Kosančićev Venac

The Celtic and Roman Castrum occupied part of today's Belgrade Fortress. Civilian zone spread from the Kralja Petra Street, over the both Sava and Danube slopes, till Kosančićev Venac, extending in a series of necropolises from Republic Square, along the Bulevar kralja Aleksandra all the way to Mali Mokri Lug.[6]

Modern neighborhood is built on the location of an Ancient Roman necropolis.[7] It was Singidunum's southwestern necropolis, dating from the 3rd century, spreading over the modern neighborhoods of Zeleni Venac, Kosančićev Venac and Varoš Kapija. The remains were discovered during the construction works in the 1930s when the Brankova Street was extended to the Sava river, to make a connection to the future King Alexander Bridge. At 16 Brankova Street a Roman tomb was discovered in 1931, with ceramics and coins from the period of the emperors Aurelian and Claudius Gothicus. The grave was made from the reused parts of stele. The sandstone plaque had a niche with a human bust and an inscription naming Valerius Longinus as a builder of the memorial for his son, a veteran Valerius Maximinus. There was another tombstone, crushed into pieces, dedicated by Maximinus' wife. Several other well preserved graves were discovered in the direction of the Pop Lukina and Karađorđeva streets.[8] There are also remains of the luxurious villa, with the floor mosaic and walls decorated in frescoes.[9]

During Austrian occupation of northern Serbia 1717-1739, Belgrade was divided by the governing Austrian authorities on 6 districts: Fortress, (Upper) Serbian Town (modern Kosančićev Venac), German Town (modern Dorćol), Lower Serbian Town (Savamala), Karlstadt (Palilula) and the Great Military Hospital (Terazije-Tašmajdan).[10]

German settlers asked from the Austrian emperor to allow only for the German Catholics to settle in German Town, to expel 40 Serbian families who already lived there, and to also expel or move into ghettos all Serbs, Armenians, Greeks and Jews, present there before the Austrians came. Germans openly stated that local population, which lived there during the Ottoman period, moved into the largest and most beautiful Turkish houses, which Germans wanted for themselves. Emperor Charles VI granted almost the same rights to both towns, but on the pretext that they are fully separate. Statute of German Town stipulates that "Serbs, Armenians and Greeks" will be tolerated only in separate municipalities. Non-German nationalities were finally completely expelled from German Town in 1726, when some estates were bought off, but majority of people were relocated forcefully by the Austrian gendarmerie colonel Von Burg. By the end of their rule, there were massive differences between two parts of Belgrade, as the Austrians made no effort at all to cultivate Serbian Town which remained Oriental settlement, while German Town grew lager, both in area and population, new palaces, squares and streets were built, and the fortress was reconstructed.[11]

Upper Serbian Town was centered around the Church of Saint Archistrategos [Michael], where the modern Cathedral Church is located, dedicated to the same saint. The church was built from stone, with large dome, but without a cross on top of it. It was damaged during the Austrian conquest of Belgrade in 1717. Austrian authorities banned reconstructions and renovations of the damaged and demolished Serbian churches so Metropolitan Mojsije Petrović pleaded the Russian emperor Peter the Great to help with the Austrian emperor, but to no avail. The church had to be demolished in 1728, so Petrović began to rebuild it without Austrian permission in 1725, with the addition of the Metropolis see next to it. Finished in 1730, the see was among the first buildings in Serbian Town designed after the German influence which spread from the neighboring German Town.[11][12]

The new episcopal seat also administered profane issues in the city, so it became knows as the "Obšči dom" ("general office"). The residence was a lush one, with luxurious salons and over 40 rooms. It also had a garden, fish pond, and luxurious furniture and furnaces of glazed pottery, imported from Austria. On the rocky slope above the modern Karađorđeva Street, Metropolitan Mojsije started digging wine cellar. Expansion continued into the 20th century, creating one of the largest underground complexes in Belgrade. The above the ground complex was finished by the Mojsije's heir, metropolitan Vikentije Jovanović.[12]

As few other "European style" buildings were built around the church, most respectful and wealthy class of Serbs moved in the area surrounding it. Germans listed numerous artisans in their part of Belgrade, but in Serbian Town they named only two, both sellers' types: merchants (those who had no shops or stalls) and bakals (those who had [grocery] stores). They were grouped in several centers in town and variously nicknamed, generally after the Sava river (savalije) to distinguish them from the German Town merchants, which gravitated to the Danube, or more specifically after the khans were they gathered (čukurhanlije, jenihanlije). Slowly, Serbian merchants took over the export-import routes to Belgrade and a dozen of merchant families became quite wealthy in the process. They were the core of the higher class of Belgrade society, which didn't previously existed in Ottoman period.[11]

