Just as the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent is considered the "golden age" in the history of the Ottoman Empire, the "golden age" in the history of the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina is considered the reign of the famous cousin of Suleiman, Gazi Husrev-beg. During this period, Sarajevo reached its peak and became one of the largest European cities of the empire.

As the ruler of the Ottoman sanjak, Gazi Husrev-beg restored the ancient Emperor's Mosque, built a hospital, a charity house, public baths, a covered bazaar (bezistan), opened the largest library of Islamic manuscripts in modern Europe and the Gazi Husrev Bey's Madrasah, the oldest Islamic school of the state that has survived to this day. Many public and residential buildings were erected during his reign. But the main legacy of the ruler is the grand Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque.

The main shrine of Sarajevo and the largest mosque in Bosnia and Herzegovina rises in the city's historic center and is the most visited tourist attraction. The magnificent monument of Ottoman architecture was built in 1530. Although the name of the architect is still unknown, more and more historians agree that it was built by the great architect of the sultan, Mimar Sinan.

The 26-meter-high mosque includes a prayer hall, two mausoleums, a madrasah, and a slender minaret, as well as a marble shadirvan fountain for ritual ablution. The mosque was badly damaged during the Croat–Bosniak War, but, fortunately, the centuries-old walls managed to withstand and survive the siege of the city. Immediately after the end of the hostilities, the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque was restored, and the famous Bosnian calligrapher Hazim Numanagic introduced a new luxurious interior. Today, only the portal contains the original Austro-Hungarian decor, made in the Moorish Revival style. Besides, the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque was the first one in the world to receive electric lighting. It happened in the late 19th century during the reign of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.