History
Belgrade, a city of very tumultuous history, is one of the oldest cities in Europe. Its history lasts full 7,000 years. The area around two great rivers, the Sava and the Danube has been inhabited as early as palaeolithic period. Remains of human bones and skulls of Neanderthals, found in the stone-pit near Leštane, in a cave in Čukarica and near the Bajloni market, date back to the early Stone Age.
Remains of the late Stone Age culture have been found in Vinča, Žarkovo and in Upper Town, above the Sava and Dunav confluence. It indicates that the area of Belgrade has been continually inhabited and that the intensity of the settling has been getting higher and higher. Many of today's settlements in Belgrade surroundings lie on cultural layers of earlier prehistoric settlements.
Vinča near Belgrade comes among the most important settlements and cultural sites of the prehistoric period. The presence of Illyrians is characteristic for the Bronze Age. The archaeological excavations at Rospi Ćuprija, Upper Town, Karaburma, Zemun and Vinča confirm hypotheses that the Belgrade area has been intensively inhabited and that its population has been engaged in plough agriculture and other supporting economic activities. Necropolises of the Bronze and Metal Ages as well as the evidence of different cultural influences have been discovered at these locations.
Culture and Art
Belgrade is the centre of culture and art of Serbia. It is Belgrade where our most notable artists create, where over 11.000 theatrical performances, exhibitions, concerts, performance events, and other artistic programs are presented and where prominent authors in the world of art are hosted. Belgrade is the centre of the highest state and national institutions of culture and art: Serbian Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Library of Serbia, the National Museum, the National Theatre and the University of Arts.
It is Belgrade where the most significant works of architecture are located, with Kalemegdan accommodating Belgrade Fortress, cultural monuments and other immovable cultural treasures, numerous archeological sites with remnants of developed civilization and culture on Belgrade territory from prehistory until this day.
The City of Belgrade is the founder of 36 cultural institutions (11 theatres, 8 institutions for protection of cultural values, 4 libraries, 13 cultural centers and galleries) and the supporter of 2 public companies, at the same time the contributor in the implementation of schedules and scheduled attractions of 231 institutions and artistic associations.
The City of Belgrade is the founder of 11 cultural events (FEST, BITEF, BEMUS, BELEF, International Competition of Music Youth, Festival of Documentary and Short film, October Salon, Joy of Europe, Belgrade Book Fair, Sopot Film Festival, Belgrade Jazz Festival), and also the supporter of 69 events in the field of culture performed in Belgrade.
The Secretariat of Culture within the City Administration is in charge of culture and art.
Tourism
TOURIST ORGANIZATION OF BELGRADE
www.tob.co.rs
TOURIST ORGANIZATION OF SERBIA
Religion
Belgrade has precious monuments of spiritual culture, churches, monasteries and places of worship of different confessions.
According to 2002 census, there are 90,68% Belgrade citizens of Orthodox persuasion, about 1,29% of Islamic and 1,03% of Roman Catholic belief, 0.24% of them are Protestants, 0.03% Jews, 2,02% of unknown belief, while 3% declared as atheists.
The most important Orthodox church of Belgrade - the Cathedral Church was built in 1840. Some of the oldest are also the Nikolajevska Church (1745) and the Church of the Holy Mother of God (1783) in Zemun. The monumental St. Sava's Temple, the greatest Orthodox temple, can receive 12,000 believers. By their importance and look, one can also set apart the churches Ružica and Sveta Petka, crkva Svetog Marka, Vaznesenska, (Ascension) church, Topčider church and the church of Alexander Nevsky. In the wider city area there are also two old log-cabin churches in the villages of Vranić and Orašac.
In the Belgrade area and its wider surroundings, there are several monasteries built at the end of the XV century or later, demolished and rebuilt several times, and mostly wholly or partially, renewed in the last two decades. The monasteries of Rakovica, Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God, Fenek, Rajinovac and Tresije are beautiful monuments of Serbian past. The monasteries in Slanci, Mislođin and Pavlovac on the slopes of the Kosmaj have been partly renewed. The ruins of the Kastaljan monastery are hardly accessible because the road that leads to them is bad.
There are also several Roman Catholic churches, one synagogue, one mosque and several places of worship of other confessions in Belgrade.
