The Park at Mejdan is located on the left bank of the Miljacka River, between the Latin Bridge and the Ćumurija Bridge. This green oasis in the heart of old Sarajevo, covering an area of about 2,500 square meters, has undergone several name and purpose changes.
Immediately after the founding of Sarajevo, it served as a public execution site, earning the name “Sijaset Mejdan.” In the second half of the 15th century, it was used as a horse trading and hippodrome area, hence the name “At Mejdan” (at – horse; mejdan – square).
In the section closer to the Ćumurija Bridge, Hadži Alija Bakr-baba built a mosque in 1544. Later, Hadži Ismail Misrija constructed a medresa (higher Islamic school) in 1741-1742 on the eastern side of the mosque's harem (courtyard with a cemetery). Additionally, Abdulah-efendija Kantamirija erected a library nearby, making At Mejdan a significant educational and cultural center by the late 18th century.
However, in the early 19th century, At Mejdan lost its significance and, following the Austro-Hungarian occupation, the buildings in the area began to be demolished. The square was then named after Baron Josip Filipović, the commander of the occupying forces in 1878. In 1905, it was merged with the nearby Military Square, and the entire area was named Franjo Josip Square after the Austro-Hungarian Emperor.
Between the two world wars, the park was named after Emperor Dušan, the first Serbian Emperor. In 1925, it was officially declared a park. During World War II, it was named after the writer Edhem Mulabdić. After the liberation in 1945, it once again received the name Dušan Silni (Dušan the Mighty), and in 1993, it was renamed At Mejdan.
The focal point of At Mejdan today is the music pavilion, constructed in 1913 according to Josip Pospišil's design. The pavilion was destroyed during World War II but was rebuilt in 2004.
In the western part of the park, the protected archaeological area of At Mejdan was opened in 2015. It includes the restored Bakr-baba Mosque and the remains of the mosque's mekteb (elementary school), harem, and Misrija's medresa.
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