Belgrade is a city of rich cultural and historical heritage that depicts its existence through centuries. The city has 420 immovable cultural assets, 18 spatial cultural and historical units and 37 natural assets. Belgrade has an oak tree in Cvetni trg (Flower Square) that is over 200 years old, hidden chambers of the Belgrade Fortress, Veliko ratno ostrvo (Great War Island) and Malo ratno ostrvo (Little War Island), New Belgrade brutalist architecture, which is connected by Branko's Bridge with the secessionist façades of the Old Town. Belgrade is said to have a special spirit, made up of its people.
The first human settlements on the territory of Belgrade were created 7000 years ago. There are numerous archeological sites with material remains to prove it, from the culture of the Old Stone Age and other prehistoric cultures to the Middle Ages.
Vinča, 14 km from Belgrade on the way to Grocka, is a prehistoric site on the banks of the Danube, with the remains of the material culture of prehistoric man (Neolithic plastic). Remains of Neanderthal man were found in caves in Bele vode. The most widespread culture on the soil of Europe at the time was named after the site in Vinča.
On the territory of Grocka there are sites Agino brdo (Neolithic), Dubočaj and Brestovik (Roman period). In the area of Surčin, near Jakovo, there is Kormadin, where objects from the Late Neolithic were found. On the way to Avala, prehistoric mining pits were found in Šuplja stena, and a medieval stone fortress, the town of Žrnov, was found on Avala.
Quite well-preserved Celtic tombs were found on the territory of Karaburma and Rospa Bridge. Roman thermae found in University Park on Studentski trg (Students Square) are the remnants of a Roman civilian settlement. The remnants of a Roman settlement were also found in the Lower Town on Kalemegdan - Mithra's holy shrine with altar and small thermae.
The fortress on Kalemegdan was demolished and rebuilt during the period of 2000 years. The position of the fortress at the crossroads of European roads to the east determined its role as a defensive stronghold, as well as the starting point of various conquests. The oldest part of the Belgrade Fortress is its Upper Town, which dates back to the Roman period. In its area, there were an ancient military camp, a fortification of a medieval city, as well as a modern bastion of an artillery fortress.
During the reign of Despot Stefan Lazarević, it became a developed medieval fortress with the Inner and Lower Towns, western and eastern suburbs. In the Inner City there were the court of Despot Stefan Lazarević, a treasury, a chapel and a library. In 1521, it fell under the rule of the Ottomans, and in 1717, with the arrival of the Austro-Hungarian rule, modernisation began, changing its general appearance. The keys to the Belgrade Fortress were finally given to the Serbs in 1867, and its role remained to be military until the First World War, when it played its last major war role.
Today, the Belgrade Fortress forms a spatial whole with Kalemegdan Park. In the spatial whole of the Belgrade Fortress there are the statue of the Victor, the Monument of Gratitude to France, Nebojša Tower, Great Gunpowder Warehouse, Ružica Church, the Church of St Petka, Vidin Gate, Zindan Gate, as well as a large number of monuments and sculptures.
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After commissioning the residence for his wife and children in the City of Belgrade, Prince Miloš Obrenović commission also a residence for himself in Topčider 1831-1834. The residence was built by Janja Mihailović and Nikola Đorđević, headed by Hadži-Nikola Živković, supervisor and builder of almost all construction projects of Prince Miloš. The lavish interior decoration of the ceiling, walls and niche has been partially preserved to this day. During his first reign, Miloš only stayed here occasionally, and during his second reign he spent all his time (two years) in the Residence and died there on 14 September 1860.
For a while, the Residence housed the Museum of Prince Miloš and Mihailo Obrenović, followed by the Forestry and Hunting Museum, founded in 1929. During the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the First Serbian Uprising (1954), the Museum of the First Serbian Uprising was opened in the Residence with a theme dedicated to the entire period of liberation struggles against the Turks (from 1804 to the second hatisherif in 1839). The exhibits of the Museum were used as the starting point for the formation of the History Museum of Serbia in 1963. In front of this building there is one of the oldest and most beautiful plane trees in Europe, protected as a natural rarity (it is more than 160 years old).
It was under construction 1829-1831 under the supervision of Hadži-Nikola Živković, a pioneer of Serbian architecture in the first half of the 19th century. By order of Prince Miloš Obrenović, it was built to house his family, Princess Ljubica and his sons - Milan and Mihailo. The building has been preserved to this day as the most representative town hall from the first half of the 19th century. In the architectural treatment, it contains all the features of oriental construction, variants of the so-called Serbian Balkan style, but with decorative elements of classicism that announce the influence of the West on domestic architecture in the first period of the renewal of the Serbian state.
