OFFICIAL OPENING OF BICYCLE PATH ON JUNE 8

PALE, MAY 31 /SRNA/ - The bicycle path, a former narrow-gauge railway that connected Sarajevo, Pale and Višegrad for decades, should be officially opened on June 8.

Today, cyclists, recreationists and walkers pass along the route that once rang out with the sound of the famous Ćiro train, enjoying the nature and the views that connect the past and the present. The Director of the Istočno Sarajevo Tourism Organization Stefan Stajčić told SRNA that the trail will be one of the most important tourist and recreational facilities for Istočno Sarajevo, the municipality of Pale, but also for Sarajevo, and an important step towards the development of active tourism in this part of Srpska and BiH. He said that the special symbolism of the track is given by the fact that it was built along the route of the legendary Ćiro, a train that until 1978 was the lifeline of this region, connecting people, places and lives through the mountainous regions of Romanija. Stajčić said that the plan is to continue the project, that is, to extend the path from the old railway station towards Pale, connecting it to Ravna Planina, Jahorina and Trebević via Dvorišta, which would form a large tourist and recreational circle towards Sarajevo. The former Ćiro railway, which once transported passengers through forests and gorges, today has a new mission - to connect people, nature and tourism, but this time on two wheels. PRERAST - STONE BRIDGE IN PALJANSKA MILJACKA CANYON Not far from the former Pale railway station, through tunnels and along the railway line, two kilometers away is Prerast, a stone bridge in the Paljanska Miljacka canyon, which represents a rock arch formed by the influence of wind and water. This stone bridge, in addition to being touristic, also has historical significance because there is also a painting of the unknown author of this natural phenomenon from 1785. The most beautiful part of the Miljacka, apart from its source, is the canyon that stretches from the Pale station to Dovlić, where the Mokranjska and Paljanska Miljacka meet, parallel to the former route of the Sarajevo-Pale narrow-gauge railway. REST BY WATER FROM AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN FOUNTAIN Visitors have a fountain from the Austro-Hungarian era at their disposal during a break from driving along the restored bicycle path, which represents a place for a short rest, refreshment and is a reminder of the rich history of the former railway line that connected this region for decades. These specific fountain and the accompanying infrastructure were built to supply steam locomotives with water, but they also served as sources of drinking water for the local population and passengers. The bicycle path is about 15 kilometers long and passes through the municipalities of Pale, Istočni Stari Grad and Stari Grad. The EU allocated around 2.3 million euros for its construction.