Echoes of History Beautiful Sites Where the World Was Forever Changed

24. The Sarajevo Street Corner – The Assassination That Started World War I

A quiet street corner in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina may not seem remarkable at first glance, but on June 28, 1914, it became the site of one of the most world-altering moments in history. It was here that Gavrilo Princip, a 19-year-old Bosnian Serb nationalist, assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife, igniting the chain reaction that led to World War I. This seemingly ordinary intersection became ground zero for a conflict that reshaped the 20th century, leading to the fall of empires and the redrawing of national borders. Today, a small plaque marks the spot, reminding visitors of the moment when the world changed forever.