Since the coming to power of Aleksandar Karađorđević in 1842, the building was used as the Lyceum, the Court of Cassation and the Court of Appeals, the Art Museum, the Church Museum, the Home for the Elderly, the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of Serbia, and now it is part of the Belgrade City Museum used for exhibiting museum material and painting exhibitions. The permanent exhibition in the Residence consists of original furniture, made in the Oriental Balkan style as well as in other styles of the time (Classicism, Biedermeier, Neo-Baroque).
It was built from 1858 to 1863 as the private mansion of Miša Anastasijević, “the Danube Captain” and the richest man in Serbia at the time. The designer is Jan Nevole, of Czech origin, who left behind other architectural achievements in Serbia and Belgrade as well. Built for the court, the mansion was donated to the Serbian people (the inscription on the main façade - Miša Anastasijević to his fatherland) for educational and cultural purposes. At that time, it was the largest and the most beautiful mansion in Serbia. Its architecture is a mixture the influences of different styles, cultures and epochs, out of which the elements of the Renaissance and Romanticism are the most striking. In accordance with the donor’s wishes, the building housed almost all important educational and cultural institutions in the Principality of Serbia - the Ministry of Education, the Great School (forerunner of the University), the First Belgrade Gymnasium, the National Museum, the Picture Gallery and the Library. Occasionally, the ceremonial hall was used for the sessions of the National Assembly (1864-1875) and the Senate (1901-1903). Today, it houses the Rectorate of the University of Belgrade and parts of the Faculty of Philosophy.
The National Museum in Belgrade was established by a decree of the Minister of Education, Jovan Sterija Popović in 1844. It is located in the central square of Belgrade - Republic Square. The edifice was built according to the project of architects Andra Stevanović and Nikola Nestorović. The original building, overlooking Republic Square, was erected in 1902. The tract overlooking Laza Paču Street was added in 1930, when the ticket office hall (today the atrium of the National Museum) was also set up.
During the Second World War, the building was significantly damaged, and after the war, it was renovated without the current cupola. In the sixties, with the efforts of the manager of the National Museum at the time, Lazar Trifunović, PhD, the cupola in the middle was restored and the interior was set, therefore, today it fully corresponds to the purpose. The National Museum has an impressive archeological collection, a collection of Serbian and Yugoslav art, but also works by world-renowned artists such as Botticelli, Bosch, Dürer, Van Gogh, Kandinsky, Mondrian as well as many others.
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It was built from 1868 to 1869 according to the designs of the architect Aleksandar Bugarski, one of the most prolific builders of Belgrade in the 19th century. The decision to erect a separate building as a theatre was made by Prince Mihailo Obrenović. The building was designed based on the general type of theatre buildings of that time, especially La Scala in Milan, which was used as the model for the Renaissance concept and decorative treatment. Subsequent reconstructions completely changed the original appearance. Extensive reconstruction was carried out in 1986, when the theatre was restored to its appearance of 1922, and an extension was made overlooking Braće Jugovića Street. Apart from theatrical performances, the hall was also used for charity balls and concerts during the 19th century. The Grand Constituent Assembly voted in it for the famous Constitution of 1888.
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It was built in 1896 to celebrate the millennial (896-1896) establishing and existence of the Hungarian state. Such ‘millennial’ symbols were erected by Hungarians in other places as well. It was built as a “lookout tower”, or a “postcard tower”, at the highest point of Gardoš, combining stone and brick. The architecture is characterised by different styles, dominated by elements of romance. It is wrongly connected to the historical figure of János Hunyadi, also known as Sibinjanin Janko. Today, various cultural activities take place in the tower.
The museum was built between 1962 and 1965 based on the competition paper of architects Ivan Antić and Ivanka Raspopović in 1960. The significance of the building structure stems from the practically inestimable value of works of art by Yugoslav artists of the 20th century, permanently connected to this building as part of a permanent exhibition, several diverse collections housed in depots, and the fact that the position, volume and architecture of the building represent a striking point which can be seen from the Belgrade Fortress, from the new Sava Bridge and from the river.
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The Palace of Serbia is one of the most representative achievements of the post-war architecture of Belgrade and Yugoslavia. It was ceremoniously opened in 1961, on the occasion of the First Conference of Non-Aligned Countries in Belgrade, and throughout history it has been the venue for the most important political events. The construction works began according to the first-prize winning project of architects Vladimir Potočnjak, Anton Urlih, Zlatko Nojman and Dragica Perak of 1947, and implemented according to the decision of Mihailo Janković and the design office Stadion in the period from 1955 to 1961. It is a unique example of modernist conception in Yugoslav architecture. The specific architecture, the park and the fountain in it are a symbol of New Belgrade.
