I am glad that I visited Belgrade before Sarajevo, Zagreb or Pristina as it allowed me to receive inputs with an open mind about what Serbs think regarding the Balkan wars and other related issues. Even though a quick online search might influence you to make up your mind on whose side you are on, I wanted to understand the Serbian take on things. If you love history and were growing up in the 1990s with some idea about the situation here, Belgrade is a must visit when you are in the region and boy, it didn't disappoint me one bit!
My first task after a good night's sleep was to take the walking tour recommended by my hostel. I took a small diversion when I saw this pretty cool place on my way to the meeting point -
The first stop in the walking tour was Hostel Moscow, built by Russians and still standing tall. Serbia has always enjoyed excellent relations with Russia and the "Euro vs Russia" topic gets thrown up quite often during a conversation with the locals. The public want to enter the Euro zone as it would give them access to a wider market and provide better avenues for employment but at the same time, they want cordial relations with Russia.
The statue of Prince Michael was the first depiction of any Serbian ruler on a horse. It stands on the Republic square, the most important square in the city and center of all the action.
The Balkans sure love their fountains - a regular sight in every city I visited.
Novi dvor (New Palace) and its well manicured gardens are a beautiful sight. It was a royal residence in the old days and now, it is the seat of the President of Serbia. The palace is located opposite Stari Dvor (Old Palace).
The Parliament and its statues of the two horses have been given a new meaning by the locals. Like in other parts of the world, the general public in Belgrade mock their politicians too. The first statue of pushing the horse is a symbol of a new person trying to enter the parliament (or the political arena) and the second statue of pulling the horse outward is a symbol of trying to get an old politician out of Parliament. The oft repeated saying - it is tough to enter and tough to exit, therefore politicians are hard to displace.
The stone memorial for the fallen is located nearby at a cemetery for the fighters of WWII.
The buildings in Belgrade are like a history lesson. They are a reminder of the years when Belgrade was under the influence of Ottomans & Austria-Hungary. They also reflect the WWI era (Belgrade was the city from where WWI conflict started), the age of communism & the Yugoslavian period.
And there are buildings which show the aftermath of NATO bombings and the rebuilding which took place after that. Probably the most stunning of all was the radio & communication office of the 1990s, which was destroyed in the NATO bombings. It has not been rebuilt, so that the general public & tourists can remember the injustice that happened here. The sign near the building asks "WHY" in Caps - it was one of the most disturbing sights I have ever seen. Whichever side you choose in the regional conflicts, I am pretty sure this particular picture would remain in your mind for a long time. There is a reason Serbians have retained these buildings in such a condition - they want to remind everyone who visits their city that whatever happened to them in the 90's was wrong. As a propaganda, this is pretty effective and it would be tough not to sympathize with the Serbians after looking at this. However, there are always two sides to a story (and a war) and whichever way people or history judge these countries & their rulers, one fact remains - the innocent lives lost during the turbulent period are gone forever. The only hope is going forward, a lesson is learned and such horrors are never repeated.
After spending a long time here and discussing the regional issues with our guide, we moved on to a pleasant looking building. The museum of Belgrade's most famous person Nikola Tesla (or is it Novak Djokovic) - it is quite small and I was definitely expecting something bigger.
The Church of Saint Sava is one of the largest churches in the world. It is dedicated to Saint Sava, the founder of Serbian Orthodox Church and an important figure in medieval Serbia. It is built on the location where the remains of Saint Sava were burned in 1595 by Ottomans in order to break the Serbian spirit.
From whichever direction you approach the city, this is one building you won’t be able to miss. Every day, the bell towers of this beautiful church announce noon. The central dome is so heavy that its lifting itself took 40 days. There are 49 bells in the bell towers and over 18 gold plated crosses on the its domes. The interiors are stunning and can take your breath away.
The tour finished close to lunch time and as I was scanning for options, my eyes fell on a familiar sign. This was the first McDonald's opened in a communist country. As much as I wanted to eat from this historic eatery, I decided to postpone my visit for a later date and continued my search for something local.
Bakeries are one of the most popular options, when it comes to eating out or having a snack on the go. The Burek here is a thing of beauty - the crunch of the flaky pastry along with the hot melting cheese keeps you hooked. There is a spinach version too, but I stuck to the cheese one. It is also one of the few places where you have vegetarian options. Serbians love their meat and smoke (smoking is permitted inside cafes & restaurants) and with a plethora of bars, discos and pubs, they surely know how to party.
After lunch, it was time to explore other parts of the city on my own. The next building was the military HQs which were bombed in 1999, also kept as it is - it looks surreal amidst the modern buildings.
Then there are the communist buildings which are plain, efficient and without any frills. They sure stick to their model religiously and are a recurring sight in the Balkans. But, there are some buildings which are pleasing to the eye.
While walking through the streets, my eyes fell on a souvenir shop which had a superb collection of fridge magnets. I wish that someday, I will have a worldwide collection looking like this -
My next stop was the fortress, which is the oldest section of the city. For centuries, population was concentrated only within the walls of the fortress. This is the last raised ground in the Balkan Peninsula before the vast stretch of flatland extending all the way to Central Europe.
The Fortress controlled the access & navigation on the Sava & the Danube and was of outstanding strategic importance throughout much of its history. It served to guard the border between the Roman Empire and barbarian lands across the Danube and the border between the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires. No wonder then, it was so often destroyed, rebuilt and redesigned.
My last stop of the day was Rajko Mitic Stadium, home of the local football club Red Star Belgrade, whose fans would rank among the most passionate fans (and prone to violence) in the world. The northern stand at the stadium is reserved for the club’s most ardent supporters known as Delije, roughly translated as the tough boys.
A new addition to the stadium was a real battle tank, used during the bloody breakup of Yugoslavia in 1990s. This wartime symbol was parked in front of the ahead of a Champions League qualifying match against Swiss champion Young Boys. The local fan club says the tank symbolizes their slogan “Machine Has Started.” The stunt has triggered a strong reaction from neighboring Croatia, which fought a war for independence from the Serb-led Yugoslavia. Strange is the love of football fans - one of the club fans said I just might be the first Indian to have a peek at the club colored tank!
As darkness fell, it was time to head back to the hostel and reflect on the few days I have spent in Serbia. It was a very knowledgeable trip which allowed me to understand the issues Serbians are facing first hand and the rationale behind their thought process. Corruption is omnipresent and there is no political initiative to get rid of the problems. The Serbians have not forgiven or forgotten the NATO, the Russian partnership is very important to them but they still want to join the EU because of the opportunities it will provide them. The booming education sector is a plus and the brain drain is a concern. Their incredible resolve is something to admire - they have developed most things from scratch after they were flattened in 1999 and now they are bouncing back slowly (Djokovic is a prime example of the same). Belgrade is a gritty urban city and it was a pleasure to visit such a historic place and experience their culture first hand. To cap it off, the people were nice and friendly who ensured that I will carry fond memories of the country wherever I go!
Over to Bosnia and Herzegovina now and look at the events of 1992-95, which Serbians never discussed (since they were the ones committing the crimes).
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