vehicles used during the siege, and panels provide context in both Bosnian and English.

Inside the house, a documentary film plays on a loop. It is about 20 minutes long and draws on wartime footage and survivor testimony. Watching it before entering the tunnel itself is worth the time. The footage is raw and the accounts are personal, and they shift the experience from historical curiosity to something considerably more grounded.

The preserved tunnel section is accessed through a low hatch in the floor. You walk in a crouch through roughly 25 meters of the original passage, with wooden planks underfoot, cables running along the walls, and dim lighting overhead. The ceiling is close. The walls are close. Even in a short stretch, the physical reality of what thousands of people endured here over nearly three years becomes impossible to abstract away.

The exit brings you back into the open air of the yard, where most visitors tend to stand quietly for a moment before moving on.

History and Background

The idea for the tunnel emerged from the practical desperation of the siege. The Bosnian Army and city leadership needed a way to move supplies and personnel without crossing territory controlled by Bosnian Serb forces. The airport was technically under UN control, which meant crossing it openly was not an option either. The solution was to go under it.

Digging began in early 1993. Crews worked in shifts around the clock. The two teams digging from opposite ends met in the middle with only a small alignment error, which given the conditions and equipment available was considered remarkable. The tunnel opened in July 1993.

At its peak, several thousand people passed through the tunnel each day. Civilians used it to escape or to bring goods back into the city. Soldiers used it to move between positions. The passage was physically exhausting under the best conditions: the ceiling forced most adults into a bent-over shuffle, the floor was often flooded or muddy, and there was always the risk of collapse or enemy interception above ground.

After the war ended, most of the tunnel was sealed or collapsed. The Kolar family preserved the section beneath their property, and the site was formally established as a museum in 1997.

Best Time to Visit

The museum is open most days of the year, though hours tend to shorten in winter months. Arriving in the morning, particularly on weekdays, usually means smaller crowds and more time to move through the exhibition at your own pace. Summer afternoons can get busy, especially when multiple tour groups arrive at the same time, which makes the tunnel section feel cramped in a way that goes beyond the already confined space.

Allow at least 90 minutes for the full visit. If you watch the documentary film and spend time with the outdoor exhibits, two hours passes quickly.

Photography Tips

The outdoor equipment and the exterior of the Kolar house photograph well in the morning light, which comes in from the east and hits the facade directly. Inside the tunnel, lighting is dim and the space is tight, so a phone with decent low-light capability works better than a large camera with a wide lens. Many visitors find the hatch entrance, viewed from just inside looking back toward the light, is one of the more striking images to bring home. The exhibition room inside the house is also worth documenting, particularly the original tools used to dig the tunnel and the personal objects left by those who passed through.

Combining with Nearby Attractions

The Tunnel of Life is often paired with the Sarajevo War Tunnel Museum's own permanent collection, but if you have a full day on the western side of the city, the Yellow Fortress and the Ilidža Spa area are both accessible. Heading back toward the center, the History Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina on Zmaja od Bosne Street has a permanent exhibition on the siege that provides a wider political and military context for what you have just seen at the tunnel. The two sites together make for a coherent, if emotionally demanding, day.

Practical Tips

• Wear flat, closed-toe shoes. The tunnel floor is uneven and can be slippery.
• If you have any difficulty with enclosed spaces, be aware that the tunnel section is genuinely narrow and low. The 25-meter section is short, but there is no quick exit once you are inside.
• The documentary film is subtitled in English. Arriving a few minutes before the next screening starts is worthwhile.
• Guided tours in English are available and add considerable context, particularly around the tactical details of how the tunnel was used during different phases of the siege.
• There is a small gift shop on site. Proceeds support the museum.
• The site can be emotionally intense, particularly for those with personal connections to the Bosnian War. Give yourself time and space after the visit.
• Taxis from the city center are generally easy to find for the return trip; the museum staff can help you arrange one if needed.

FAQ

Is the Tunnel of Life suitable for children?

Older children, roughly ten and above, tend to engage meaningfully with the site. The documentary film contains wartime footage that is not graphic but is sobering. Younger children may find the tunnel section physically uncomfortable or frightening. Use your judgment based on the child.

How long does a visit take?

Most visitors spend between 90 minutes and two hours on site. If you add a guided tour, budget closer to two and a half hours.

Is the site accessible for visitors with mobility limitations?

The tunnel section itself is not accessible to visitors who cannot crouch or who use mobility aids. The outdoor exhibits and the exhibition room inside the house are accessible at ground level, and the documentary film can be viewed without entering the tunnel.

Do I need to book in advance?

Walk-in admission is available most days. During peak summer season, booking a guided tour in advance is advisable if you want to secure a specific time slot, but general admission tickets are typically available at the door.