Until the end of 2016, the Museum of Yugoslavia was called the Museum of Yugoslav History, and it was founded in 1996, by merging the Memorial Centre Josip Broz Tito and the Museum of the Revolution of Yugoslav Nations and Ethnic Minorities. Within this museum, there are the 25th May Museum, the Old Museum and the House of Flowers, and the entire complex covers the total area of 5,252 m², as well as the park of 3.2 hectares.
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Belgrade has valuable monuments of spiritual culture, churches, monasteries and places of worship of different religions. According to the census of 2002, 90.68% of Belgrade citizens were Orthodox, 1.29% Islamic, 1.03% Catholic, 0.24% Protestant, 0.03% Jewish, 2.02% were of unknown religion, and 3% stated that they were not believers.
The most important Belgrade orthodox church - The Cathedral Church - was built in 1840. Among the oldest ones are the Church of St Nicholas (1745) and the Church of the Mother of God (1783) in Zemun. The monumental Temple of Saint Sava, the largest Orthodox building, can accommodate 12,000 believers. Ružica Church and the Church of St Petka, the Church of St Mark, the Ascension Church, Topčider Church and the Church of St Alexander Nevsky stand out in terms of significance and appearance. In the wider area of the city, there are two old churches - log cabins in the villages of Vranić and Orašac.
In the area of Belgrade and its wider surroundings, there are several monasteries built at the end of the 15th century or later, several times demolished and rebuilt, and mostly, in whole or in part, renovated in the past two decades. Rakovica Monastery, the Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God, Fenek, Rajinovac and Tresije are beautiful monuments of the Serbian past. The monasteries in Slanci, Mislođin and Pavlovac on the slopes of Kosmaj have partially been renovated. The ruins of Kastaljan Monastery are difficult to reach due to the poor access road.
There are also several Roman Catholic churches in Belgrade, one synagogue, one mosque and several places of worship of other religions.
Serbian Orthodox Church
Patriarchate of the Serbian Orthodox Church
5 Kralja Petra I Street, telephone: 0113282593, www.spc.rs, www.patrijarsija-puo.rs
The present-day building of the Patriarchate was built in 1934-1935, according to the project of the architect Viktor Lukomski. The building has a square base, solid construction and monumental shapes. On the main façade, towards the Cathedral Church, there is an imposing portico with short pillars and an arched portal, over which the coat of arms of the Serbian Patriarchate is sculpted. On the upper part of the same façade, in a niche, there is a mosaic composition with the image of St John the Baptist. In the eastern part of the building there is a chapel dedicated to Saint Simeon the Myrrh-Streaming. It contains an engraved iconostasis, the work of artists from Ohrid, with icons painted by Vladimir Predojević in 1935. The Patriarchate houses the Library and the Museum of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
The Cathedral Church
bb Kneza Sime Markovića Street, www.saborna-crkva.com
It was built from 1837 to 1840 by order of Prince Miloš Obrenović, according to the project and designs of the builder A. F. Kverfeld from Pančevo, in the style of Classical architecture with elements of the Late Baroque. It is dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel. The interior of the building is lavishly decorated. The engraved gilded iconostasis was made by the sculptor Dimitrije Petrović, and the icons on the iconostasis, choirs, thrones and the pulpit, as well as compositions on the walls and vaults, were painted by Dimitrije Avramović, one of the most prominent Serbian painters of the 19th century.
The church treasury is considered to be of special value. The church houses the relics of the Holy Emperor Uroš and the Holy Despot Stefan Štiljanović, as well as the tombs of church leaders and Serbian rulers from the Obrenović dynasty (Miloš, Mihailo and Milan). Two great personages of Serbian culture were buried in front of the main portal: Dositej Obradović and Vuk Stefanović Karadžić.
Saint Sava Youth Community
42 Gospodar Jevremova Street, telephone: 011628694
Monasteries
Monastery of the Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God, 8 Vasilija Gaćeše Street
Monastery of the Translation of the Relics of the Holy Father Nikolai - Grabovac
Monastery of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God - Rajinovac, Begaljica
Monastery of St Gabriel the Archangel, bb Gradski park, Zemun
Monastery of the Venerable Mother Paraskeva - St Petka - Fenek, Boljevci
Monastery of the Venerable Mother Paraskeva - St Petka, Sibnica
Monastery of St Gabriel the Archangel - Tresije, Nemenikuće
Monastery of St Michael the Archangel - Rakovica, 34 Patrijarha Dimitrija Street, telephone: 011581292
Monastery of St Stephen the Archdeacon, Slanci, Veliko Selo, telephone: 0112784470
Monastery of the Holy Father Nikolai, Pavlovac, telephone: 0118219471
Monastery of the Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God
8 Vasilija Gaćeše Street
The monastery is located in Senjak. It was built in 1936-1937 year as an endowment of Persa Milenković, according to the designs of the architect Pera Popović. The church was built in the spirit of the tradition of Serbian medieval architecture: it was shaped as a monumental five-domed building with a cross-in-square plan. On the masonry iconostasis there are icons, the work of Russian painters from 1937-1939 period. The fresco, done in the ‘secco’ technique in 1975-1980, is the work of the conservator painter Dušan Mihajlović.
