Monuments

The Serbia Monuments are the living witnesses to the history and culture of Serbia. The old and the new monuments represent the historical and cultural transition that the country of Serbia has gone through.

Some of the must see monuments in Serbia are: The Monastery of Gracanica situated in the Kosovo*. What strikes the viewer at first sight is the symmetrical construction of the monastery. The architecture is unique in its own kind, which brands it as one of the fine examples of Serbian Architecture. The yellow and the red hue is produced by the sandstone used to build the masterpiece. The frescoes on the body of the monastery are beautiful and characteristic of the Byzantine Art and Architecture. Being the birth place of Constantine, the Serbian monument of Nais or the Nis is one of the most significant Serbian Monuments. This was an ancient Roman town and home to numerous artifacts like mosaics and marble figures hailing from the Roman era. A beautiful bronze head of emperor Constantine have been excavated from the site and has now been preserved in the National Museum in Belgrade.

The Serbia Monuments are historical legends, which are witness to the ebbing memories of the past and waiting in anticipation of the future.

MRAMORJE

Mramorje or Bagruša is a medieval necropolis, located in Perućac, and is among the best preserved necropoli of the region. The necropolis was built in the 14th century, and extends between the Drina river and the main road that follows its course, at the entrance of the settlement. The site is protected by the Republic of Serbia, as a Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance,but is nevertheless threatened by the Drina river on one side and the continued expanding of the town of Perućac, on the other.

The Necropolis, with about 200 tombstones made of solid limestone, was established in the fourtheenth century. The largest found specimens of tombstones in the necropolis reach a length of 2 metres, and a width and height of nearly 1 metre.

Over time, some of the tombstones were moved, others have sunken into the ground, while several items were transferred to museums (two tombstones with no decorations are in the collection of the Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade, and one is in the National Museum in Užice).

LEPENSKI VIR ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE FROM 7000 BC

Source: www.funnytogo.com

Lepenski Vir is an important Mesolithic archaeological site located in Serbia in the central Balkan peninsula. It consists of one large settlement with around ten satellite villages. The evidence suggests the first human presence in the locality around 7000 BC with the culture reaching its peak between 5300 BC and 4800 BC. Numerous piscine sculptures and peculiar architecture are testimony to a rich social and religious life led by the inhabitants and the high cultural level of these early Europeans. Lepenski Vir is a Mesolithic site - that means middle stone age, in this case 8 000 years before the present, after the ice had begun to melt from the glaciers which covered so much of the Northern Hemisphere. It is an open air site, not a rock shelter. Lepenski Vir as it was 8 000 years ago, when it was a thriving community on a restricted area on the right bank of the Danube River, in the middle of the Djerdap, the Iron Gates Gorge. Professor Dragoslav Srejović (1931 - 1996) discovered and excavated the sites of Lepenski Vir and Vlasać-- two key settlements for the mesolithic and protoneolithic cultures in south-east Europe.

The main site consists of several archeological phases starting with Proto-Lepenski Vir, then Lepenski Vir Ia-e, Lepenski Vir II and Lepenski Vir III, occupation spanning well over a millennium from the Mesolithic to the Neolithic period. A number of satellite villages belonging to the same culture and time period were discovered in the surrounding area. These additional sites include Hajducka Vodenica, Padina, Vlasac, Ikaona, Kladovska Skela and others. Found artifacts include tools made from stone and bones, remains of houses and numerous sacral objects including unique stone sculptures.

It is assumed that the people of Lepenski Vir culture represent the descendants of the early European population of the hunter gatherer culture from the end of the last ice age. Archeological evidence of human habitation surrounding caves dates back to around 20,000 BC. The first settlement on the low plateau dates back to 7000 BC, a time when the climate became significantly warmer.

Lepenski Vir was declared a Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by the Republic of Serbia.

TRAJAN'S BRIDGE

Source: http://en.worldpoi.info/poi/5592/

Trajan's Bridge or Bridge of Apollodorus over the Danube was a Roman bridge , the first to be built over the lower Danube. For more than a thousand years, it was the longest arch bridge in the world to have been built, in terms of both total and span length.The bridge was constructed by the Greek architect Apollodorus of Damascus.

The bridge was situated east from the Iron Gates, nearby the present-day cities of Drobeta-Turnu Severin (Romania) and Kladovo (Serbia). Its construction was ordered by Emperor Trajan as a supply route for the Roman legions fighting in Dacia (see Trajan's Dacian Wars).

The structure was 1,135 meters in length (the Danube is 800 meters-wide in that area), 15 meters in width, and reached 19 meters in height (measured from the river's surface). At each end was situated a Roman castrum, each of them built around an entrance (crossing was possible only by walking through the camp).

