Unusual Things To See In Belgrade
An Overview of Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital of Serbia and home to some of the greatest brutalist architecture in the world. The city is locally called Beograd, which translates to “white city” or “white fortress.” Following the end of World War II, Belgrade began growing commercially, eventually becoming an industrial city and the home to Belgrade’s central government, scientific institutions and media network. With delicious foods, a great nightlife culture, interesting ruins and unique buildings, there are many unusual things to see in Belgrade.
Unusual Things To See In Belgrade
Belgrade Fortress
The Belgrade Fortress is an impressive fortification overlooking the confluence of the Sava and Danube Rivers. The fortress operates as the historical and military core of Belgrade, much of the land around it park of a park. The fortress, made of long walls on a tall rise is one of the most important features of Belgrade’s cultural heritages.
Kalemegdan Park
Kalemegdan Park, sometimes called Kalemegdan, is the large green space which contains the Belgrade Fortress. The park is home to several other recreational features, including monuments, a Dino Park “Jura Avantura,” Nebojša Tower, cliffside walks, riverside trails, and small patches of ruins, such as the Port Gate.
Temple of Saint Sava
A massive stately white building with rounded green domes, this is a Serbian Orthodox church which rests atop the Vračar plateau in Belgrade. The interior is gorgeously vaulted and filled with intricate artworks along the walls
Nikola Tesla Museum of Belgrade
This is an impressive science and technology museum dedicated to visionary inventor Nikola Tesla. While the displays explaining the life and accomplishments of Tesla are interesting, the most profound feature is a golden orb kept in the museum. His ashes were placed within the gold orb, making the museum his final resting place.
Ada Ciganlija
Often shorthanded as “Ada,” this is a narrow river-island that has been artificially connected to land, making it a beachside peninsula. Ada includes several leisure activities, including narrow beaches several sport facilities and some dining areas.
Republic Square
This is the most famous cultural square in Belgrade, surrounded by some of Belgrade’s most recognizable public buildings. Visitors can see the National Museum, the National Theatre and the statue of Prince Michael. The square is also a popular venue for public concerts.
Western City Gate of Belgrade
Otherwise known as Genex Tower, this is a 36-story skyscraper and one of the most distinct buildings in Belgrade. The two complementary Brutalist towers are connected to one another at the top level with a 2-story bridge and revolving restaurant. The structure was declared a Belgrade cultural protected landmark, calling it an “urban lighthouse” and “a striking motif” of the city.
Ružica Church Weapon Chandeliers
This small church, largely rebuilt after World War I can be found tucked into the side of the Servian Kalemegdan Fortress. The interior of the church is unique for it’s Chandeliers. They’re made entirely out of weapon parts, including swords, bullet casings, cannon parts, rifles and more. This is one of the most unusual things to see in Belgrade. The unique lights were crafted by frontline Servian soldiers from materials left strewn on the nearby battlefield.
The Aeronautical Museum Belgrade
This wonderfully strange building looks a bit like a flat, entirely-glass flying saucer. The museum, formally known as the Yugoslav Aeronautical Museum, contains a large number of unique, restored and preserved aircrafts.
Tito’s Blue Train
This is a decommissioned luxery train once used by Josip Broz Tito while he was the president of Yugoslavia. Tito is one of the most influential figures of his era, serving as an effective statesman, communist revolutionary and leader of the Yugoslav Partisan Nazi-Resistance movement. The trin can be explored for a small fee.
Knez Mihajlova Street
This is the main pedestrian avenue in Belgrade, known as a major shopping and recreation area. The street is one of the oldest and most valuable landmarks in the city, featuring a number of public buildings and preserved mansions from the 1870s.
Tasmajdan Park
This is a large public park which is home to walking trails, fountains, the St. Mark Orthodox Church and several small monuments. The park and surrounding neighborhood is considered a strong example of Belgrade urban cultural heritage.
Museum of Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia was a umbrella state developed after World War 1 as the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. The state eventually broke apart for a variety of attributed reasons, the strongest being strong cultural and religious divides, desperate ethnic groups, memories of WWII atrocities and an economics-political crisis. The Museum of Yugoslavia provides a public history of these events, chronicling the period of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia to the Socialist movements and the life of Josip Broz Tito. Tito’s grave can be found in one of the museum buildings.
Sirmium Imperial Palace ( Day Trip)
This popular attraction contains the sprawling remains of a massive Roman Imperial Palace complex which served as a home to several Roman Emperors, including Constantine I. It takes roughly an hour to drive to Sirmium from Belgrade. The Sirmium Imperial Palace is located in city of Sremska Mitrovica, near the Sava River.
Fruška Gora National Park (Day Trip)
This is Serbia’s oldest national park containing vast spaces of rolling hills, valley streams, various hiking paths, distant monasteries, and fossil deposits. The quiet hills once sheltered small Serbian communities and religious orders from the influence of the Turks.
Hero Dog Monument
This odd, “drippy-looking” sculpture of a canine honors an English Cocker Spaniel who saved a child’s life. A tiger escaped from a circus enclosure and lunged for a child running away. However, the dog tore into the tiger, holding it off until the beast was recaptured and contained. The small dog was treated by veterinarians, but succumbed to his fatal wounds. Grateful citizens built a statue in his honor in Šumice Park, next to the sport’s center,
Ada Stonehenge
This is a strange art monument made of standing rocks tilted at odd angles.
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