During the Austrian occupation, "Serbian Belgrade" grew to 5,000 inhabitants. Austrians didn't intervene and demolish the church and the Metropolis building, but after regaining Belgrade in 1739, the Ottomans demolished them both.[11]

Kosančićev Venac street with its typical kaldrma cobblestone

Southern edge, or the modern Zeleni Venac area, was previously part of the trench which surrounded the Belgrade Fortress in the 18th century. When the trench was covered, a pond was formed. As Belgrade grew around it, the pond became a popular hunting attraction (for fowls, ducks, etc.) for the inhabitants of Belgrade. The pond was filled from the streams flowing down from Terazije (from the springs below modern Hotel Moskva via a modern Prizrenska Street) and from Varoš Kapija (future Kosančićev Venac, via Gospodska, modern Brankova Street). A canal was dug in the 1830s which drained the pond in the direction of Bara Venecija. Only then the area began to properly urbanize. Apart from hunting, the area became one of the favorite excursion sites of the Belgraders, including the royals, like Princess Ljubica Obrenović. There were meyhanes on the shores so as ferrymen with boats for transportation of the excursionists.[13]

Kosančićev Venac is the oldest section of Belgrade outside the walls of the Kalemegdan fortress, "the oldest neighborhood in Belgrade".[7] From this point the new Serbian town, as opposed to the old Turkish one in the fortress, began expanding from 1830 along the right bank of the Sava into Savamala. Princess Ljubica's Residence was built in 1831, Cathedral Church of St. Michael the Archangel in 1840, Hotel "Staro zdanje", kafana ?, Hotel "Kragujevac" and Metropolitan seat. The greatest effect on the economic prosperity and architectural shaping of Kosančićev venac had the vicinity of the Sava port which was the major hub of the international trade in Serbia at the time. Đumrukana, the custom house in Savamala, was built in 1835 and the neighborhood's section towards it was built as the wide plateau with open storage facilities. In the area in Đumrukana's direction soon hotels, inns, stores and craft shops were built.[14]

At modern 8 Kralja Petra Street, the first post office in Serbia was open on 7 June [O.S. 25 May] 1840. Called Praviteljstvena Menzulana, it dispatched mail on Wednesday, Saturday and twice on Sunday.[15] The Cathedral Church donated to the city the lot on which its auxiliary objects were built and where the classrooms were organized, so in 1844 the old building of the Elementary School King Petar I was built.[16]

In 1867 Emilijan Josimović devised the regulation plan for Belgrade which also covered this area. Kosančićev Venac was projected as the beginning and one of three sections of the urban settlement which will connect Terazije and Kalemegdan. All three sections are called venac (in this case: round, cyclic street, literally it is Serbian for wreath) and in 1872 named after three knights and heroes of the Battle of Kosovo: Kosančićev Venac, after Ivan Kosančić, Toplički Venac, after Milan Toplica and Obilićev Venac, after Miloš Obilić. The plan included covering the street with the rough cobblestone (kaldrma).[14]

Industrialist Milan Vapa founded the first paper mill in Belgrade in 1905, at the corner of Vuka Karadžića Street and Topličin Venac. In 1907 he relocated it to Kalenića Guvno.[17] The first children's theatre in Belgrade was established in Kosančićev Venac. Founded by Branislav Nušić and Mihailo Sretenović, it was named Little Theatre in Belgrade, and was located in the hall of the Old Seminary, which was adjacent to the Cathedral Church, below modern French embassy. The first performance was held on 6 September 1905 and the performers were children from the junior high school classes. In the winter of 1906 it was relocated to other venue, outside of the neighborhood, before being closed in 1907.[18] At the beginning of the 20th century new Building of the Patriarchate on the location of the old Metropolitan seat was constructed so as the representative building of the French embassy. Modern building of the King Petar I Elementary School was built in 1907. City lights were introduced in that period and the tram grid expanded. Kaldrma was partially replaced with the granite cobblestone and later, is some parts of the neighborhood, with the asphalt concrete. In 1925, the National Library of Serbia relocated to Kosančićev Venac.[14]

During the World War II, Kosančičev venac was heavily damaged, mostly by the German bombing of Belgrade on 6 April 1941. Destroyed buildings include the National Library, Đumrukana, Hotel "Kragujevac" and the newly built construction of the King Alexander Bridge suspension bridge.[14]

Since the late 2010s, several new buildings in modernist style, completely deviating from the rest of the objects, both in height and style, have been built.[19] Kosančićev Venac, with the neighboring Belgrade Fortress, Karađorđeva Street and the Sava dockage, makes the "most valuable and most representative image of Belgrade", but it has been "under the attack" of the aggressive urban construction.[20]