Its engineer, Apollodorus of Damascus, used wooden arches set on twenty masonry pillars (made with bricks, mortar and pozzolana cement) that spanned 38-meters each. Nevertheless, it was built over an unusually short period of time (between 103 and 105) — one possible explanation is that the river was diverted during the bridge's construction.

A Roman memorial plaque ("Tabula Traiana"), 4 meters in width and 1.75 meters in height, commemorating the completion of Trajan's military road is located on the Serbian side facing Romania near Ogradina. It reads:

IMP. CAESAR. DIVI. NERVAE. F
          NERVA TRAIANVS. AVG. GERM
          PONTIF MAXIMUS TRIB POT IIII
          PATER PATRIAE COS III
          MONTIBVUS EXCISI(s) ANCO(ni)BVS
          SVBLAT(i)S VIA(m) F(ecit)

The text was interpreted by Otto Benndorf to mean:

Emperor Nerva son of the divine Nerva, Nerva Trajan, the Augustus, Germanicus, Pontifex Maximus, invested for the fourth time as Tribune, Father of the Fatherland, Consul for the third time, excavating mountain rocks and using wood beams has made this road.

THE CHURCH OF St. APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL

The Church of St. Apostles Peter and Paul or Church of Peter is a Serbian Orthodox church on a hill of Stari Ras, the medieval capital of Rascia (Serbia), near Novi Pazar. It is the oldest church in Serbia. It is dedicated to Saint Peter and Paul.

The present church (7th-9th century) has been built on several earlier churches of which remains have been well preserved. The foundation of the church, the massive columns, ground-plan and the octagonal tower which conceals a inner cupola are examples of the circular mausoleal architectural type used after Emperor Constantine (306-312).Petar Gojniković who ruled Serbia 892-917 was entombed in this church. In the chrysobulls of Basil II dated to 1020, the Ras bishopric is mentioned as serving the whole of Serbia, with the seat at the Church of Saint Apostles Peter and Paul.

The frescoes date to 10th, 12th and 13th century, some frescoes were repainted in the mid-13th century.

Archaeological findings point that the church has been rebuilt several times in history, beginning in the 4th century.

The church was declared a Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Serbia.

STARI RAS - OLD RAS

Stari Ras, known at the time as Ras, was one of the first capitals of the medieval Serbian state of Raška, and the most important one for a long period of time. Located in today's region of Raška or Sandžak, Turkish name of Serbia, the city was right in the centre of the early medieval state that started to spread in all directions. It was founded between 8th and 9th centuries and got deserted sometime in the 13th century. Its favorable position in the area known as Old Serbia, along the Raška gorge, on the crossroads between the Adriatic Sea and state of Zeta, Bosnia in the west and Kosovo* in the east added to its importance as a city. There is an impressive group of medieval monuments consisting of fortresses, churches and monasteries.

The site of Stari Ras, in combination with the nearby Monastery of Sopoćani, is already a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Stari Ras monastery (12th century) is being reconstructed and it too may be included on the

UNESCO World Heritage List with the site. Stari Ras was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance

in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia.

PATRIARCHATE OF PEC

The Patriarchate of Peć is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located near Peć - Kosovo*. The complex of churches is the spiritual seat and mausoleum of the Serbian archbishops and patriarchs.

In 1990, the Patriarchate of Peć was added to Serbia's Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance list, and on 13 July 2006 it was placed on UNESCO's World Heritage List as an extension of the Visoki Dečani site which was overall placed on the List of World Heritage Sites in danger.

PROHOR PCINJSKI MONASTERY

Prohor Pčinjski is a 11th century Serbian Orthodox monastery in the deep south of Serbia, located in village Klenike, Pčinja District near the border with Macedonia. It is situated at the slopes of Kozjak at the left side of the Pčinja river. According to tradition, it was founded 1067-1071 by the Byzantine emperor Romanus IV in honour of Saint Prohor Pčinjski, who prophesied that Romanus would become the emperor. Within the monastery there is a theological school and iconography is taught there. Monastery was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia.

DJURDJEVI STUPOVI

Đurđevi stupovi - The Tracts of Saint George, is a 12th-century Serbian Orthodox monastery located in the vicinity of today's city of Novi Pazar, in the Raška region of Serbia. The church was erected by the Grand Prince of Rascia, Stefan Nemanja, back in 1166, on the spot where the Serbian medieval capital of Ras once stood. It is currently undergoing reconstruction and renovation. Đurđevi stupovi was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and monastery have entered a UNESCO World Heritage list also in 1979 together with the complex of Stari Ras and Sopoćani.

