Belgrade is a unique and vibrant city, filled with beauty on every corner. For a city that has been completely demolished and rebuilt over 40 times, it’s amazing that it still has so much charm. In particular, I found it interesting to learn about the blend of influences on the architecture, from Ottoman to Austro-Hungarian, that has created the foundation for Belgrade’s historical and architectural richness.
When I first began exploring the city, I was quite frustrated in that I couldn’t pinpoint the exact ‘culture’ of the people, or feel out the vibe of the architecture. However, after learning about Belgrade’s tumultuous historical and cultural experiences, it became more evident that, especially after so many conflicts, the architecture is truly representative of the various ethnic and religious identities that resided in the region.
I found it interesting to learn about the internal conflict that Belgrade (and most of the Balkans) faced in terms of national identity and what themes of nesting orientalism. With influences from the East and the West, the city struggled with different ethnicities and the idea of ‘othering’ on the basis of oriental/Eastern religious and cultural practices. This city has gone through so much in the past – even as recently as the past couple decades – to determine what shapes and defines the national identity, which is still evolving to this day.
Overall, this city has many beautiful sites and is incredible to explore. There’s so much to learn about the history and culture of the people — including the fact that it was one of the oldest cities in all of Europe (and the birthplace of numerous Roman emperors!) Taking the time to soak in the views on the top of a fortress or trek through underground caves — to name just a few of my adventures — just comes to show that Belgrade is such an amazing and culturally/historically rich place.