At the corner of Čubrina and Topličin Venac streets, a monument dedicated to architect Aleksandar Deroko was unveiled on 9 March 2022. Deroko, who lived nearby, is presented as holding a sketchbook. The two meters tall bronze figure is placed on the sidewalk level, and was sculptured by Zoran Kuzmanović.[21]

In 1843 in Dubrovačka Street (today Kralja Petra), reigning prince Mihajlo Obrenović built a large edifice, which became the first hotel in Belgrade, called Kod jelena ("Deer's"). Many criticized the move at the time, especially the cost and the size of the building, but it soon became the gathering point of the wealthiest citizens. They included Anastas Jovanović (first Serbian photographer), politician Ilija Garašanin, writer Ljubomir Nenadović, etc. Painter Stevan Todorović also stayed often, so prince gave him a room so that he could open the first artistic school and fencing school in Serbia. The hotel had the first ballroom in Belgrade.[27][28][29]

It was built from 1841 to 1843 on the location of the former khan, "Cincar-han". The hotel, later renamed to "Grand Hotel", had some 100 nicely arranged rooms. Clientele included military officers, diplomats and state and foreign dignitaries. The hotel had the first dance school in Serbia, which employed "Austrian tanc-majstor", and the first proper tailor salon in the city, where clothing after the "latest Parisienne fashion" was tailored.[30]

Princess consort of Serbia Persida Karađorđević, donated money in 1848 for one of the halls in the edifice to be adapted into the permanent theatre hall. This was the second permanent theatre in Belgrade, after the first at Đumrukana, which was closed in 1842. The theatre was named "Theatre at Deer's".[31] The theatre was operational from May 1848 to March 1849.[32]

Colloquially, because of its size comparing to the other buildings at the time, the building was also referred to as Staro zdanje, or the "Old Mansion". It was damaged in a fire in 1849 but was restored. Queen Natalie, as the sole heir of the dethroned Obrenović dynasty, sold the building to the state railroads company in 1903. The hotel operated in the building until that same year, when the Railroad Directory moved in. They moved out in 1938 when the building was demolished. In the 19th century, close to the hotel, at the modern 8 Kralja Petra Street, the first pharmacy in Belgrade was open.[27][28]

As an affluent, developing neighborhood, and with the proximity of the port, soon other hotels were built in the area. Best known included Nacional and Grand. Hotel Nacional was built across the southernmost extension of Kalemegdan, at the lowest section of the Pariska Street, where it meets the Great Staircase, which connects it to Savamala and the river bank. The Grand Hotel was built close to the cathedral church, but was later relocated to the Čika Ljubina Street, near the modern Faculty of Philosophy Plateau, across the Instituto Cervantes building.[33]

There are still remnants of the big crane which was used to lift goods directly from the pier below to the elevated Kosančićev Venac.[22] Below the ridge on which Kosančićev Venac is located, there are numerous lagums, underground corridors, which were used as wine cellars and storages. They are located along the Karađorđeva Street, being dug into the hill so that goods could be stored directly after being loaded off the boats in the port. Entrances into the lagums are today buried and the corridors are largely forgotten.[34][35]

Destroyed in April 1941 German aerial bombardment of Belgrade during invasion of Yugoslavia, the National Library remains are shown here in 2008

National Library of Serbia was located in the neighborhood from 1925. Building was constructed in the second half of the 19th century, it was owned by Milija Marković Raspop and artist Stevan Todorović held singing and painting classes in the house. Czech painter and émigré Kiril Kutlik opened the Serbian drawing and painting school in the house in 1895. Industrialist Milan Vapa bought the house in 1910 and opened a paper mill. In 1921 Vapa sold the house to the Ministry of education specifically for the National Library. Project of the building's adaptation was conducted by Branko Tanazević and the new library was officially opened in 1925.[14] During the German bombing of Belgrade on 6 April 1941, it was heavily hit and then burned to the ground by the ensuing fire.[22] The library burned for 4 days and remains the only national library in Europe destroyed in planned attack and one of the largest book bonfires in European history.[36]

Some 500,000 books perished, so as 1,500 Medieval Cyrillic manuscripts, charters and incunables dating from 12th to 17th century, 1,500 maps, 4,000 magazines, 1,800 newspapers, vast Turkish sources on Serbia during Ottoman rule, and personal correspondence of some of the most important people in cultural history of Serbia, like Vuk Karadžić, Đura Daničić, Pavel Šafarik and Lukijan Mušicki.[22][37] The site of the library was left in ruins with the commemorative plaque. In the 1970s, the archaeological digging was conducted on the library's location. Tens of thousands of charred books were dug and handed over to the National Library.[38] Since 2012, regular literary evenings are being held in the open, within the remnants of the building.[14]

