9 October 2025.

Sarajevo’s air is getting thicker – here is how windows and doors can protect you

Every winter, Sarajevo becomes a city where breathing is difficult. Thick smog trapped between mountains turns the valley into a grey haze with visibility of only a few metres. A city full of fresh air and greenery in summer faces some of the world’s worst pollution from the first cold days. Air fills with fine dust, ash, smoke and soot penetrating every gap. Many residents believe closing windows protects them, but old or unsuitable windows and doors are an insufficient barrier. Even small cracks and poor seals admit cold air and invisible pollutants that remain indoors, making indoor air almost as harmful as outside.