As part of the Residence, which was built at the same time as the church, the Chapel of St Nicholas was erected as well. In the monastery churchyard there are the graves of church dignitaries: Metropolitan Josip of Skopje, Metropolitan Dositej of Zagreb, Metropolitan Arsenije of Buda and Metropolitan Damaskin of Zagreb.
Monastery of St Michael the Archangel - Rakovica
34 Patrijarha Dimitrija Street
The monastery was built in the 14th century and has been mentioned in historical sources since the 16th century. It has been demolished and rebuilt several times. The church is designed in the style of the Morava school: the base is in the shape of a triconch with a narthex and two outer six-sided domes. In 1862, the old wall iconostasis was replaced with a new engraved one, the construction of which was paid for by Prince Mihailo Obrenović. The iconostasis was repaired at the beginning of the 20th century, when new icons made by the monk painter Rafailo Momčilović were placed instead of the old ones.
The monastery has a rich treasury in which many valuable items are kept, such as a significant collection of books from 17th-19th century. There are the family tombs of Jevrem Obrenović and General Milivoje Blaznavac in the narthex. Outside, along the north wall of the narthex, there is a tombstone of the insurgent duke Vaso Čarapić. In the churchyard there are the graves of Naum Ičko, Patriarch Dimitrije, Sebastijan Roš and other outstanding figures.
Monastery of the St Gabriel the Archangel
bb Gradski park, Zemun
The church was built in 1786. The endower was Teodor Toša Apostolović, of Thessaloniki, a candle-maker, a manufacturer of soap and candles. At first, the church was used as a quarantine on the border of the Ottoman Empire and the Habsburg Empire. The iconostasis, carved in wood and gilded, was made in the Baroque spirit, and the icons were made by Zemun painters Dimitrije Bratoglić and his assistant Konstantin Lukić in 1830-1831.
Serbian Orthodox Churches
Church of the Holy Mother of God Ružica, 6 Kalemegdan, telephone: 0112630699
Church of the Shroud of the Most Holy Mother of God, 55 Kajmakčalanska Street, telephone: 0112424431
Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God, 15 Svetosavska Street, Zemun, telephone: 0112613154
Church of the Assembly of Serbian Saints, 6a Pera Ćetkovića Street, telephone: 0112776534
Church of the Holy Trinity, 89 Gospodara Vučića Street, telephone: 0116443077
Church of the Holy Trinity, 83 Cara Dušana Street, Zemun, telephone: 0112100301
Church of the Holy Trinity, 1 Kosovskih božura Street, telephone: 0113945113
Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, 11 Bulevar Vojvode Putnika, telephone: 0112663120
Church of the Holy Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas, 4 Miška Kranjca Street, telephone: 0112562061
Church of St Alexander Nevsky, 63 Cara Dušana Street, telephone: 0113283214
Church of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark, 4 Takovska Street, telephone: 0113231940
Church of St Gabriel the Archangel, 26 Humska Street, telephone: 0113692237
Church of the Holy Emperor Constantine and Empress Jelena, 123 Jove Ilića Street, telephone: 0112472295
Church of the Holy Prince Lazar, 33 21. divizije Street, telephone: 0112416347
Church of St George the Great Martyr (Bežanijska Church), 70 Vojvođanska Street, telephone: 0113185861
Church of the Holy Apostle Thomas, New Bežanija Cemetery (under construction), telephone: 011161093
Church of St John Vladimir, bb Ignjata Joba Street, telephone: 0117473421
Church of St George, Banovo brdo, 1 Zrmanjska Street, telephone: 0113555942
Church of St John the Baptist, 47a Zaplanjska Street, telephone: 0113976310
Church of St Nicholas, 50 Ruzveltova Street, telephone: 0112768842
Church of the Holy Father Nikolai, 43 Njegoševa Street, Zemun, telephone: 0112196940
Church of the Holy Prophet Elijah, 61 Vitezova Karađorđeve zvezde Street, telephone: 0112419104
Church of Saint Sava, 2a Krušedolska Street, telephone: 0112432585
Church of St Stefan of Dečani, 8 Braće Lukić Street, telephone: 0112571248
Church of St Tryphon, 6 Pionirska Street, telephone: 0113557988
Church of St Basil of Ostrog, 21a Partizanske avijacije Street, Novi Beograd, telephone: 0112280850
Church of the Holy Ascension of the Lord, 4 Prote Milorada Pavlovića (Mije Oreškog) Street, telephone: 0112517205
Church of St Demetrius the Great Martyr, 1a Janka Sibinjanina Street, Zemun, telephone: 0112618150
Temple of St Sava, 2a Krušedolska Street, telephone: 0112432585
Chapel of St Petka, Kalemegdan, telephone: 0112630400
Chapel of the Holy Healers Cosmas and Damian, 38 Deligradska Street, telephone: 0113610620
Cathedral Church, 3 Kneza Sime Markovića Street, telephone: 0112636684
Ascension Church, 19 Admirala Geprata Street, telephone: 0112643533
