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Stari Grad [Sarajevo] Multi-cache

Hidden : 3/23/2010
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   other (other)

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Geocache Description:


Stari Grad (meaning "old city") is a municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the oldest and most historically significant part of Sarajevo. At its heart is the Bašcaršija, the old town market sector where the city was founded by the Ottomans in the 15th century.

The municipality of Stari Grad is characterized by its many religious structures, and examples of unique Bosnian architecture. The eastern half of Stari Grad consists of the Ottoman influenced sectors of the city, while the western half showcases an architecture and culture that arrived with Austria-Hungary, symbolically representing the city as a meeting place between East and West.

Stari Grad contains numerous hotels and tourist attractions including the Gazi Husrev-beg's Mosque, Tzar's Mosque, and the Sarajevo Cathedral.

To get the cache, you'll have to pass in some points of this beautiful city and answer some questions.

 

Stage 1: N43 51.553 E18 25.862

Bašcaršija is considered to be the main street of Sarajevo and one of its most important landmarks. It is located in the old town part of Sarajevo, designed in the Ottoman-Turkish style and loaded with souvenir shops and public fountains. It contains a bazaar that sells all kinds of metalwork, jewellery and pottery. Each street is dedicated to a different craft. It is built in the 16th century.

The word Bašcaršija derives from Turkish language. The word "baš" which is "bas" in Turkish literally means "head", in some contexts however also "primary", "main", "capital" and "caršija" which is "çarsi" in Turkish means "bazaar" or "market". hence - main market.

 Here you'll have to check the number on the green plate on the mosque outside wall. This number is A.

 

Stage 2: N43 51.561 E18 25.721

 

The Gazi Husrev-Beg Mosque (Bosnian: Gazi Husrev-begova Džamija, Turkish: Gazi Hüsrev Bey Camii), often referred to as the Beg's Mosque, is a mosque in the city of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is considered the most important Islamic structures in the country and one of the world's finest examples of Ottoman Architecture. It is located in the Bašcaršija neighborhood in the Stari Grad municipality, and remains one of the most popular centers of worship in the city.

The mosque was financed in 1531 by Gazi Husrev-beg, the provincial governor of Bosnia. Husrev-beg is widely considered Sarajevo's greatest patron, as he financed much of Sarajevo's old city at this time.

The Gazi Husrev-Beg Mosque was built by the famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, who would later go on to build the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne for the Sultan Selim I. Gazi Husrev-beg also built the same mosque called Hüsreviye Mosque in Aleppo, Syria, between 1531 and 1534.

During the Siege of Sarajevo, Serbian forces purposely targeted many centers of the city's culture and fired from them at large, such as museums, libraries, and mosques. As the largest and most well known, the Beg's mosque was an obvious target. Heavily damaged in the war, it was renovated in 1996 with foreign help. Prior to reconstruction, the interior was far more intricate, but today the walls are simply white, much of the detail, artistry, and color taken out. Complete restoration and re-painting of mosque began in 2000. It has been done mainly by Hazim Numanagic, a Bosnian calligrapher.

Here you'll have to check the year on the right bottom of the left panel found on the wall of the main mosque near the fountain. This number is B.

 

Stage 3: N43 51.558 E18 25.531

The Cathedral of Jesus' Heart in Sarajevo, commonly referred as the Sarajevo Cathedral is the largest cathedral in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the seat of the Vrhbosanski Archbishop, and center of Catholic worship in the city. The Cathedral is located in the city's Old Town district. The Cathedral of Jesus Heart was built in honor of "Jesus Sacred Heart", an important Catholic concept. Architect Josip Vancaš modeled it after the Notre-Dame de Paris using the neo-Gothic style and elements of Romanesque architecture. Work began on August 25, 1884, and was completed in the same month in 1889.

The building was damaged during the Siege of Sarajevo, but was not completely destroyed, and the damage has since been repaired. The building is often used as a symbol of the city: The design above the door to the Cathedral is part of the flag and seal of Sarajevo Canton and the Romanesque towers are featured on the flag and coat of arms of Sarajevo.

Here you'll have to check how many bells are housed in the two towers. You can check for the answer in the informative plate in front of the cathedral. This number is C.

 

As a checksum: A + B + C = 2041.

Now use those numbers and calculate the coordinates of the cache: N43 51.((B/2) - 500) E18 25.((A*C*2)+20)

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Anab zntargvp oruvaq gur fgnghr.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)