STUDENICA MONASTERY

The Studenica monastery is a Serbian Orthodox monastery situated 39 km southwest of Kraljevo, in central Serbia. It is one of the largest and richest Serb Orthodox monasteries. Stefan Nemanja,the founder of the medieval Serbian state, founded the monastery in 1190. The monastery's fortified walls encompass two churches: the Church of the Virgin, and the Church of the King, both of which were built using white marble. The monastery is best known for its collection of 13th- and 14th century Byzantine-style fresco paintings.

Studenica was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia, and in 1986 UNESCO included Studenica monastery on the list of World Heritage Sites.

ZICA

Žiča is a early 13th century Serb Orthodox monastery near Kraljevo. The monastery, together with the Church of the Holy Dormition, was built by the first King of Serbia, Stefan the First-Crowned. It was destroyed by the end of 13th century, but was rebuilt by King Stefan Milutin at the beginning of the 14th century. Žiča was by tradition royal church of Serbian kings, and although a king could be crowned in any Serbian church, he was never considered true king until he was anointed in Žiča.

It was built with help of Greek masters. The red color of the exterior walls is a symbol of the blood of the martyrs of the early Christian church. Žiča was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Serbia. In 2008, Žiča celebrated 800 years of existence.

MILESEVA MONASTERY

Mileševa is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located near Prijepolje, in southwest Serbia. It was founded

by King Vladislav, in the years between 1234 and mileseva-monasteryw

1236. The church has frescoes by the most skillful artists of that time, including one of the most famous in Serbian culture, the "White Angel", which depicts an angel on Christ's grave. Mileševa was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia.

GRACANICA MONASTERY

Gračanica is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located in Kosovo*. It was founded by the Serbian king Stefan Milutin in 1321. Gračanica Monastery was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1990, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia, and on 13 July 2006 it was placed on UNESCO's World Heritage List under the name of Medieval Monuments in Kosovo as an extension of the Visoki Dečani site which was overall placed on the List of World Heritage Sites in danger.

The Gračanica Monastery is one of King Milutin's last monumental endowments. It is situated in the village of Gračanica, a Serb enclave 5 km from Pristina. The monastery is in the close vicinity of Lipljan (ancient Roman town of Ulpiana), the old residence of bishops.

VISOKI DECANI MONASTERY

decaniw Visoki Dečani is a major Serbian Orthodox Christian monastery located in Kosovo*, 12 km south of the town of Peć. The monastic katholikon is the largest medieval church in the Balkans containing the most extensive preserved fresco decoration.

The monastery was established in a chestnut grove by Serbian King Stefan Uroš III Dečanski in 1327. Its original founding charter is dated to 1330. The following year the king died and was buried at the monastery, which henceforth became his popular shrine. Indeed, the epithet Dečanski refers to the king's foundation of the monastery. The construction was continued by his son Emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan until 1335, but the wall-painting was not completed until 1350.

Visoki Dečani was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1990, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia. In 2004, UNESCO listed the monastery on the World Heritage List, citing its frescoes as "one of the most valued examples of the so-called Palaeologan renaissance in Byzantine painting" and "a valuable record of the life in the 14th century". In 2006, it was added to the List of World Heritage Sites in danger due to the potential for attacks by ethnic-Albanians; it is protected by the United Nations' KFOR.

SOPOCANI MONASTERY

The Sopoćani monastery, an endowment of King Stefan Uroš I of Serbia, was built in the second half of the13th century, near the source of the Raška River in the region of Ras, the centre of the Serbian medieval state. It is World Heritage Site, added in 1979 with Stari Ras. The church was dedicated to the Holy Trinity and completed around 1265, with interior decorated shortly thereafter.

Sopoćani was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia.

RAVANICA MONASTERY

Ravanica is a Serbian Orthodox monastery on Kučaj mountains near Ćuprija in Central Serbia. It was built in 1375-1377 as an endowment of prince Lazar of Serbia, who is buried there. Ravanica was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia.Built between 1375 and 1377, Ravanica is the famous Tzar Lazar's foundation, where he was buried after his death in the Kosovo battle. Since then, Ravanica has been a pilgrim's destination and an important center of cultural activities and the Serbian people's assemblies.

FORTRESS OF ZVECAN

The Fortress of Zvečan, located in the north-west of the city of Kosovska Mitrovica, in Kosovo^*, is an enormous Serbian old castle and one of the oldest fortresses in South Eastern Europe. It was built on the top of the extinct volcano vent, overlooking the Ibar river.

Zvečan Fortress was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1990, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia.

It represents one of the oldest Balkan medieval fortresses, although its exact date of original construction is unknown. The underlying construction dates from Classical antiquity, and it is not unlikely that the location was fortified in prehistoric times. As a border fort of the Raška state, the site gained in importance in 1093, when the Serbian ruler Vukan Vukanović, launched his conquest of Kosovo (then part of the Byzantine Empire) from there.