Temple of Saint Sava
Vračar Plateau
The temple is located in the eastern part of St Sava Square. Preparations for its construction lasted for a very long time, since 1894. At the second competition announced in 1926, it was decided to adopt the architectural design of the architect Bogdan Nestorović, followed by subsequent acceptance of certain elements of the project designed by the architect Aleksandar Derok. The foundation was consecrated by Patriarch Varnava on 15 September 1935, and when the works progressed, on 27 May 1939 Patriarch Gavrilo solemnly consecrated it and laid a charter in the altar, next to the foundation stone. Further construction works were interrupted by the attack of Germany on Yugoslavia on 6 April 1941. It was not until the summer of 1984 that the state granted the permission to continue the construction works, so Patriarch German consecrated again the temple desecrated by war and human negligence in the presence of all Serbian archbishops, on 30 April 1985, laying down a charter to continue the works in new historical circumstances. The chief builder of the construction works was Branko Pešić, University Professor. Although under construction, the memorial temple is already an organic part of the modern picturesque silhouette of Belgrade, making it one of its main landmarks.
Saint Sava (1169-1236), Archbishop of Serbia
Son of Stefan Nemanja, the Grand Prince of Serbia. As a young man, he longed for a spiritual life, which is why he fled to Mount Athos, where he became a monk and passed the entire ascetic journey with rare zeal. Nemanja followed the example of his son, and he himself came to Mount Athos, where he became a monk and died under the name of Monk Simeon. Sava achieved the independence of the Serbian Church with the emperor and the patriarch, and became the first Serbian archbishop. Together with his father, he built Hilandar Monastery, followed by many other monasteries, churches and schools on Serbian soil. He travelled twice to pay homage to the relics in the Holy Land. He reconciled his brothers, fighting over power; he reconciled Serbs with their neighbours, and by creating the Serbian Church, he created the Serbian state and culture as well. He brought peace among all Balkan nations and worked for the good of all, which is why he was respected and loved by all Balkan people. He brought the Serbian people a Christian soul, which did not fall through with the downfall of the Serbian state. He died in Trnovo during the reign of Emperor Asen, falling ill after the service of God at the Epiphany, on 12 January 1236. His body was transferred by King Vladislav to Mileševo Monastery, from where Sinan Pasha raised him and burned him at Vračar in Belgrade on 27 April 1594.
Church of the Holy Mother of God Ružica
6 Kalemegdan
It is located in the northeastern suburb of the Belgrade Fortress, below Zindan Gate. At the time of Despot Stefan Lazarević, there was an old church of the same name, which was destroyed by the Turks during the conquest of Belgrade in 1521. The present church was a gunpowder warehouse in the 18th century, which was turned into a military church in 1867-1869. After great damage, which it suffered after the First World War, the church was rebuilt in 1925. The carved iconostasis was made by Kosta Todorović, and the icons on it were painted by the hieromonk Rafailo Momčilović. The wall compositions were painted by Andrej Bicenko, a Russian painter
Chapel of St Petka
Kalemegdan
It is located quite near Ružica Church and it is built after 1867 under a "miracle spring". The present-day chapel was built in 1937 according to the project of the architect Momir Korunović. Its inner walls and vaults are covered with mosaics, made by the painter Đuro Radulović in 1980-1983.
Ascension Church
19 Admiral Geprata Street
The church was built in 1863. The order for its construction was given in 1860 by Prince Mihailo Obrenović and Metropolitan Mihajlo, and many Belgrade citizens made a donation for its building. The designs were made by Pavle Stanišić and Jovan Ristić, the construction works were done by Josip Štok and Fernand Stevanov, and the contractor was Koča Z. Popovic. The church was designed in the spirit of the prevailing Romanticism at the time, in the tradition of the old Serbian monasteries, primarily Ravanica. The first icons were painted by the painter Nikola Marković in 1864, but later the making of the icons was entrusted to the most famous painter of that time, Stevo Todorović, who completed this venture in 1881. Additionally, the original wall paintings by Nikola Marković gave way to new compositions by Andrej Bicenko in 1937. The church has a rich treasury with a collection of icons, old books, treasure and other items from the 19th century.
