Must see in Belgrade
Kalemegdan & Belgrade Fortress
Kalemegdan is a park in an urban area neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade’s municipality of Stari Grad.
Kalemegdan is the most popular park among Belgraders and for many tourists visiting Belgrade because of the park’s numerous winding walking paths, shady benches, picturesque fountains, random statues, mammoth historical architecture and incredible river views (Sahat kula – The clock tower, Zindan kapija – Zindan gate, etc). Former canal which was used for city supplying in the middle ages is completely covered by earth but the idea of recreating it resurfaced in the early 2000s. Kalemegdan is known for its kilometers long lagums, underground corridors and catacombs, which are still largely unexplored. In the true sense, Kalemegdan is today the green oasis in the Belgrade’s urban area.
Kalemegdan is generally divided into four sections:
Donji Grad or “Lower Town” - occupies the slope towards the riversides, from the top spot (ridge where “The Victor” is). Between the lowest section and the Danube is Kula Nebojša (”Fearless, or Daredevil Tower”). Orthodox churches of Ružica (former Austrian gun depot) and Sveta Petka are also located in this area.
Gornji Grad or “Upper Town” - a top section of Kalemegdan, turned into a park, with beautiful promenades and the state of “The Victor” (Serbian Pobednik), the “Roman well” (Serbian Rimski bunar) (actually, built by the Austrians), the Observatory and Planetarium, tennis and basketball courts, etc.
Mali Kalemegdan or “Little Kalemegdan” - occupies the area in the eastern section, which borders the urban section of Belgrade. Northern section of Mali Kalemegdan is occupied by the Belgrade’s ZOO, opened in 1936. The art pavilion Cvijeta Zuzoric is also located here.
Veliki Kalemegdan or “Great Kalemegdan” - occupies the southern corner of Kalemegdan, with geometrical promenades, Military Museum, Museum of forestry and hunting, Monument of the Gratitude to France.
Knez Mihailova Street
Prince Michael Street
It is the main walking street in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.
It is a pedestrian zone and shopping center, protected by law as one of the oldest and most valuable landmarks of the city. It has a large number of impressive buildings and mansions built at the end of 1870’s.
Founded in 1844, has more than 400000 items including Italian Art Collection (230 works) including Titian, Caravaggio, Tintoretto, Paolo Veronese, Canaletto, Tiepollo, Carpacio,… French Art Collection (250 works) includes Renoir, Monet, Degas, Signac, Lautrec, Matisse, Goughen, Utrillo, Pissaro, Corot… Dutch and Flemish Art Collection (120 works) include Vincent van Gogh, Rubens, Rembrandt, Van Goyen, Breughel, … Japanase Art Collection has 82 works which include Kunisada, Toyokuni, Hirosige… Cubist Art Collection includes Picasso, Cezanne, Delaunay, Arhipenko, Mondrian… Yugoslav (Serbian) Art Collection includes Paja Jovanovic, Uros Predic, Lubarda… Other Art Collections (German, Austrian, Russian…) include Durer, Gustav Klimt, Kandinsky, Sisley, Marc Chagall, Modigliani, Kassat…
Hram Svetog Save
The Cathedral of Saint Sava
The Cathedral of Saint Sava or Hram svetog Save in Belgrade, Serbia is the largest Orthodox church currently in use. The church is dedicated to Saint Sava, founder of the Serbian Orthodox Church and an important figure in medieval Serbia. It is built on the Vracar plateau, on the location where his remains are thought to have been burned in 1595 by the Ottoman Empire’s Sinan Pasha. From its location, it dominates Belgrade’s cityscape, and is perhaps the most monumental building in the city. The building of the church structure is being financed exclusively by donations. The parish home is nearby, as will be the planned patriarchal building.
Skadarliya
Skadarska street
Once the home of many Serbian poets, writers, artists, and actors, the cobble-stoned Skadarlija street today hosts some of the best restaurants in town, all of which strive to preserve bohemian traditions from the early 19th century. Definitely the place to go if you want to get a feel of the atmosphere of Belgrade’s old times, cruise art galleries, shop for antiques or souvenirs, or taste the best of local food and local music.