Part of the fortress was designated as one of the courts of the Serbian House of Nemanjić, and Zvečan was the place where Stefan Uroš III died in 1331. In 1389, it was captured by the Ottoman Turks after the Battle of Kosovo, and it remained an active military site well into the 18th century, after which it was abandoned.

SMEDEREVO FORTRESS

Smederevo Fortress in Smederevo, was a medieval fortified city and temporary capital of Serbia. It was built by Despot Đurađ Branković in the first half of the 15th century, during the era of the Serbian Despotate. Later that century it was further fortified by the Turks.

The fortress withstood several sieges by Turks and Serbs, which it survived relatively unscathed. It was not until World War II that it was heavily damaged, by explosions and bombing. As of 2009 it is in the midst of extensive restoration and conservation work, despite which the fortress remains "one of the rare preserved courts of medieval Serbian rulers."

Smederevo Fortress was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and is protected by the Republic of Serbia. In 2010, Smederevo Fortress was placed on the Tentative List for possible nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

GOLUBAC FORTRESS

Golubac Fortress was a medieval fortified town on the right side of the Danube River, 4 kilometers downstream from the modern-day town of Golubac. The fortress, which was most likely built during the 14th century, is split into three compounds which were built in stages. It has ten towers, most of which started square, and several of which received many-sided reinforcements with the advent of firearms.

Golubac Fortress has had a tumultuous history. Prior to its construction it was the site of a Roman settlement. During the Middle Ages, it became the object of many battles, especially between the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary. It changed hands repeatedly, passing between Turks, Hungarians, Serbs, and Austrians, until 1867, when it was turned over to the Serbian Knez, Mihailo Obrenović III. Now, it is a popular tourist attraction in the region and a sightseeing point on Danube boat tours.

Golubac Fortress was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia.

Source: http://en.worldpoi.info/poi/5592/

MANASIJA MONASTERY

Manasija, also known as Resava, is a Serb Orthodox monastery near Despotovac, founded by Despot Stefan Lazarević between 1406 and 1418. It is one of the most significant monuments of medieval Serbian culture and it belongs to the "Morava school". Immediately following its foundation, the monastery became the cultural centre of the Serbian Despotate. Its Resava school was well known for its manuscripts and translations throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, even after the fall of the Despotate to the Ottoman Turks. Manasija complex was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia.

PATRIARCHATE

Patriarchate is one of the oldest Serbian Monument. With due time, Patriarchate in Serbia is harshly damaged, but still holds its importance. It is a monument built in the 13th century. Patriarchate of Serbia holds the Serbian spirituality.

Patriarchate being one of the popular tourist spots, attracts tourists immensely. Still today people visiting Serbia never miss to visit the Patriarchate.

MONUMENT TO DESPOT STEFAN LAZAREVIC

The Monument to Despot Stefan Lazarević is located in the village of Crkvine by Mladenovac, Serbia, in courtyard of the church of St. prophet Elijah. That is marble monument with medieval record on death of Despot Stefan Lazarević. The monument was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is now protected by Republic of Serbia. The monument is in the form of column, created from glazed white marble, height 186 cm, width 68 cm, and a thickness of 26 cm. The largest, main inscription is written in calligraphic letters, on the west side of monument, below ingraved three-sided cross. Monument was raised by his companion Đurađ Zubrović immediately after the death of Despot Stefan, in 1427.

SKULL TOWER - NIS

The Skull Tower is a monument to 19th century Serbian rebels. It is situated in Niš, on Constantinople road, on the old Constantinople road leading to Sofia.

skull-tower2 The Skull-tower was built after the battle that took place at the hill Cegar in 1809, by the

order of Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II, by right-hand side of the busy civil and military road to Istanbul. With these skulls, built in the sides of a cubical structure, the Turks wanted to frighten the Serbia and to prevent any other rebellion for national liberation and political independence. At the beginning of the 19th century, fighting against the Turks, the Serbs started a long and an uneven battle for liberation. Fights with the Turks became more and more frequent, and soon they turned into a general rebellion and an all-out uprising of the Serbs.

Skull Tower was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia.