Commander of the attack was the Generaloberst Alexander Löhr. When he was captured and trialed after the war, he said that Hitler personally ordered for the National Library to be destroyed first: In the first wave we were supposed to destroy the National Library, and only then to bomb what was of military importance to us. Asked why the library, he replied: Because in that institution was kept what made cultural identity of these people for so long. Löhr, who committed numerous war crimes not only in Yugoslavia, kept the attitude during the trial, asking for the public to be removed from the courtroom, disliking the way they looked at him, like I am some kind of a criminal. He was sentenced to death and on 26 February 1947 executed by the firing squad in Belgrade, city which he tried to destroy.[39] The intentional bombing of the library has been described as the one of the "greatest tragedies of Serbian culture" and "greatest culturicides in World War II".[40]

Within the scopes of the planned reconstruction of Kosančićev Venac and Savamala in June 2017, a project of building the memorial park at the location of the ruined National library was announced. It was supposed to have two levels which would comprose the small amphitheater, black concrete monoliths which represent scattered books ("knowledge graveyard"), flower garden, ramps and stairways, an elevated small square ("piazzetta"), small fountain, benches and info tables with photos. The remaining foundations were to be preserved and embedded into the new project which will be encircled with the wall of the béton brut with horizontal openings in it, to allow the spectators from the outside to see inside.[41] In April 2020, city announced that the construction of the memorial will start in 2021.[42] The design, so as the way architect Boris Podrecca was awarded the job, was criticized. "Few stones" which mark the traces of the demolished library, with some designed greenery, was described as the soluton in the l'art pour l'art vein, which speaks about nothing. There was no expert or public debate whether the object should be rebuilt and how to establish the correlation with other parts of Kosančićev Venac. Lack of interest by the city and the state to do the reconstruction properly, including experiences of other European cities, was described as cultural and ethical abyss of Serbia.[43] In March 2021 it was announced that the start of the works was moved to 2022.[44]

During her visit to Serbia in September 2021, German chancellor Angela Merkel said that Germany would help the "reconstruction of Serbia" with €500,000. It was understood at the time as a donation for the reconstruction of the pre-war library, which in time became more and more popular idea. However, in February 2022 city moved works to 2023, confirming Podrecca's design.[45] However, in April 2022, director of the National Library of Serbia Vladimir Pištalo announced that the government allocated funds for the international architectural design competition for the full reconstruction of the demolished building. Pištalo added that the exterior of the building will be completely replicated, while the interior would host a memorial center with the wall of remembrance. As the building was constructed ontop the villa from the Roman period, glass floor which would allow observance of the remains was also mentioned. In front of the building, an eternal flame is planned.[40][46]

Hotel Palace is located in Topličin Venac, eastern extension of the neighborhood, next to the Park Proleće. Construction began in 1921.[47] The six-floor building was open on 12 May 1923 and at the time it was "the most beautiful and most modern hotel in the entire kingdom (Yugoslavia), and by the experts' judgment, it had no match in the entire Balkans". Architect and owner Leon Talvi (1880-1969)[48] said that, even though he was projecting a business object, he was guided by the aesthetic reasons. On the fifth floor there was an artistic gallery which consisted of 5 salons and a highly pricey collection made from the works of Italian, French, Russian and Yugoslav painters. The hotel had luxurious apartments, a theatre (variety show) and cinema hall, dancing hall, three elevators, central heating, hot water, icehouse, garage, bus parking lot, etc. Pre-war hotel is described today as "Europe before European Union".[49]

After it was finished, for a while it was the tallest building in Belgrade. Talvi designed it in the eclectic style, with the elements of Neo Baroque. Façade is known for its small balconies with the wrought iron railings and the Mansard roof. On the Maršala Birjuzova Street side, façade is ornamented with various coats of arms. First ever recorded jazz performance in Belgrade was held in the hotel's bar. Palace had its own carriage service, American Bar for reading and smoking and regular concerts at 17:00.[47] Belgrade was a city with only petty crimes until after the World War I. A murder in the hotel in 1923, dubbed "Mystery of the murder in room 48", was the "first major, international city murder" in Belgrade.[50] Hotel achieved further notoriety in 1929 when it became known as the gathering place of the spies. On 15 October 1929 a shootout between foreign agents occurred in hotel, while the hotel manager fled abroad. That same year, a central dome was damaged in the fire.[47]

