The capitol city of Serbia, Belgrade (Beograd in Serbian), is a relatively new city. Belgrade was founded as a Celtic city by the name of Singidunum in the 3rd century B.C.E. Few buildings predate the 18th century because the city has been conquered and destroyed 44 times in its long history. The only ancient remains are the old fortress of Kalemegdan with its earliest foundations from the 3rd century and other excavated sites and roads found around the base of the fortress.
Settled at the confluence of two rivers, the Sava and the Danube, Belgrade has long served as a main traffic and merchant route between Central Europe and Asia. Up until the early years of the 19th century, Belgrade was still a Turkish garrison town and was left undeveloped since the 15th century. The First Serbian Uprising in 1804 led Belgrade to be liberated from the Ottoman Turks in 1806. This brought about a major political change spurring the new Principality of Serbia. The political environment encouraged the redevelopment and expansion of Belgrade. The city expanded along cliffs and ravines avoiding low-lying areas close to the river and flooding zones. It was only until sometime after the completion of the train station in 1884 and the construction of a railroad the length of the Sava and Danube, that interest in the development of the low-lying terrain grew. Many industrial facilities and new residential constuction are concentrated in these zones.
This image was taken in 1970 by John Schooley, FAIA, during an Urban America tour. Urban America tours allowed architects and planners to visit New Towns and meet professionals involved in their planning and continued development.
Submitted by John Schooley, FAIA.
