Kalemegdan

Part of the city with the most beautiful view of the confluence of the Sava and the Danube rivers. The biggest and most important park in Belgrade is primarily recognizable by the famous Belgrade Fortress. The name derives from the Turkish words "kale" meaning the city or fort and "megdan" meaning the field. While the Turkish army ruled Belgrade, the park was called "Ficir-bajir" - a hillock for thinking. During the eighties of the 19th century, it got the present appearance, on the initiative of Milos Obrenovic. The preliminary sketches and project for arranging were made by the first city urbanist Emilijan Josimovic. Arranging by project was started in 1890, and the then Mayor Nikola Pasic approved the first loan for the arranging of public areas, in the value of the then 10,000 dinars. The first one to be done was the Great Kalemegdan which had organized events at that time. There, on Sunday and holidays, cheerful music was performed by a military orchestra. The official designer of the Great (Veliki) Kalemegdan was architect Milan Kapetanovic. At the end of the 19th century a tender for the arrangement of Mali (Small) Kalemegdan was announced. Jelisaveta Nacic was an architect who won the tender.

The entrance to the park from Knez Mihailova Street is decorated with a decorative geometric style parter, which, after setting up the Thanksgiving Monument to France, has undergone certain changes but remained in the same style. At the same time, walking paths and sports grounds were made. Soon, monument "Pobednik" (Winner) was also set up. During the World War II, the park suffered great damage. Re-adaptation began in 1950. In the last decades, Kalemegdan is one of the leading symbols of the city, the favourite park of the citizens of Belgrade of all generations and a tourist attraction of great importance.

Kalemegdan Park was developed as late as 19th century on a plateau between the Belgrade Fortress and settlements that was kept bare in order to better spot the approach of the enemy. During the Ottoman rule, it was also the site of a slave market and a scaffold. The park features: Beo Zoo Park, Memorial for the Delivery of Keys, Monument of Gratitude to France, Fountain “Fisherman”, Bandstand, Small and Big Staircase, Tomb of National Heroes, Japanese fountain, Little Kalemegdan, Cvijeta Zuzoric Art Pavilion, Fountain Awakening, The Genius of Death, Sculpture Weary Soldier, Sculpture “Partisan with children”, Branko Radicevic Monument, Marko Miljanov Memorial Bust, Jasa Prodanovic Memorial Bust, Jovan Skerlic Memorial Bust, Jovan Subotic Memorial Bust, Ivan Goran Kovacic Memorial Bust, Jovan Gavrilovic Memorial Bust, Djura Danicic Memorial Bust, Vojislav Ilic Memorial Bust, Djura Jaksic Memorial Bust, Simeon Roksandic Memorial Bust, Janko Veselinovic Memorial Bust, Milos Crnjanski Memorial Bust, Milos N. Djuric Memorial Bust, Borisav Stankovic Memorial Bust, Aleksa Santic Memorial Bust, Jovan Ducic Memorial Bust, Kosta Tausanovic Memorial Bust, Stevan Mokranjac Memorial Bust, Radoje Domanovic Memorial Bust.