The Yellow Fortress is one of the fortifications that made up the defensive wall of the old town, Vratnik. Since it is positioned up on Jekovac Cliff, it is also known as Jekovac Fortress. 

After Eugene of Savoy sacked Sarajevo in 1697, it was shown that the little fortress, which was where the White Fortress is today, wasn’t sufficient to defend the city from attack, so the Bosnian Governor, Gazi Ahmed Pasha Rustempašić Skopljak, commissioned work on fortifying Vratnik in 1729.

Five bastions were placed at points along the fortified wall, including the Yellow Fortress, which takes its name from the yellow rock that was used in its construction.

The fortress lost its original function once the Austro-Hungarians took over Sarajevo.

Today, it offers a fantastic view of the city and is one of Sarajevo’s most popular vantage points.

This is also the spot where a cannon is fired at sunset during the Islamic month of Ramadan to mark the time for breaking the fast.