Obelisk in the park, dedicated to the Non-Aligned Movement

After a financial collapse in the 1930s, Talvi sold the hotel to Đura Bogdanović, and eventually emigrated to Israel. After World War II began in 1939, but before it spread to Yugoslavia in 1941, the Palace was sold in 1940 to the Government of France. They adapted it into the French Cultural Center, which was to boost the cultural, scientific and technical cooperation between two countries. The center was reopened by the French author Georges Duhamel. Right after the occupation, in April 1941 German Wehrmacht command moved in and all the highest officers lived in the apartments. Germans looted all the works of art from the hotel. From 1945 Palace was again a French Cultural Center, until 1948 when Yugoslav government traded the Union Palace building in Knez Mihailova Street, where the French Cultural Center is still located today, for Hotel Palace.[47][49]

Hotel was first ceded to the Finance ministry which used it to accommodate their clerks. Foreign ministry than took it over for the foreign guests, diplomats and visitors. Still, the hotel was on the verge of bankruptcy by 1957 when it became part of the Belgrade's School for Tourism and Hospitality, founded in 1938 and the largest one in Serbia. Hotel was revitalized and became especially popular among the athletes and served as sports' quarantine.[49] The marble ground floor was eventually reconstructed to resemble the pre-war appearance, with the stone fountain with the paintings by Kosta Bradić (1927-2014), as the original paintings disappeared long time ago.[47]

Well known historical figures which stayed in the hotel include Rabindranat Tagore, Mikhail Gorbachev and Geraldine Chaplin.[47] Today, Hotel Palace is a 4 star hotel with 86 units in total (33 one-bed rooms, 38 two-bed rooms, 15 apartments).[51]

The southernmost section of the neighborhood is occupied by the Park of the Non-Aligned Countries. It is located on the plateau above the beginning section of the Branko's bridge. Main feature in the park is the 27 meters high white obelisk. It was part of the project which included four temporary installations to mark the First Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, held in Belgrade in September 1961. The obelisk was part of the project which included four temporary installations which were built for the event, other three being another obelisk at the Square of Marx and Engels, triumphal arch in Mostar and triangle "peace-independence-equality" at Topčiderska Zvezda.[52][53][54]

Unlike other three installations, which were made of steel tubes, a different technique was used for the obelisk. Projected by Dušan Milenković, it consists of two triangular power line columns welded together, and was placed as a temporary solution which was supposed to be replaced by the real monument. Architect Svetislav Ličina proposed its location. However, it was never replaced nor dismantled, while the other three installations were taken apart after the conference.[52][53][54]

The obelisk was officially unveiled on 1 September 1961. For the Ninth Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, which was again held in Belgrade, the obelisk was renovated in 1989, and was given its present appearance, which includes the City of Belgrade's coat of arms embellishment.[55] Being white, there is a constants battle between the city's communal services who clean it and the vandals who spoil it with the graffiti. In 2005, the obelisk was covered with a gigantic condom replica as part of the anti-HIV monthly campaign. As the permit wasn't obtained by the authorities, it was quickly removed.[52][53]

In February 2021 it was announced that the 5-storey (10 semi-levels) underground garage will be built below the park, a new cultural venue will be built in the park, while the remaining part of the park will be regreened. The garage will have 384 lots and the obelisk will be on top of it. Small square and plateau are also planned in the park.[53] In July 2020, it was announced that the obelisk will be renovated before its 60th anniversary, on 1 September 2021 (finished by 6 October),[56] though the planned works on other parts of park may not start before 2022.[55]

For decades, a 200 m (660 ft) long tunnel have been proposed in the western section of the neighborhood. It would actually follow the route of the Pariska Street, between the streets of Gračanička and Uzun Mirkova. This would allow for the ground level to be transformed into the plateau with a fountain, which would make an extension of the pedestrian zone of Knez Mihailova Street and create a continuous pedestrian zone from the Republic Square and Palace Albania to the Kalemegdan Park, the Belgrade Fortress and the rivers. It was envisioned by the first phase of the planned Belgrade Metro, 1973-1982.[70]

A bit longer version, from the Gračanička Street to monument of Rigas Feraios in the Tadeuša Košćuškog Street, resurfaced in 2012, in conjunction with the project of connecting the Savamala port and the fortress. In March 2012 it was announced that the construction will start by the end of the year. However, the planners from the 1970s version were against the execution, because they believed that the entire complex can exist only if there are already functioning subway lines, which as of 2018, are still not built. This way, the traffic problems won't be solved. Do to the price, general halt of the subway construction and constant changes in its routes, the project hasn't materialized yet.[70][71]