Top 20 Belgrade Attractions, Serbia

Belgrade is sometimes referred to as the "gateway to the Balkans". Despite the fact that the city has quite a long and interesting history, tourists will hardly find pompous palaces, outstanding monuments or world-famous museums here. But the lack of external gloss is more than compensated by the special atmosphere of the city streets and the boundless cordiality of the Serbs.

The main architectural sights of the capital are the Belgrade Fortress and the Temple of St. Sava, which cannot be completed in any way. In some parts of the city, traces of the 1999 NATO bombing are clearly visible. Many destroyed walls and houses were deliberately left in such a state so that that terrible time would not be erased from the memory of people. Otherwise, Belgrade is a modern and dynamic city with its own charm and character.

What to see and where to go in Belgrade?

The most interesting and beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.

Belgrade fortress

The Belgrade fortress arose in the 1st century. Some sources are inclined to believe that the building was built several centuries earlier. Most of the buildings belong to the 18th century, although traces of the Roman and Byzantine eras have been preserved inside the fortification. For such a long time, the fortress was fought for more than 100 times, 44 times it was destroyed and rebuilt. Today, most of the territory is a landscape park.

Kalemegdan Park

A large green oasis in the historical center of Belgrade, surrounding the Belgrade Fortress. It was defeated by order of Prince Milos Obrenović in 1867, when the territory of the fort came under the control of the city authorities. Previously, this place was used by the Ottoman Turks for military exercises. Kalemegdan has a military museum, an art gallery, a zoo, a play area for children, monuments and sports grounds.

Skadarliya

The old city quarter, which is often called the Serbian "Montmartre". Skadarliya is famous for the fact that famous writers and publicists lived and worked here. Russian poet I. Bunin also once visited this area. The place gained Bohemian fame in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, the quarter has retained its special atmosphere of creativity and freedom, which invariably attracts tourists.

Prince Michael Street

Pedestrian alley in the heart of Belgrade, where all the guests of the city are sure to get. For the capital of Serbia, it has about the same meaning as the Arbat for Moscow. At any time, the street is filled with artists, musicians, actors, souvenir sellers and walking tourists. People dine in restaurants, pop into shops, watch impromptu skits and just enjoy the pleasant environment.

Museum of Nikola Tesla

Science museum dedicated to the life and work of the outstanding scientist N. Tesla. It was founded in 1952 by decision of the Yugoslav government. The exposition occupies a two-story mansion on the street. proletarian brigades. The unique collection contains models of Tesla's inventions, as well as his manuscripts, drawings, letters and some personal items. In total, the collection contains several tens of thousands of exhibits.

Aeronautics Museum

The collection was created in the middle of the 20th century on the initiative of a group of enthusiasts who could not imagine their existence without the sky and flights. Since 1989, the museum has been housed in a futuristic building on the territory of the Belgrade airport. Aircraft, aircraft engines, rockets and special equipment are collected here. There is also a department with photographs and books on related subjects.

Military Museum

The museum is located on the territory of the Belgrade Fortress. It contains more than 30 thousand items that belong to different eras: weapons, maps, banners, uniforms, equipment, documents, photographs, personal belongings of soldiers and much more. Among the interesting exhibits are Austrian cannons, the Katyusha installation and the T-34 tank. The museum appeared in 1878 thanks to the assistance of Prince Miloš Obrenović.

National Museum of Serbia

The National Museum is considered one of the largest in Serbia. Its collection consists of almost 400 thousand exhibits. Ancient Egyptian and Roman artifacts, coins, sculptures, costumes and household items from different eras are stored here. Particularly impressive is the art exposition, which includes works by Matisse, Rubens, Picasso, Rembrandt, Van Gogh and other eminent masters of the 16th-20th centuries.

National Theater

The theater building is one of the most picturesque in Belgrade. It was built in 1869 according to the project of A. Bugarsky in the eclectic style, which combines elements of almost all known architectural trends. The last major renovation took place in 1989. The best actors of the former Yugoslavia and present-day Serbia have performed and are performing on the stage. In the theater, dramatic performances are on a par with opera and ballet.