Church of St Nicholas
43 Njegoševa Street, Zemun
The church is located in the old historical centre of Zemun, below the medieval fortress Gardoš. It was built in the period of 1725 - 1731. It was built in the Baroque style, as a single-nave building with a two-storey bell tower. The church has all the typical features of the Baroque temples built in Srem in the 18th century. The interior of the church is decorated with an intricately carved iconostasis, with icons painted in 1762 by Dimitrije Bačević, one of the most famous Serbian painters from the second half of the 18th century. The church has one of the richest treasuries of old religious objects, as well as a collection of icons from the 18th and 19th centuries. The relics of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called are kept in the church.
Church of St Alexander Nevsky
63 Cara Dušana Street
The old church in Dorćol was built in 1877 and dedicated to St Alexander Nevsky. It served its purpose until 1891, when it was decided to erect a larger building. The designs for the construction were made by the architect Jelisaveta Načić, and the consecration of the foundations was done in 1912. The First World War postponed the construction of the church, so it was completed only in 1928-1929 and the marble iconostasis (originally intended for the building in Oplenac) was donated by King Aleksandar Karađorđević in 1930. The icons were painted in the same year in the icon painting workshop of the Russian painter Boris Seljanko. In the church choirs there are monuments to the warriors killed in the liberation wars (1876 - 1918), as well as monuments to Tzar Nicholas II of Russia and King Aleksandar I Karađorđević. The present wall compositions were painted in the ‘secco’ technique by the painter hieromonk Naum Andrić 1970‒1972.
Church of St Mark
17 Bulevar kralja Aleksandra
The Church of St Mark in Tašmajdan was built in 1931-1940 on the site of the old church of 1835, according to the designs of the architects Petar and Branko Krstić. It was designed in the spirit of the Serbo-Byzantine architectural style. According to the general architectural design, architectural forms and polychrome façades, this building is the most similar to Gračanica Monastery. The furnishing and decorating of the church have not been finished yet. In the southern part of the nave there is a sarcophagus with the bones of Emperor Dušan, which were transferred from his endowment Holy Archangels Monastery near Prizren. On the north side there is a tomb made of white marble, in which the earthly remains of Patriarch Herman Đorić are buried. The church keeps one of the most valuable collections of Serbian icons of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Church of St Basil of Ostrog
21a Partizanske avijacije Street, Novi Beograd
The most recent Orthodox building in Belgrade is also the first church built on the territory of New Belgrade after the Second World War. The construction began in 1996, and the church was consecrated in 2001. Relying on the Christian tradition and great achievements of old Serbian builders, the architect Mihajlo Mitrović decided on the shape of the ancient Christian rotunda, accompanied by lower annexes and a high bell tower in the west as well as a trefoil altar apse in the east. Church of St Basil of Ostrog represents a compositionally solid and artistically homogeneous whole, achieved by a modern construction procedure. It was built with the contributions of the admirers of the work of St Basil of Ostrog the Wonderworker.
Russian Orthodox Church
Church of the Holy Trinity, 4 Takovska Street, telephone: 0113342717
Romanian Orthodox Church
Church of the Holy Emperor Constantine and Empress Helen, Ovča, 55 Mihaila Emineskua Street, telephone: 0112731348
Jewish religious community
There have been written sources regarding Jews staying in Belgrade since the 16th century. Researchers believe that they were in Belgrade in earlier centuries as well. Jews who lived in the countries of the Central Europe and were the bearers of the influence of German culture and language, called Ashkenazi Jews, settled on the banks of the Sava. There is still an active synagogue at 19 Maršala Birjuzova Street, built in 1926 by the Ashkenazi Jewish community in Belgrade. Near this building, in the mid-19th century, there was an old Ashkenazi synagogue, which was demolished during various reconstructions of that part of the city. There were two synagogues on the territory of the municipality of Zemun, the Ashkenazi synagogue - built in 1850, which is not active today, but there are all the landmarks indicating that it is a religious building, and the Sephardi synagogue - which was destroyed during the Allied bombing of Zemun in 1944.
Sephardi Jews, those who were exiled from Spain in 1492 and who then settled in the Mediterranean countries and in the Ottoman Empire, have been settling in the area of Belgrade since the 16th century. Their settlement was on the bank of the Danube, on Jalija. On the old maps of the City of Belgrade from the 18th century, Jevrejska Street is marked at the same place where it is today.