Skadarlija is located less than 300 meters north-west of Terazije, central Belgrade. It begins right below the Square of the Republic and stretches along the street of the same name.
Half of this small museum is dedicated to Tesla’s personal effects, while the other half contains models of his inventions. There are English-speaking guides who are students from the Engineering Department of the University of Belgrade who can help you understand the sometimes-complicated science.
Ivo Andric (October 9, 1892 — March 13, 1975) was a Serbian novelist, short story writer, and the 1961 winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature - for His novel The Bridge on the Drina.
The Tito Mausoleum
Take trolleybus # 40 or 41 from Studentski Trg or from Kneza Miloša Street in the direction of Dedinje and ask for “Kuca cveca” (House of flowers).
Entry is free of charge, but the museum closes in the afternoons. Inside is the grave of the beloved second president of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Josip Broz Tito, along with his baton collection and two preserved rooms of his furniture.
Note that many of Belgrade’s museums are closed on Monday. It may be wise to check before making a visit.
The Republic Square and National theatre
It was founded in the latter half of the 19th century. It is located on Republic Square, in Belgrade, Serbia.
Old Palace
Stari dvor
House of parliament of Serbia
It is one of the most attractive palatial buildings in Belgrade. It was constructed in the period 1906-36 after the projects of the architect Jovan Ilkic. Construction works were completed under the supervision of his son, Pavle Ilkic. The palace is an example of various architectural styles: Neo-Renaissance, Baroque, Classicism. Great attention was also dedicated to the internal decorations. The front entrance is embellished by two monumental sculpture groups of the black horses, authored by Toma Rosandic.
A river island on Sava River with an artificial lake in the center of the city. The lake has an 8 km long gravel beach, which is visited by about 300,000 bathers during the summer. This is a great place for sports and picnics. In summer, it is swamped with people wanting to cool down in the water.
Great War Island
Veliko ratno ostrvo
This is situated right at the confluence of the Sava and Danube and has from ancient times been a strategically important military position for the capture and defence of Belgrade. Today the Great War Island houses country chalets and gardens belonging to nature lovers and at the top end is the popular Zemun Lido beach. The Great War Island and the waters around it are an area with exceptional geological features. As a refuge for rare forms of life it is especially of interest for observers of rare and endangered species of birds.
Terazije Fountain
Belgrade Cathedral
Saborna crkva
Residence of Princess Ljubica
Konak kneginje Ljubice
(1829-31), a court of Duke Milos Obrenovic, who reestablished the modern Serbian state in the 19th century. The building is an example of old, combined construction technique: Turkish ‘daub and wattle’ system was supported here by refined brickwork.
White Court
Beli dvor
Army Museum on Belgrade Fortress
Avala small mountain (511 m) near Belgrade
A mausoleum, Memorial to the Unknown Warrior, the work of Ivan Meštrovic, consecrated to the Serbian heroes of the First World War, was erected in 1938 on the summit of the hill. On the road towards Belgrade in the village of Jajinci is a Memorial Park on the site where the Germans shot around 80,000 people in the Second World War. Avala used to be dominated by a 195 m TV tower, erected in 1965, which was destroyed in 1999 during the NATO bombing. Now, building new one is in progres.
Avala Tower - Avalski toranj
Kosutnjak
The Kosutnjak woodland park and city picnic spot stretches over 330 hectares, 250 m above sea level. The deciduous and coniferous forest is criss-crossed by numerous paths. The name Kosutnjak probably derives from the deer (Serbian, ‘kosuta’) that used to live here. Up until 1903 the dense woodland was a restricted royal hunting ground, but was opened to the public after that date.
Public Observatory placed at Kalemegdan fortress
There are four panoramic telescopes installed for daily observations of the city’s panorama. This is the unique place in Belgrade for panoramic observations.
“Splav” - raft
Beogradski splavovi
Belgrade is famouse by a floating restaurants located along the Sava and Danube rivers. There you can dine and eat with the extra feature of being on the river and enjoying the view.
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