Interesting facts about Belgrade

Good food, rich history, exciting nightlife and two rivers are just some of the many things that make Belgrade recognizable everywhere in the world. This time we have found some interesting facts about Belgrade that you may not have had the opportunity to hear so far.

• The capital of Serbia has not always had the name it has today. Due to its rich and long history, Belgrade has changed its name 15 times. The Celts first called it Singidon, and later the Romans named it Singidunum, which is still used today in some cases. Alba Graeca, Nandoralba, Castelbianco, Dar Al Jihad (which means House of War) are just some of the names this city had in the past. His present name is first mentioned in the year of 878 in a letter from Pope John VIII to Boris I (the ruler of the First Bulgarian Empire).

Some even called it the “White Phoenix”, because after all the wars and 115 attacks throughout history, the city has always been rebuilt.

• Only 14 kilometres away from the city is Vinca – an archaeological site where the remains of a civilization older than Mesopotamia have been found. Here you can see jewelry, various utensils, tools, weapons and items of specific design that date back to 4500 BC. Rarely can a country boast of something like this, which is why we recommend that you visit this site, that is also called “White Hill”.

• Belgrade hides another city under itself. The cave below Tasmajdan, a large number of tunnels, passages, and even an underground hall were found below the surface of our city. You can even experience the underground world of our capital in person – there are special tours like Belgrade below Belgrade, where guides introduce you to the secrets and mysteries related to this phenomenon.

• We assume that you did not know that the 82-meter-high Temple of Saint Sava bears the title of the largest Orthodox building in the Balkans. The place where it is located is also connected to the famous slaughter of princes due to which the First Serbian Uprising broke out, as well as to the burning of the relics of the saint after whom the temple was named.

• Another interesting fact related to the history of the city is that the first cafe in Europe was opened in 1522 in Dorcol. Unfortunately, the names of the cafe and its owner remain unknown. The only thing that we still know is that the only beverage that was served here was coffee, which was then known as Turkish coffee.

• Slavija Square, like many other parts of Belgrade, has not always looked the way it does today. There used to be a pond here, which at the end of the 19th century was the main location for hunters of ducks and other wild birds. The first tram line 1, whose route was to Kalemegdan, was later connected to this square, as well as the first buses that were put into operation at the beginning of the 20th century and that drove to Avala.

A city with a turbulent past, such as Belgrade, carries more interesting and little-known facts. Tourists who come to visit our capital are sometimes more informed about it than the local population. That’s why you should take a break, look at it from different angle, and we assure you it will be as amazing as it was when saw it for the first time.