According to historical sources, Belgrade Jewish community had the greatest cultural reach during the 17th century, when Yeshiva - a Jewish religious school - existed in Belgrade. Rabbis, teachers in that school printed their books in Venice, Krakow, Constantinople. Near Jevrejska Street, there was an old synagogue that was built in the 17th century and remodeled several times, as well as a ritual bath. Jews lived in that part of the city until the First World War.
Before the Second World War, there were about 10,000 Jews in Belgrade. About 80% of them were Sephardi Jews, who until the end of the 19th century spoke Spanish as their language, and 20% of them were Ashkenazi Jews, whose language was Yiddish, a mixture of German and Hebrew. Each of these groups of Jews was organised and had its own municipality with administration, school, cemetery and various religious, humanitarian, cultural and national associations. Today, in Belgrade, there is still a choir called the Baruch Brothers, which began operating as a Serbian Jewish Singing Society in 1879.
Belgrade Jewish community was almost completely destroyed during the Holocaust. In the bombing of Belgrade in April 1941, Dorćol and almost all synagogues were destroyed. Jewish men were killed in mass executions during September and October 1941. They were taken from the concentration camp called Topovske šupe, which was located at Autokomanda. Women and children were destroyed in the camp Sajmište between 8 December 1941 and May 1942. A number of Jews were killed in the camp Banjica. On the bank of the Danube, where there used to be a Jewish settlement, today there is a monument to the Jews of Belgrade, made by the sculptor Nandor Glid.
The building of Sukkat Shalom Synagogue (19 Maršala Birjuzova Street) was erected in 1925, and the ceremonial consecration was performed in the summer of 1926, when the interior decoration of the synagogue was completed. The building of the Synagogue was conceived in the spirit of academic architecture, with the predominant elements of the Neo-Renaissance. The elevation consists of a basement, ground floor, gallery ground floor and first and second floor. The interior is designed for many purposes, as a space for various activities of the Jewish community: religious, cultural, educational, office and residential. Sukkat Shalom Synagogue is an important cultural and historical testimony to the life of the Jewish community in Belgrade and Serbia, and was established as a cultural asset in 2013. Today, about 2,200 Jews live in Belgrade.
Jewish Community of Belgrade, 71a Kralja Petra Street, telephone: 0112622449
Jewish Community of Zemun, 21 Dubrovačka Street, telephone: 0112195626, joz.rs
Federation of Jewish Communities of Serbia, 14 Kneginje Ljubice Street, telephone: 0112910363
Jewish Historical Museum, 71a Kralja Petra Street, telephone: 0112622634
Jewish Cemetery, 1 Mije Kovačevića Street, telephone: 0605595518
Jewish Cemetery, 32 Cara Dušana Street, Zemun
Islamic religious community
Islamic Community of Serbia in Belgrade
11 Gospodar Jevremova Street, telephone: 0112622428, 0113031284, telephone/ fax: 0113031285
Mufti of the Islamic Community, telephone: 0112622337, 0113283195
Council of the Islamic Community, telephone: 0112622337, 0112622428
Damat Ali Pasha’s Turbeh, Kalemegdan
Sheikh Mustafa’s Turbeh, Studentski trg
Bajrakli mosque
11 Gospodar Jevremova Street, telephone: 0112622428
It was built around 1575, as one of the 273 mosques and masjids (special Islamic places of worship), as many as there were in Belgrade during the Turkish rule (“The Travelogue” by Evliya Çelebi). Originally, it was called Čohadži Mosque, after the endower, the cloth merchant, Hadži-Alija. It is a one-room building with a dome and a minaret. During the Austrian rule (1717-1739), it was converted into a Catholic church (when most mosques were demolished). Upon the return of the Turks, it became a mosque again. Hussein Bey, the chehaya (assistant) of the main Turkish commander Ali Pasha, restored the place of worship in 1741, so it was called Hussein Bey's or Hussein Chehaya's mosque for a while At the end of the 18th century, it was named Bajrakli Mosque, after the flag on it that stood out as a sign for the simultaneous beginning of prayer in all mosques. After its renovation in the 19th century, undertaken by Serbian princes, it became the main city mosque. Even today, it is the only active Islamic place of worship in the City of Belgrade.
Roman Catholic Church
Belgrade Archdiocese
Archdiocesan Ordinariate
20 Svetozara Markovića Street
telephone: 0113032246, fax: 0113032248
е-mail: [email protected], [email protected]
Roman Catholic Churches
Franciscan Church, Zemun, 6 Štrosmajerova Street (in the park), telephone/ fax: 0112198134
Franciscan Monastery with a church dedicated to John the Baptist was founded by the Franciscans. It has undergone many changes throughout history. After the fire in 1790, the church and the monastery were built in 1830 and have kept the present appearance of the church ever since.
