The Old Jewish Cemetery on the slopes of Kovačići hill is one of the largest Sephardic cemeteries in the world, established in 1630 for the Sephardic Jews who had settled in Sarajevo after the expulsion from Spain in 1492. The 3,500 headstones — inscribed in Hebrew and Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) — cover several terraced levels of the hillside and represent nearly four centuries of a community that was almost entirely destroyed in the Holocaust.
The cemetery offers panoramic views over Sarajevo from its upper terraces and has a melancholic beauty that goes beyond the historical significance. The headstones are in varying states of preservation; some are worn smooth, others freshly restored. A small section was added after the siege for victims of the 1992–1995 war. The walk up the hill from the city centre takes about 20 minutes through residential streets; alternatively, a taxi will drop you at the gate.