Serbia
Countries-Holidays
Short account of Belgrade and Belgrade region, Serbia
We have several times visited Belgrade and the neighbouring regions.
Belgrade is the Capital of Serbia. It locates beautifully on the confluence of the river Danube and its tributary Sava. The old fortress Kalemegdan overlooks the confluence.
It is a very pleasant experience to walk along the banks of the Danube and the Sava visiting one of the many boat restaurants lying at the banks of the rivers.
In the centre of Belgrade, you find many fashionable shops and numerous restaurants with outdoor service. In fact, the outdoor life of Belgrade is widespread and a part of the national mind.
The main shopping street in Belgrade is Knez Mihailova, a pedestrian street stretching north west from the street Terazije to Kalemegdan. It is a very nice street with a lot of life and many redecorated and restored buildings.
Skardalija is an old bohemian quarter in the old town of Belgrade. The Skardarska Street runs along the edge of the quarter. It is a very popular and famous street. It is paved with stones, and many of the old houses are converted into restaurants with traditional Serbian food. Musicians play live folk music in the restaurants and in the street.
Avala is a mountain about 16 kilometers south of Belgrade. It is a popular picnic resort for people from Belgrade. With its height of 511 meters, Avala offers a wide view to the surrounding lowland. On Avala stands a 204 meters high telecommunication tower. It includes a view platform from which you have a fantastic view around the horizon.
About 70 kilometers in bee line north west of Belgrade close to Novi Sad, the mountain Fruska Gora lies. Fruska Gora is a pristine and picturesque area encompassing interesting sights such as a national park, archeological sites and 16 monasteries spread over the area. We have been around in the area and visited 13 of these monasteries. Somebody would ask why on earth, we visited all those monasteries. Well, the beauty and the tranquility of the area and the monasteries are impressive and if god does exist, this is where you get closest to him; you can almost reach out to heaven.
On the edge of Fruska Gora and the banks of Danube lie the town of Sremski Karlovci. The place was first time referred to in a document from the year 1308, which mentioned a fortress Karom. The town has played an important role in the history of the area.
Significant sights in the town are the Grammar School, the oldest Serbian high school founded in 1791; The Patriarch’s Palace, the seat of the orthodox bishop; The Theological Seminary, a boarding school for theological students; the Orthodox Cathedral and the Catholic Church.
The village Idvor locates 50 to 60 kilometers north of Belgrade. In 1854 the Serbian American physicist and physical chemist Mihailo Pupin was born here. Twenty years old he migrated to USA. In 1894, he invented what is called “Pupin’s coil," an invention which extended the range of long-distance telephones. In Idvor, his native house is converted to a museum and there is also a museum telling of his life and works.
South East of Idvor, you find the town of Kovacica. The town is known as a center of naïve art. The dominant ethnic group within the town is Slovaks followed by Serbs, Hungarians, Romanians, Roma and Yugoslavs. This is typically for Balkan, a melting pot of different ethnic Balkan people.
About 30 kilometers from Sabac on the road from Belgrade to Sabac, you find the monastery Kaona. In the Middle Ages, there was a Christian shrine, where Kaona today is located. At Kaona, there is a curative spring, especially good for eye problems. We tried it out, but unfortunately we did not feel any difference. As most monasteries, it lies in a secluded area with beautiful views and very peaceful surroundings. It looks like The Church has signed a covenant with Nature that makes a stay on the site of a monastery an almost religious experience, or creates a feeling of a pact with the nature; the nature which we are all descended from.
Mira is born in a town close to Sabac and lived in Sabac until she was 10 years old. We have been to see Sabac and the place Mira lived, as well as the church yard with the family grave. Sabac is today a town of about 70.000 inhabitants.
Sabac is an important town in Serbian history. The first uprising against the Ottoman Empire took place there in 1806. In 1813, Ottoman control was reestablished, but a second successful uprising took place in 1815.
Hans Bruun-Jensen
Slideshow with a few samples of photoes from Serbia
To see the complete albums go to: Our photo gallery, albums: Countries - Holidays / C-H_Serbia-YYYY Belgr. You will find many family photos, but also photos of general interest from Belgrade, Avala and other areas.
Videos
Panoramic view to Danube, New Belgrade and Zemun
Atmosphere in Knez Mihajlova
Atmosphere in Knez Mihajlova