KALEMEGDAN FORTRESS

Kalemegdan Fortress has a very long history, going back at least to the castrum of Roman times; destroyed several times by successive waves of invaders, was rebuilt as a castle by the Byzantines in the 12th century. Under the Serbian Despot Stefan Lazarevic, son of the king Lazar, Belgrade became the capital of the Serbian kingdom; the fortress was strengthened, and the Despot Stefan's palace was built within the old castle. A medieval town grew up within the walls of the lower fort (a model is on display on one of the upper terraces). After the conquest of Belgrade by the Turks (1521), the fortress decayed, but was restored as a military stronghold by the Austrian during their short lived occupation (1717-1739). During the partial independence of Serbia, in the first half of the 19th century, the Kalemegdan fortress was still occupied by a Turkish garrison. In 1862, as an escalation from a fight between Turkish troops and the Serb population, the commander of the Kalemegdan ordered the bombardment of Belgrade. This produced such a backlash in the European public opinion that Serbia succeeded, with the support of the great powers, to obtain the departure of the Turkish troops from Kalemegdan and all the other fortress they still held in Serbia; this resulted in the effective achievement of full independence from the Ottoman empire. Rather than looking for specific places and monuments, it is more rewarding just to stroll in the parks and along the walls of the Kalemegdan, watching the panorama from the terraces looking toward the rivers Sava and Danube. You can see Roman ruins and a Roman well (reconstructed in 1731), the tomb of a Pasha, the most ancient gates of the fortress such as the one of the Despot (15th century), the clock tower, the People's Observatory (amateur astronomical observatory), the monument à la France (out of gratitude for the help of the French troops in the 1915-1918 war), the statue of the Winner by Ivan Mestrovic. There are three museums-galleries open to the public:

Military Museum with an open air section showing the tanks and cannons of the two world wars.

Natural History Museum, displays the local fauna and paleontology.

Cvijeta Zuzoric Pavillion, a large gallery space used for temporary exhibitions.

Near the fortress, and even visible from above from the upper fort, is the Zoo. Beyond the fortress, below the ramparts overlooking the confluence of the rivers, is Lower city - “Donji grad”, now a park, with several remains of the Turkish time, such as the Amam, now transformed into a planetarium, and the hexagonal tower of Nebojsa's Tower, a Turkish prison with a grim history of capital executions.

The BELGRADE CONQUEROR

Pobednik -“The Victor” is a monument in the Kalemegdan Fortress in Belgrade, Serbia, erected after World War I to commemorate the Kingdom of Serbia's war victories over Ottoman Empire (First Balkan War) and Austria-Hungary (World War I). It is one of the most famous works of the Croatian, Ivan Meštrović. The statue was originally supposed to be placed on the Terazije square, but ended up at Kalemegdan Fortress after people complained about its nudity. This statue, holding a falcon, on watch for the new threats on the horizon, in one hand, and a sword of war, ready to counter these threats in the other. It's looking forward across the confluence of the Sava and the Danube, and over the vast Pannonian plain, towards the very distant Fruška Gora mountain, towards at the time, Austria-Hungarian empire, is probably the most powerful, most popular visual symbol of Belgrade.

MONUMENT OF PRINCE MIHAJLO OBRENOVIC

Monument of Prince Mihajlo Obrenović is a bronze statue dedicated to the memory of Prince Mihailo Obrenović, liberator of Serbia from the Turkish domination. Located on Republic Square, in front of the National Museum in the capital Belgrade. Mihailo Obrenović paid special attention to the military organization and in 1861 created a national army numbering about 50,000 troops. Its aim was to end Serbia's liberation from Ottoman domination.

THE NATIONAL THEATHER

The National Theater Belgrade was built in 1869 according to the design of Aleksandar Bugarski, the most productive architect of Belgrade in the 19th century. The decision to construct a special building for the theater was made by Knez Mihailo Obrenović. The building was a typical theater building at the time and was particularly reminiscent of La Scala, Milan, with regard to its Renaissance conception and the decorative finish. Later, reconstructions completely changed the original appearance. The heavy reconstruction was made in 1986 when the theater regained the 1922 look and an annex was built towards Braće Jugovića Street. Beside theatrical purposes, the hall has been used for charity balls and concerts during the 19th century. The Great Constitutional Assembly adopted the famous 1888 Constitution in this building.

KARADJORDJE MONUMENT

The Turks called him Karadjordje - Black George. He has been a shepherd in Sumadija, then a livestock merchant. He has spent his youth resisting the Turkish terror, at first as a haiduk (anti-Turkish rebel), and later as a courageous soldier in the company of volunteers led by captain Radic Petrovic, during the Austrian-Turkish war from 1788 to 1791. After the return of janissaries to Belgrade he became a haiduk again, and with prominent Serbs began to prepare a large-scale resistance. He has managed to escape the slaughter of Serbian lords, and at the gathering in Orašac in the first half of February 1804, he was elected leader of the Insurrection. He made connections with Austria and Russia and confronted the official Turkish Empire. He led the battle on Mišar and fights for liberation of Belgrade. Immediately after the insurrection, in 1813, he went to Austria, and then to Russia. He returned to Serbia in June 1817, but in the morning of July 25, he was killed by the order of Prince Milos Obrenovic. His head was cut off and sent to the Sultan as a proof of Milos's loyalty.