Temple of Saint Sava

The construction of the cathedral began in 1894 on the very spot where, on the orders of the Ottoman occupation authorities, the relics of the first Serbian archbishop, St. Sava, who lived in the 12th-13th centuries, were burned. Until 1939, only the walls were erected, then the Second World War began. Work continued until the early 2000s with long interruptions. Even now the temple is still not finished. Nevertheless, he acts and receives parishioners.

Church of Saint Mark

An Orthodox church located near the parliament building. The church was built in the 1930s in the Serbian-Byzantine style in imitation of the architecture of the Gracanica monastery. The remains of Stefan IV Dusan, the creator of the Serbian kingdom, lie inside. St. Mark's Church is famous for its valuable collection of icons from the 13th-19th centuries. Such a rich collection of divine images, perhaps, is no longer in any temple in Serbia.

Ruzica Church

The temple is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is one of the oldest in Serbia, as according to the surviving manuscripts it was built in the 13th century. The building is located right next to the walls of the Belgrade Fortress. It is noteworthy that even during the First World War, Serbian soldiers, in respite between battles, tried to restore the badly damaged church, which speaks of the incredible patriotism of this people.

Mausoleum of Tito "House of Flowers"

Broz Tito - General Secretary of the Central Committee of the SKYU, in fact the sole ruler of Yugoslavia until 1980. After his death, inter-ethnic conflicts broke out with renewed vigor, which eventually led to the collapse of the country. The Mausoleum of Tito is a kind of Mausoleum of V. I. Lenin, only the Yugoslav leader rests in a closed sarcophagus. Also at the tomb there is a museum where gifts and personal belongings of the leader are kept.

Palace of Princess Ljubica

The castle is located in the center of Belgrade in one of the oldest districts of the city. It was erected in 1830 according to the project of Kh. N. Zhivkovich. The building is a classic example of Belgrade urban architecture of the 19th century. It was built for the wife of Prince Obrenovich, Princess Ljubica, and their sons. At various times, the palace housed a lyceum, a gymnasium, a court, a boarding school and even a church museum. In 1979 the castle was recognized as a cultural monument.

Serbian Parliament building

The monumental palace in the classical style was erected in 1936 according to the project of J. Ilkic and K. Jovanovic. At the final stage of construction in 1934, the chief architect of Yalta N.P. Krasnov joined the work on the interior. For a long time, the government of Yugoslavia sat in the building, since 2006 it has been occupied by the Parliament of Serbia. The construction has an important historical and cultural significance and is considered a valuable monument.

Gardosh Tower

A memorial building erected at the end of the 19th century in honor of the millennium anniversary of the formation of the first Hungarian settlements. The construction of the tower was financed by the authorities of Austria-Hungary. The height of the structure is 36 meters, which made it possible to use it as an observation tower and respond in time to a fire. There is a free observation deck on the upper floors of Gardos.

Aval TV tower

TV tower on Mount Avala, which was destroyed in 1999 during the NATO operation "Allied Force" and restored only by 2010. It is this fact that causes an increased interest of tourists in the sights. The structure is considered the highest in the Balkans. Mount Avala towers over Belgrade and its surroundings by 500 meters. It is a popular holiday destination for residents of the capital and suburbs.

Belgrade Zoo

The city zoo is located in close proximity to the walls of the Belgrade fortress. During the bombing of World War II, many animals died, some fled and hid on the streets of the city. Since then, employees have been practicing the most humane treatment of four-legged animals. For animals created the most comfortable conditions of detention. Some animals even walk quietly among the visitors.

Ada Ciganlia

A peninsula located on the outskirts of Belgrade, a popular recreation area with a lake and a pebbly beach. Here you can not only swim and sunbathe. Citizens come here for a picnic, play sports, dine in a cafe or chat with friends. Deer, hares, pheasants and ducks live on the peninsula, which are periodically shown to people. You need to come here for at least one day to fully enjoy the local nature.

Danube and Sava rivers

The Serbian capital is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. Stormy waters join where the Pannonian lowlands merge into the Balkan Peninsula. This is a wide bend with picturesque shores, in the middle of which there is an island overgrown with lush vegetation. Pleasure boats often ply here. The meeting point of the two water arteries is clearly visible from the territory of the Belgrade Fortress.