Knez Mihailova, the Main Promenade in the Heart of Belgrade

The pedestrian and shopping zone in center of Belgrade is protected by law as one of the oldest and most valuable monumental urban ambiance. With a big number of representative buildings and urban houses built at the end of 70-ies of XIX century, she take a look of the streets who stay catched in your memory for a long time.

Its belive that long time ago the Knez Mihailova street was a center of Roman settlements Lux and that in a time when the Turks were in this area, the Knez Mihailova got twisted streets with gardens, fountains and mosques. Also, in the mid-nineteenth century, the top of the street was a garden of Prince Alexander Karadjordjevic.

After making the regulation plan of Belgrade, which is made by Emilian Josimovic in 1867., street was built quickly and got their physiognomy and content. In the street was built houses of the mosts influential and wealtiest families of Belgrade, and politician. In 1870th City Admisnitration was officially baptized by giving it name - Knez Mihailova Street!!!

At the entrance to the Knez Mihailova street, if you start from the Terazija (one of the biggest and main central streets in Belgrade center), the first building is with great video screen which shows various ads and related information for Belgrade and Serbia. Its like cross road, on one side you can go in Zeleni Venac (Green Wreath), one of the biggest European open shopping centers, where you can also find from the fruits and vegetables to the last fashion season (Bulgarian ;) ) for very low price, clothes. On that place is one of the city center Bus Stations, where you can catch bus for any part of Belgrade. For very low price ticket for a bus you can go where ever you wish! On the other side of entrance to the Knez Mihailova is one of main streets who take to the Trg Republica ( Republic Square), where again is intersection to the Dom Omladine (Youth Home), again one of very popular places in Belgrade.

But if you just get straight, you get in to experience of Knez Mihailova! Surrounded by buildings that still have saved the facade, preserving the history of one of the oldest European streets. The ground floor of buildings are with the stores open with pmominent names in fashion, technology, furniture and etc. Among others there is a large number of museum and galleries, near is the National Theater of Belgrade, and in the street are opened a large number of educational centers.

In front of the Serbian Academy of Arts and Sciences, somewhere in the middle of the street Knez Mihailova, its the Pyramid, appointed in 1995. by the City of Belgrade. It has four sides, which two sides are with listed coordinatess of latitude and longitude of the point of the pyramid, and two other sides are follower by altitude and acceleration due to gravity of that point. On that place was also the other pyramid, in last century earlier, but at the top of Captain Misa's building, where were marked side ot the world. Since the building was then the highest in Belgrade, firefighters used it as watch point on Belgrade.

If I start to write about every building in Knez Mihailova, you will see that almost every building have its own story. They are all tracked through the history, and restaurated in what they are now. Some of must see building, but also not possible to miss are:

- Hotel "Serbian Crown" - built in 1869th in Romantic style. In that time it was the most modern hotel in Belgrade, but between the 1945 and 1970. it change in the National Library of Serbia, and now is the Library of the City.

- House of Marko Stojanovic - built around the 1889th as a private house in the renaissance style. In 1937. its established in the Academy of Fine Arts, and today its the Academy Gallery.

- Blok of Urban Houses - built 70 years ago in the XIX century. The raising of this blok marked the beginning of break with the traditional "Balkan" architecture. All three buildings have been shaped from the Romanticism to the Renaissance.

• House of Hristina Kumandi, built in 1870 as a corner building at the intersection of Knez Mihailova and Dubrovnik. The building at one time was house of the Franco-Serbian bankman, and after that Belgian and English consulate.
• Kristina mehana, built in 1869. year. It was built as an administrative and commercial building by brother Krstic, who also poened the same name hotel, where till the building of the City Council held pariamentary session.
• House of Veljko Savic, built in 1869. year as residential houses with shops. From the looks of the original building it has undergone many changes.

- Bulding of SANU - built in 1923-1924. year, according to the plans from 1912. year, from Dragutin Djordjevic and Andre Stevanovic. It was built in academic style with elements of Art Nouveau. In building today are: Library of the Academy, one of the richest in Belgrade; Archive of the Academy, with numerous materials on the history of Serbia; SANU Gallery on the ground floor, with a special lecture hall, bookstore and antique shop.

- Endowment of Nikola Spasic - built in 1889th accordint to the project architect Konstantin Jovanovic. It was built in the renaissance style. Also there is passage of Nikola Spasic, built in 1912th in art nouveau style.

- Restaurant "Queen of Greece" - built in 1835. year in academic style.

- Hotel "Russia" - the building was built around the 1870., and enlarged in 1920th. "Russian car"is today cafe and restaurant, built in the academic style in 1926th.

When you come in the middle of the street, in front of you apear Big White Fountain in Romanic style. It was with healty and fresh water for a lots of year, but today is not secure to drink it, but you can use to refresh hand, face or head in very hot summer days. When you are on the point of fountain, landscape have Institute of Servantes, University of Belgrde - Faculty of Philosophy, Faculty of Philology. Also you can have nice break with some ice-cream cupe or fresh drink, or maybe lunch, on terrass from cafe "Plato". The cafe "Plato" is part of Bookshop "Plato" and its with very big quality and popularity in Belgrade. At evening on the terrass are sometimes, usually at summer, organised concerts with latin and similar music.

During walking through the street, you will see that she is cuted from both side with little streets. They are all big part and without them the street definitely would not be the same.

- Obilicev venac, street, its very popular by youth of Belgrade, but also by foreign tourists and visitours. Its street full with terrass of cofe shops aranged in most beautiful styles, with big screens, happy and long music which keeps you in good mood, but again not too loud so you can always have nice and easy talk with friends.

On Obilicev venac is also big Parking garage, where you can safely leave your car and take your days of tour around Belgrade.

- Night Clubs in the middle of the Center of Belgrade are settled also in this little streets, which cut Knez Mihailova. The most famous are Academia club and Basmment Club, but there are also some new recently opened. I don't doubt at all that its worth to visit them too for very good night fun!

But again if you are not for night club mood, and you just need to walk, Knez Mihailova is street for you, because its take you in a lot different and interesting, famous places in center of Belgrade. Its give you experience of art, of music, of smiling and friendly faces, of shopping, of cofe shop terrasses all around... When you come on the end of street, going from Terazija-how we start this story, you come on cross road where you is entrance of Kalemegdan park and Belgrade Fortress.

Just go and walk.. you will not get lost, and even if you get lost for sure you will not be bored!

On every part of street and part of center, its hidden something interesting for everyone! Just discover! And if you find something what I still didn't find, please tell me... ;)

Happy and smiling day