MONUMENT TO ALPHONSE DE LAMARTINE

The monument in honor of great poet and politician Lamartine (1790-1869). He stayed many times in Belgrade in the middle of XIX century and in the Home of Deputies defended the Balkan Christians tortured by the Ottomans.

MONUMENT TO FRANCHET D'ESPEREY

Bronze monument to the French general, Louis Franchet d'Espérey, who commanded on the Salonica front in the Serbian Campaign of the World War I in 1918, was erected in 1936 (author Risto Stijović). The section of the highway is officially named the Boulevard of Louis Franchet d'Espérey.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHC

Congregational Church was built from [1837 to 1840 by order of prince Miloš Obrenović, according to the design and plans of Adam Friedrich Kwerfeld, a builder from Pančevo. The church was built in the style of classicism with late baroque elements. The church is dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel. The interior is richly decorated. The gold-plated carved iconostasis was made by the sculptor Dimitrije Petrović, while the icons on the iconostasis, thrones, choirs and pulpits, as well as those on the walls and arches were painted by Dimitrije Avramović, one of the most distinguished Serbian painters of the 19th century.

The special value of the church is its treasury. The relics of Serbian saints king Uroš and despot Stefan Štiljanović, as well as the heads of the Church and Serbian rulers of the Obrenović dynasty (Miloš, Mihailo and Milan).

St. MARKO CHURCH

The Church of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark - St. Mark's Church is located in the center of Belgrade in Tašmajdan Park. It is one of the largest churches in our country. It was built between the two world wars, from 1931-1940 and its interior is still not fully completed.

A Christian place of worship has existed continuously in what is today Tašmajdan Park from at least the nineteenth century. The original St. Mark's Church, built in the days of Belgrade Metropolitan Petar Jovanović (1833-1859) and Prince Miloš Obrenović (1835-1836), stood in almost the same location, just slightly south of the present building.

BAJRAKLI MOSQUE

Bajrakli Mosque which means "with flag" is a mosque in Belgrade. It is located in Gospodar Jevremova Street in the neighborhood of Dorćol. It was built around 1575, and is the only mosque in the city out of the 273 that had existed during the time of the Ottoman Empire's rule of Serbia.

During the occupation of Serbia by the Austrians (between 1717 and 1739), it was converted into a Roman Catholic church; but after the Ottomans retook Belgrade, it was returned to its original function.

BELGRADE'S SYNAGOGUE

The synagogue is known in Belgrade as the "Kosmajska Temple". On June 15, 1924 there was a solemn ceremony for the laying of the cornerstone, within which a charter containing texts in Hebrew and Serbian was sealed. The charter was signed by King Alexander and Queen Maria of Yugoslavia. The general construction was finished by November 1, 1925, and once the interior had been completed, the building was finally opened in the summer of 1926, and consecrated by Rabbi Schlang.

The synagogue was built on land bought from the city by the Society of Ashkenazi Jews of Belgrade. According to official plans the building was to house the synagogue, ritual baths, a school, community offices and apartments for the community employees. There had been an older Ashkenazi synagogue in the vicinity of the present one since the 19th century, but it was torn down to make way for new urban development.

THE ORTHODOX TEMPLE OF SAINT SAVA

The (Orthodox) Temple of Saint Sava in Belgrade, Serbia is the largest Orthodox Church currently in use. The church is dedicated to St. Sava, founder of the Serbian church and an important figure in medieval Serbia. The temple has been built on the Vračar plateau, on the location where, in 1595, St. Sava’s remains are thought to have been burned by Turkish Sinan Pasha. From its location, the temple dominates Belgrade's skyline and is perhaps the most monumental building in the city. The building of the church structure has been financed exclusively by donations. The parish home is nearby, as will be the planned patriarchal building.

PRINCESS LJUBICA'S RESIDENCE

Built in 1829-1831 according to the design and under the supervision of Hadzi Nikola Zivković (1792 - 1870), a pioneer of Serbian architecture in the first half of the 19th century. It was built on Milos Obrenović's orders for his wife Princess Ljubica and his sons Milan and Mihailo, later to be Serbian princes. The residence has been preserved to the present day as the most representative example of town architecture of its period. It shows all the characteristics of oriental building techniques and variants of. the so-called 'Serbian-Balkan' style, but includes decorative classical elements which proclaim the influence which the West had on domestic architecture in the early years of the reborn Serbian state. From the time when Aleksandar Karađorđević came to power in 1842, the building was used to house successively the Lycee, the Court of Cassation and Appeal, the Art Museum, the Church Museum, a home for the elderly, and the office of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments. It is now part of the Belgrade City Museum.

Princess Ljubica (1788-1843), wife of Prince Milos Obrenović. She had two sons by him, Milan (1819-1839), who died young and ruled Serbia for less than a month - 13 June to 8 July 1839 and Mihailo (1823-1869), who ruled twice, from 1839 to 1842 and from 1860 to 1868.

