Mis Irbina Street

Mis Irbina Street (Bosnian: Mis Irbina ulica; Serbo-Croatian Cyrillic: Мис Ирбина улица) is a historically significant street located in the central district of Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.^[1] The street extends from the Sarajevo Canton building and Reisa Džemaludina Čauševića Street in the west to the ARIA Centar and Radićeva Street in the east. It is situated near prominent landmarks such as the Sarajevo National Theatre and the Eternal Flame.^[2]

The origins of Mis Irbina Street date back to the 16th century during the Ottoman era, when it was known as Sahtijanuša. The street developed alongside the Sahtijandži Hadži-Mahmud Balije mahala, a neighborhood that existed at the time.^[3]

The street was later renamed in honor of Adeline Paulina Irby, a British humanitarian and educator who, along with her colleague Georgina Mackenzie, established a school for girls in Sarajevo in 1870.^[4] Irby’s contributions to education and social welfare in Bosnia and Herzegovina were highly regarded, leading to the street bearing her name as a tribute to her legacy.^[4]

One of the significant landmarks on Mis Irbina Street is the building at number 2, which housed Sarajevo’s first cinema, Apolo. Opened in 1912, Apolo was considered one of the most beautiful movie theaters in Europe at the time. The building has been recognized as a national monument due to its cultural and historical importance.^[5]