19 Haunting Pictures Of The Abandoned 1984 Winter Olympics Venues

Sarajevo hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics but many of the venues were abandoned during the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. This is what remains.

Posted on February 19, 2014, 15:39 GMT

Jim Waterson

BuzzFeed News Reporter, UK

1. Up in the hills above the Bosnian capital is the Bobsleigh and Luge track used in the in 1984 Winter Olympics.

The track, above Sarajevo, was used as a Bosnian-Serb artillery stronghold during the war in the early 1990s.

2. The track is now overgrown in parts.

3. And covered in graffiti.

4. There's little to suggest this was once an Olympics venue.

5. Meanwhile, in the centre of Sarajevo the Winter Olympics logo still stands on a tower.

6. And the disused ski jumping venue is rotting away on Mount Igman.

Mount Igman, located 16 miles outside Sarajevo, was also used as an artillery position during the war. The ski jumps on its slopes were abandoned.

7. This is the view from the top of the ski jump.

8. But the ends of the ski jumps are now blocked off.

9. This is the end of the former Olympic jump.

10. A derelict medals podium still stands the end of the ski jump.

It was here that Finland's Matti Nykänen was awarded the gold medal in the large hill event during 1984.

11. These are the abandoned stands for spectators.

12. And this is the hut for the ski jump judges.

13. Nearby is an abandoned hotel for Olympic competitors and officials.

14. In the centre of Sarajevo is the abandoned speed skating venue.

Zetra Ice Rink stands outside in central Sarajevo and hosted the speed skating events. The nearby Zetra Hall hosted indoor skating events and was badly damaged during the war but has since been rebuilt.

15. It still carries pictures of Vucko, the official Olympics mascot.

16. And Vucko looked quite stern.

17. Fading murals of the mascot's eyes continue to look down on the site.

18. Thirty years on some Winter Olympics logos still survive on the streets of Sarajevo.

19. But it's a long way from Sochi.