PRINC MILOS'S RESIDENCE

After building the residence for his wife and children in the town of Belgrade, Prince Milos Obrenović had this one built for himself in 1831 - 1834 in Topčider, a wooded area outside the town. After the grounds had been laid out, the residence was built by the craftsmen Janja Mihailović and Nikola Đorđević, the works being supervised by architect Hadzi Nikola Zivković, who was responsible for almost all Prince Milos's building projects. Like Princess Ljubica's Residence, the architecture shows signs of the transition from Balkan to central European styles. The rich decoration of the interior ceilings, walls andniches has been partially preserved. During his first reign (1817 - 1839), Milos stayed here only occasionally but when he ruled for a second time (1859 - 1860) this was his premanent home. He died here on 14 September 1860. At one time, the Residence housed the Museum of the Princes Milos and Mihailo Obrenović and then the Museum of Forestry and Hunting, which was founded in 1929. The Museum of the First Serbian Uprising was opened here in 1954 during the celebrations to mark the 150th anniversary of the uprising. The theme of its exhibits was the whole period of liberation struggle against the Turks, from 1804 to the Sultan's second Hatisherif in 1839, and they served as basis for the formation in 1963 of the Historical Museum of Serbia.

After the building has been overhauled and restored, it will again be the home of the Museum of the First Serbian Uprising.

MILOS'S OBRENOVIC BIRTH HOUSE

Milošev Konak is the residence of Serbian duke Miloš Obrenović, which is located in Gornja Crnuća in the municipality of Gornji Milanovac, Serbia, and is one of the Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance for Serbia, added in 2000. Gornje Crnuće can be considered first, but the temporary capital of Serbia since the prince Miloš Obrenović ruled Serbia for two years from that house. This house is of extreme importance because in it decision was made on raising the Second Serbian Uprising. Permanent exhibition in the house contains copies of documents, photographs and reproductions of several original artifacts related to the insurrectionist period. One of the dormitory has preserved the authentic atmosphere, a fireplace with a part of furniture and built in tile stove furnace.

THE ROYAL PALACE OF FAMILY KARADJORDJEVIC

www.royalfamily.org

The Royal Palace was built between 1924 and 1929 with the private funds of His Majesty King Alexander I (the grandfather of HRH Crown Prince Alexander). The Royal Palace was the home of King Alexander I and King Peter II (the father of Crown Prince Alexander). Today The Royal Palace is the home of Crown Prince Alexander and his family.

The architects were Zivojin Nikolic and Nikolay Krassnoff of the Royal Academy. The palace is built in the Serbian-Byzantine style. Attached to The Royal Palace there is a Royal Chapel dedicated to Saint Apostle Andrew The First-Called, the Patron Saint of The Royal Family. The chapel was built reflecting the monastery Church of Saint Andrew on the River Treska in Macedonia where the Holy Place of the medieval Serbian King Vukasin is located.

The Royal Palace is surrounded with pergolas, park terraces, swimming pools, pavilions and platforms. There are magnificent views from the palace towards the ridge of Dedinje Hill, Kosutnjak Forest, Topcider and Avala Mountain.

The ground floor reception rooms are very beautifully appointed. The Formal Entrance Hall is paved with stone and decorated with copies of medieval frescoes from the Monasteries of Decani and Sopocani. The Blue Drawing Room is decorated in the Baroque style; the Golden Drawing Room (Palma Vecchio) and Dining Room are in the Renaissance style with impressive wood carved ceilings and bronze chandeliers. These rooms are ornately decorated with paintings of old masters and Renaissance painted Florentine Cassoni from the Royal collections. The Greater and Lesser Libraries are decorated in the same manner.

OPLENAC ROYAL MAUSOLEUM

Oplenac Royal Mausoleum is the historic place of the mausoleum of the Serbian Karađorđević Royal Family located in central Serbia near the town of Topola. It is known for the St. George Church (црква светог Ђорђа). The Foundation in Oplenac is named after King Peter I of Yugoslavia.

Apart from the two tombs inside the church (Karađorđe’s in the southern apse; and King Peter I in the northern apse), there are 20 other members of the Dynasty whose eternal place of rest is in this Mausoleum. Six generations of the Karađorđević family have been buried in this church.

In the 19th century this area was covered in woods. The term Oplenac most probably derives from "oplen", meaning wooden parts on ox cars. Karađorđe had settled here, built vineyards and orchards, and established the defence of the nearby Topola town. His son Alexander built new buildings and renewed his father’s vineyards and orchards. It was not until the arrival of King Peter I of Serbia that this place got its true importance.