Church of Christ the King, 23 Krunska Street, telephone: 0113232308
Church of the Most Holy Trinity, Surčin, 227 Vojvođanska Street, telephone: 011840116
Church of St Anthony, 14 Bregalnička Street, telephone: 0112404390
Church of St Joseph the Worker, 23 Pribojska Street, telephone: 0112763059
Church of St Peter, 23 Makedonska Street, telephone: 0113030815
Church of St Cyril and St Methodius, 35 Požeška Street, telephone: 0113056120, fax: 011553510
Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 75 Hadži Milentijeva Street, telephone: 011435712
Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 4 Veliki trg, Zemun (near the market), telephone: 0112616281
Church of the Ascension of the Holy Cross, Borča, 17 Žarka Zrenjanina Street, telephone: 011763059
Roman Catholic Convents
Convent of the Little Sisters of Jesus, 51 Đevđelijska Street, telephone: 0112409043
Convent of the Sisters of the Daughters of Christian Love (Sisters of Mercy), 8 NH Bore Markovića Street, telephone: 0113555489
Convent of the Sisters of Charity, 19 Krunska Street, telephone: 0113231277
Convents of the Sisters of Mercy, Zemun, 8 Gradski park, telephone: 0112612324
Convent of the School Sisters of St Francis, Zemun, 9 Karađorđeva Street, telephone: 0112600585
Convent of the Sisters of the Franciscan Immaculate Conception, 23 Višegradska Street, telephone: 011642280
Skadarlija is a part of the city between Palilula and Dorćol, more precisely, between the streets of Cetinjska, Makedonska and Francuska. It was created in the thirties of the 19th century, by the settling the Roma, who built their huts and founded the first settlement - Ciganska mahala. The Mahala kept its name until 1872, when it was named Skadarska, and it was expanded to the already mentioned part of the city. It took on a bohemian character in the last decades of the 19th century, when its guests were the most famous writers, actors, musicians and painters. Today, Skadarlija is a meeting place of many Belgrade citizens, especially tourists, bohemians, admirers of antiquities and art, gourmets and good wine lovers. The house of the famous Serbian writer and painter Đura Jakšić is located in Skadarlija, where various cultural programmes are held today - this is one of the oldest houses in Skadarska, in which the poet spent the last years of his life. In 1935, a memorial plaque with an inscription and a relief portrait of Đura Jakšić was presented on the house. In front of the house, in 1990, a monument to Đura Jakšić, the work of the sculptor Jovan Soldatović, was erected.
Tourist Organisation of Belgrade
24 Francuska, telephone: 0113625060, fax: 0113061414
Website: www.tob.rs
Email: [email protected]
Tourist Information Centre of the Tourist Organisation of Belgrade
56 Knez Mihailova Street (in the building of the Belgrade City Library)
Telephone: 0112635622 and 0112635343
Email: [email protected]
Tourist Organisation of Serbia
8 Čika Ljubina Street,
Telephone: 0116557100
Website: www.srbija.travel
Email: [email protected]
Tourist Information Centre, 5 Trg republike
Email: [email protected]
Avala Tourist Information Centre
Email: [email protected]
Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications
22-26 Nemanjina Street,
Website: www.mtt.gov.rs
Tourism Sector, 1 Omladinskih brigada Street, 11070 Novi Beograd,
Telephone: 0113122855,
Email: [email protected]
Tourist Inspection Centre, 1 Omladinskih brigada Street, 11070 Novi Beograd,
Telephone: 0113139676
Direct telephones: 0113139686; 0648933091
Email: [email protected]
Ministry of Economy
20 Kneza Miloša Street, telephone: 0113642600,
Website: www.privreda.gov.rs
YUTA - Business Association of Travel Agencies
14 Kondina Street, telephone: 0113228687, fax: 0113224137
Website: www.yuta.rs
Tourist Guides Association of Serbia
8a Dečanska Street, telephone: 0113230566
Email: [email protected]
City Administration of the City of Belgrade - Secretariat for Inspection Affairs,
43-45 27. marta Street, head office: 0113227241
Website: www.beograd.rs
Email: [email protected]
Inspection on duty: 0113222262, 0113309760, 0113309762
Sector for Environmental Protection, Water and Tourism Inspections, telephone: 0113309125
Tourist Inspection Department, telephone: 0113228090
City Administration of the City of Belgrade - Secretariat of Economy
Sector of Tourism and Hospitality
Belgrade, 1/17th floor Kraljice Marije Street,
Website: www.beograd.rs
Telephones: 0117157381, 0117157394, 0117157383 and 0117157374, 0117157382
Email: [email protected]