The initial idea of King Peter I was to carve into the walls the names of all soldiers and officers who had perished in the Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913. But, since the church was not fully completed, and since First World War followed (1914-1918), this idea had to be abandoned. The solution was to decorate the interior of the temple with mosaics, which would be a sort of a museum of reproductions of the prettiest frescoes of the Serbian medieval arts. Copies from 60 Serbian medieval churches and monasteries had been brought to the St. George church at Oplenac. The entire mosaic has 725 painted compositions (513 in the temple and 212 in the crypt), on which there are 1500 figures. The entire area of the mosaic is 3,500 square metres, with 40 million various coloured pieces of glass which have 15 thousand different varieties of colour, making the most vivid artistic impression.

MONUMENT TO THE UNKNOWN HERO

The Monument to the Unknown Hero is located atop Mt. Avala in south-east of Belgrade, and was designed by the Croatian-Yugoslav sculptor Ivan Meštrović.

Memorial was built on the location of Žrnov fortress.

The construction of this monument was ordered by King Alexander I of Yugoslavia, to commemorate the victims of World War I. Marked only by the dates 1912-1918, the monument also commemorates those lost in the Balkan Wars (1912-1913).

In order to show his support for Yugoslav unity, the King ordered that this monument include caryatids representing all the nations over which he governed following the creation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. They represent Serbian woman from Šumadija (Šumadinka); a woman from Slavonia and Vojvodina (Panonka), a woman from Montenegro (Crnogorka) and Kosovo (Kosovka); Croat women from Dalmatia (Dalmatinka) and Zagorje (Zagorka); one Slovene and one Macedonian woman.

The Monument to the Unknown Hero was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1987, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia.

KRSMANOVIC HOUSE

Constructed in 1885 for the famous Belgrade negotiator Aleksa Krsmanovic, this palace represents an example of most representatives of the academic style in Serbia of the end of XIX century.

Krsmanovic House became the residence of Prince Regent Alexander (later HM King Alexander I) in 1918 and 1919. It was in Krsmanovic House where the proclamation of the Union of the Southern Slavs into the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes took place.

CAPTAIN MISA'S MANSION

The Mansion of Miša Anastasijević is one of the most notable buildings in Belgrade, Serbia. It is the University of Belgrade's administration and governance building.

The building was built in 1863. It had been originally designed to serve for the anticipated court of the grandson of Karađorđe Petrović, who was married to Captain Miša’s youngest daughter Sara. Nevertheless, following the realization of construction, Captain Miša Anastasijevic gave his mansion as a gift to “his mother country for educational purposes”. In September 1863, the Belgrade Higher School was moved into the building. This site is often regarded as one of the most beautiful buildings in Belgrade. Today, the seat of the University of Belgrade is headquartered within its premises.

Captain Miša's Mansion was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia.

THE MUSEUM OF VUK STEFANOVIC KARADZIC AND DOSITEJ OBRADOVIC

The Museum of Vuk and Dositej is one of the most important memorial museums in Belgrade. Founded in 1949, it depicts the life, work and legacy of Vuk Stefanović Karadžić (1787–1864), the reformer of the Serbian language, and Dositej Obradović (1742–1811), a writer who was the country's first Minister of Education. The museum is a crucial site for understanding the revival of Serbian culture at the time of the First Serbian Uprising against the

Ottoman Empire. Since 1979, this institution has been governed by the National Museum of Serbia.

Established in 1949, the Museum of Vuk and Dositej is located in the Ottoman-style building of the former Belgrade Higher School, the first institution in Serbia providing higher education, founded in 1808 by Serbian key figure of the Age of Enlightenment Dositej Obradović during his mandate as Minister of Education; Vuk Stefanović Karadžić was one of the first students of this institution. Subsequently, the Higher School evolved into the University of Belgrade. The building was raised as a residence probably for the Belgrade Defterdar (head of the Ottoman provincial treasury). It is also believed that it used to be home to a harem.

VUK'S STEFANOVIC KARADZIC BIRTH HOUSE

In 1933. at the place where Vuk Karadžić family home was, the memorial house was built, two-piece log cabin, part of the basement, covered steep roof. One part of the chalets are house and room, and other warehouse, kačara and corn-store. House is a department with open fireplace, furniture and dishes, characteristic of the houses from the 19th century. The room contains a bed, table, bench, icons, gusle, and Vuk's portrait from the 1816th године, by Pavel Đurković.

On the occasion of 100 years of the death of Vuk (1964. year) student work brigades on your action "Tršić 64" raised amphitheater with a stage that was needed for organizing the "Vuk's Council", and "Vuk's Student Council". In 1987. The Tršić receives a comprehensive look as cultural-historical and monumental whole. Also, the road from Vuk's home to Tronoša monastery was built.

Vuk's birth house was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia.

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PRINCESS LJUBICA'S RESIDENCE